Lagos Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Monday, said Africa will take her rightful place in the world when people of the continent are united, have a shared vision and a shared purpose, just as he quickly noted that shared views amongst people on several occasions suggest “that the only opportunity of the world remaining is in Africa”.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said this when he received Delegates of United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLGA) led by its Chairperson, Mrs Fatimotu Abdulmalik at the Lagos House, Ikeja.
The delegates, who were drawn from across the continent, were accompanied by former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Kayode Fayemi and Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Alabi Kolade David.
The governor, while welcoming the delegates to Lagos for the body’s conference, stated that because the growth of the world is in Africa, it is the continent that was going to lend the entire world the workforce, being one that has “the youth population that is going to change the narratives of the entire world.”
According to Governor Sanwo-Olu, there is need to seize this opportunity, be able to train the youth well, “to be able to work among themselves well, and be able to build first, as Africans and treat ourselves equally before we can challenge the entire world.”
“Indeed, it is only when we are united, it’s only when we have a shared vision and a shared purpose that Africa can indeed take its rightful place in the world. And it’s been said several times that the only opportunity of the world remaining is in Africa. The only opportunity and the growth that we have remaining everywhere in the world is in Africa.
“Because indeed, the growth of the world is in Africa. We are the ones that are going to lend the entire world the workforce. We are the ones who have the youth population that is going to change the narratives of the entire world. So we need to be able to seize this opportunity, be able to train them well, to be able to work among themselves well and be able to build first, as Africans and treat ourselves equally before we can challenge the entire world.
“I know we are on the right track, I know we are all fire up and I want to say that the government and the people of Lagos State are with you,” he said.
The governor, while further welcoming the delegates to Lagos, saying that there was no better time to continue to integrate and work together as Africans than now, quickly admonished that “whatever it is that must divide us, we must find a way to unite ourselves.”
“We are happy and excited, we want to say to you that indeed, at this very auspicious time, there is no better time for us to continue to integrate and work together as Africans.
“This is the time in which everything that we require we need to harness it, and we need to bridge it amongst ourselves. Nobody is going to help us. Nobody is going to do it for us It is our opportunity for us to ensure that we have a common purpose. And whatever it is that must divide us we must find a way to unite ourselves,” the governor said.
“And so when I see an organization like yours, coming together doing peer review, speaking among yourselves, and reinventing and reanalyzing what are the things to your dream, I think it’s the proper thing to do and I commend you for doing this,” he added.
Governor Sanwo-Olu further commended UCLGA, assuring the body of support of his administration as, according to him, he is aware of all of the things the organization is doing.
“I want to assure you that am aware of all of the things you are doing and want to commend your efforts. And I want to say that, indeed, we are watching.
“We promise to give the support in any form because it’s the right thing to do.
“This is a time in which everything that we require we need to harness, we need to,” he assured.
Speaking with newsmen, ALGON chairman, Hon. Alabi, who is also Chairman of Bariga Local Government, explained that the visit was to greet the governor as it was traditional for the group to pay homage to governors or presidents of countries where they hold their meetings.
“What we have come to do in Nigeria is to hold our meeting and of course Lagos is the host and we have to pay homage to the governor of Lagos State,” he said.
. TheWitness
