Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared that the state will not embrace political or governance changes merely for the sake of change, insisting that continuity and tested ideas remain critical to sustaining its development trajectory.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Tuesday at the centenary lecture of the Yoruba Tennis Club in Lagos, where he delivered a lecture titled, “Democracy, Governance, and the Lagos Spirit – A Century of Excellence.”
The governor said Lagos had distinguished itself by maintaining long-term development plans across successive administrations, rather than abandoning existing programmes whenever a new government assumed office.
“In a country where every new government is tempted to begin afresh, and tear up the predecessor’s plans, Lagos chose to continue. I inherited a plan, not a blank page – and my successor will similarly inherit the plan,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said the principle of continuity had become an important part of the state’s governance philosophy, stressing that Lagos residents had experienced the benefits of sustained development planning.
“This is the message that I am taking into the political campaign, as my party strives to build on our legacy of transformation in Lagos State,” the governor said.
He challenged opposition political parties to present credible alternatives to the people rather than simply campaign for a change of government.
“Our challenge to the opposition remains the same – to put forward credible ideas that are able to compete with ours, instead of seeking change for the sake of change,” he said.
According to him, Lagos had reached a stage where untested political and governance experiments could no longer be substituted for policies and programmes with demonstrable results.
“Untested novelty is no longer an option for a Lagos State that has tasted and felt the superiority of continuity,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The governor also said the ultimate test of governance should be its impact on the everyday lives of residents, particularly in areas such as healthcare, education, transportation and commerce.
“The true measure of our work in Lagos is whether a doctor or nurse in Alimosho or Ibeju-Lekki can get to work on time, whether a child in Ajegunle has a desk and school books, whether a trader in Mile 12 can get her tomatoes or fish to market before they rot,” he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Bro Chief Olawumi Gasper mni, said the club’s centenary was not only an occasion to celebrate its history but also an opportunity to reflect on its responsibilities to future generations.
Gasper recalled that the club, founded in 1926, had survived colonial rule, independence and successive political and social changes while remaining committed to fellowship, sportsmanship, culture and community leadership.
“When the Yoruba Tennis Club was founded in 1926, Lagos was a very different city. Colonial rule shaped the social and institutional landscape, and racial barriers limited the participation of Nigerians in several spheres of public and social life,” he said.
He said the club’s founding fathers refused to be defined by the limitations of their time, building an institution that had endured for a century.
Gasper added: “Our founding fathers gave us a foundation. Our predecessors gave us continuity. Our responsibility is to give the future possibility.”
The centenary programme featured the lecture, presentation of the club’s history book, exhibition of historical and archival materials spanning 100 years, and the sod-turning for a proposed Legacy Building.
Gasper described the relationship between the club and Lagos as one of continuing partnership, urging members to preserve the values of integrity, fellowship and responsibility for future generations.
