The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has rejoiced with Nigerians, particularly Christians and Lagos residents, as they celebrate this year’s Easter.
He urged Nigerians and Christians in particular to reflect on the sacrifice and love that Jesus Christ showed to mankind through His crucifixion and resurrection.
Speaking to journalists on Friday after attending the Combined Special Prayers for Nigeria and President Bola Tinubu in commemoration of the Easter and Ramadan celebrations at Lagos House, Ikeja, Governor Sanwo-Olu urged Lagos residents to be peaceful and keep the peace and tranquility that Lagos is known for.
During the Combined Special Prayers, Christian and Muslim clerics prayed for President Bola Tinubu, who clocked 72 on Friday. They also prayed for Nigeria, Governor Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hazmat; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Head of Service, Mr. Olabode Agoro, executive, legislative, and judiciary arms of government, as well as civil servants and Lagos residents.
Governor Sanwo-Olu appreciated Lagosians for their patience and understanding. “I want to wish all Lagosians happy celebration of Easter, as we have just ended the Christian Lenten season.
“I believe it has been a worthy journey for all our Christian brothers and sisters who have been fasting to ask for the strengthening of our State and country. And coincidentally, we are in the 19th day of Ramadan as well. So, everything around prayers and supplication is working very well.
“My wish is for all of us to enjoy the season. We need to be as peaceful as we have always been, do things in moderation, and ensure that we keep the peace and tranquility that Lagos is known for,” he said.
Speaking on his administration’s commitment to make life better for all Lagos residents, Governor Sanwo-Olu said his government has put in place many intervention programmes in the areas of health, public transportation, food, and food security, to ease the economic hardship.
He said: “This is also a time for us to thank Lagosians for their patience and understanding of all the various verticals of interventions that we have put forward in the areas of health, public transportation, food, and food security.
“We are bringing out solutions that can ease the economic pressure that we see in the country. There is nothing that is difficult that stays forever. At the national level, we can see that the Naira is becoming stronger.
“We can even see from the new policies that the Central Bank is bringing out, Naira savings are now the order of the day. So, you should be happy as Nigerians holding on to the Naira currency, which will improve our exchange of value.
“These are some of the messages we need to take forward, and this needs to reflect in our market. Naira is getting stronger and better. It needs to reflect in the cost of goods. People cannot continue to give reasons while the dollar went up, and now that it is coming down, it also needs to reflect in the cost of rice, beans, and tomatoes, and that is the message for all of us because we want to be our brothers keepers. We want to ensure we put an end to the suffering.
“We want to thank Mr. President for taking up the leadership and working with all the subnationals and for taking the leadership and believing in his government. We have begun to see the benefits of it.”
During the Combined Special Prayers, attended by present and former public office holders, political, traditional, and religious leaders, Christian and Muslim clerics in their respective sermons and prayers, charged Nigerians to be prayerful and serve God faithfully.