Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has expressed confidence that Nigeria will overcome its current challenges, particularly insecurity, through unity, reform, and the collective resolve of its people under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking in Kaduna, Tuesday, at the Arewa House during the 65th Independence Anniversary Lecture of the Arewa Think Tank, themed “65 Years of Nigeria’s Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View,” Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from the nation’s founding fathers and remain united in confronting emerging national issues.
The Lagos Governor, who was the Guest Speaker at the event chaired by former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said insecurity, poverty and hunger will be defeated through unity of purpose and the full implementation of President Tinubu’s progressive reforms.
“We shall defeat every challenge: poverty, hunger, and, as the President himself has assured us, terrorism. God has put us together for a purpose, and we shall achieve that purpose without distraction or division. The things that bind us together are far weightier than whatever seeks to separate or divide us.” Sanwo-Olu declared.
He dismissed recent foreign claims alleging religious persecution in Nigeria, describing the country as “a proudly multi-ethnic, multi-religious, and multicultural nation.”
According to him, Tinubu’s leadership represents a continuity of the visionary ideals of early nationalists such as Sir Ahmadu Bello and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whose legacy of unity, service and foresight remains a compass for Nigeria’s development.
“No one is perfect, and politics and public service are not about perfection,” Sanwo-Olu said. “They are about constantly improving, planting trees we might not be around to enjoy, and leaving behind a better country than the one we inherited.”
Highlighting the achievements of the Renewed Hope Agenda, Sanwo-Olu said the removal of petrol subsidy, exchange rate unification, and enactment of four tax laws mark a bold reset of Nigeria’s economic structure toward productivity and efficiency.
He noted that the reforms have significantly boosted government revenues, enabling greater funding for states and local governments to deliver more development projects.
“Between 2023 and 2024, federal allocations to state governments grew by 65 per cent, while those to local governments rose by 47 per cent,” he disclosed, while adding that: “The new tax laws now raise the states’ share of VAT to 55 per cent and that of local governments to 35 per cent. These are decisive steps that empower the subnational levels to serve Nigerians better.”
Sanwo-Olu also lauded President Tinubu’s pursuit of true federalism, including his efforts to secure financial autonomy for local governments through a landmark Supreme Court ruling, and his commitment to establishing state police to strengthen security at the grassroots.
“When the President sets out to achieve a fundamental reform, we know that regardless of all the odds, he will, working with all stakeholders, achieve his objectives,” the Governor added.
The governor said the Renewed Hope Agenda and Lagos State’s THEMES+ development blueprint share the same progressive philosophy, prioritising infrastructure, human capital, security, and social inclusion, reflecting the alignment between federal and state visions for development.
He called on Nigerians to resist division and embrace unity as the foundation for progress, assuring that with determination and reform, Nigeria’s best years lie ahead.
The event was attended by former governors Bisi Akande, Olusegun Osoba, Mukhtar Ramalan-Yero, Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, religious and traditional leaders, and other dignitaries.
