Sanwo-Olu to Nigerians: Refrain from speaking negatively about Nigeria

Lagos Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Saturday, charged Nigerians to desist from speaking ill of the country but continue to pray and wish her well for the good of all.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, gave the charge at the 2024 Eid Mubarak Celebration themed: “Allah will not Change the way of the people until they change what is in their heart,” organized by the First Family of the State, held at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

The governor said Nigerians needed to change their thoughts and speak positively about the country, noting that God would not change anything for any society until the people decided to change what was in their minds.

Governor Sanwo-Olu urged them to pray for the leadership, the country and wish her well, adding that it is when the citizens stop cursing and saying bad things about the country, that God would change the story of the nation for the better.

“Almighty God will not change anything for any society until they change what is in their mind. So the question is, what is in our mindset about our country? So our collective intent should be to keep praying for our country, keep praying for our leadership to do the right thing for our country and wishing our country well. That is when Allah will intervene in the present situation of our country, it is, therefore, important for us to desist from talking ill about the country,” the governor said.

Besides, Sanwo-Olu also charged the people to have empathy and be nice and kind to one another, particularly in the present times as they needed to be their brothers’ keepers.

This was just as he urged parents to guide their children right, reiterating that it was the responsibility of the parents to raise their children well, teaching them not to be disrespectful to their elders, calling on them to be cautious of how their children were being raised and how they lived their lives.

The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, in her welcome address, charged Nigerians to emerge from Ramadan not only as individuals who had undergone personal growth but also as agents of change within their communities.

The governor’s wife, while urging Nigerians to continue to commit themselves to fostering a society built upon the principles of justice, equality, and compassion, further urged them to remember that true change begins within the depths of their hearts.

“Let us remember that true change begins within the depths of our hearts,” she said.

Speaking further, Dr. Sanwo-Olu said the joint Ramadan and Lent experienced this year, should remind everyone of the universal value of humanity that unites all regardless of religious beliefs, background, or ethnicity.

She, therefore, advised Nigerians to reject bigotry and prejudice in all its forms and work towards building a more inclusive society where everyone feels valued and respected.

Earlier in his lecture, the guest lecturer and Khadi, Sharia Court of Appeals, Kwara State, Justice Abdulrraheem Ahmad Sayi, stressed that the people’s predicament is naturally dependent on a previous situation created by the person, adding that the present situation experienced in the country was not vested upon the people by Allah but a creation of the people’s handiwork.

According to him, Allah will not compromise his standard for the sake of any mankind or alter his principles for anyone, community, or country, pointing out that the Holy Quran states that if the people continued in their disobedience, then Allah would continue to inflict punishment on them,

“This is the exact Nigerian situation in this contemporary time,” he affirmed.

Ahmad Sayi, while charging Nigerians to have a change of mindset and speak positively about the country, urged them to show goodness, fairness, and kindness to everyone irrespective of religion, race, or tribe and be righteous in all their dealings.