Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has pointedly declared that Nigeria has no business with poverty, calling on Nigerians irrespective of tribe, religion, profession or gender to always do the right and ideal thing by following the instructions of God and being godly in order to move the country forward and build a better society for all to live.
Hamzat made this call at a special prayer session organised to commemorate his 55th birthday, which held at his official residence in Ikoyi-Lagos on Thursday.
The deputy governor, who bemoaned the high level of indiscipline and social vices in the country, further urged citizens, including religious leaders, parents, among others to be responsible in their various endeavours and activities, saying that the country was richly blessed but was in current poor state for reason that the citizens had not heeded to God.
“We are blessed but for some reasons, we have not done what God has asked us to do, that is why we are the way we are. If only we have done what God expects from us all, the country will be a better place,” he said.
Hamzat urged religious leaders in the country to always advise their followers to shun negative attitudes, contending that no matter the numbers of roads constructed and schools built, or megawatts of power generated, if the users are not well oriented towards being a great country, it will all be a waste.
“The government must build schools, better infrastructure and definitely people are going to use them. But if those people using the infrastructure are not well oriented, we will have a challenge,” the deputy governor said.
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According to Dr Hamza, both the government and citizens all have responsibilities in making this country great and building a better future for generations yet unborn, adding that Nigeria would be good and habitable for all if all the citizens cared for their neighbours as admonished by the two holy books and not being self-centred.
Speaking further, the deputy governor disclosed that his birthday message was focused on parenting as “our behaviour” remained “the biggest challenge of this country.”
He contended that there is the need to pay more attention to parenting as the family structure determined the success of a society, warning: “Once the family structure breaks down, the society breaks down and everything goes wrong with the country.”
While reiterating the need for parents to bring up their children with moral values as most parents had abandoned their responsibilities, he enjoined them to teach them morals, family values and hard work.
Speaking on the topic, “Governance in Islam,” the guest lecturer, Sheikh AbdulAkeem Lawal, called on the government to create an enabling environment for business to thrive in order to create employment for Nigerians.
According to him, it is the responsibility of government to be responsive to the needs of citizens, urging the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration to be alert to its responsibility by ensuring that it dealt with all in fairness and justice.
While commending the state government for his successes in the last 100 days in office, Sheikh Lawal urged the Babajide Olusola administration to fulfil all its campaign promises to the good people of Lagos State.
Speaking further, the cleric stated that birthday celebration was an avenue of thanksgiving for preservation of life and stock-taking as well as stocktaking on one’s level of compliance to Allah’s directive.
He argued that whatever one did in a position of authority is as an act of worship to God, saying it is done as a representative of God for which one “will give an account of his/her stewardship to the Almighty Allah.”
Highlights of the event were the cutting of the birthday cake and offering of prayers to the celebrator and his family, the state governor and all arms of government in the state.
In attendance was the wife of the state governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwoolu; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa and his wife; Head of Service (HoS), Mr Hakem Muri-Okunola; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Folashade Sherifat Jaji; members of the State Executive Council, permanent secretaries, local government chairmen, party chieftains, among others.
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