Speeches

2011 Easter Message

Apr 23, 2011 - Fellow Lagosians, I greet you in the spirit of Easter. It is a spirit of renewal. All things have become new. Jesus Christ, in an act of selflessness and genuine love for humanity, decided to pay the ultimate price. He shed his blood so that all mankind should be free from much bondage.

His life was a story of love, courage, vision, and principle. With these attributes, he demonstrated that miracles are possible. Things can get better than they were. The sick will get healed, the ignorant will soar to the realm of knowledge, the hungry will eat, the naked will receive clothing and the homeless will have shelter over their heads. Christ blessed the world with the basic freedoms such as freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom from oppression and freedom from ignorance. The truth, he said, shall set us free. That is the spirit in which he died and rose again. Those who hunger shall rise out of it and have food on the table. The sick will be lifted from the hospital bed. The homeless shall walk to their homes. The naked shall wear new clothes. That is the spirit of Easter. It is the spirit of renewal.

In Lagos, we believe in renewal because it is the way of progress. I am sure we are all witnesses to the spirit in Lagos state. it is the state of example in Nigeria. It is the state in which we take our responsibility seriously.

Our responsibilities are clear, and as your servant in the past four years, I have tried my best to live up to that high arc. I did not promise miracles four years ago, but took your mandate with resolve. We had roads to construct, streets to clean and beautify, schools to lift and renovate, businesses to nurture, houses to build and peace to keep. You are all witnesses that Lagos underwent transformation in the spirit of renewal. On Tuesday, we will go out to elect our governor, members of the house of assembly and house of representative in three of our local governments.

You will agree with me that this is a most important election in which we must all endeavour to participate. And as it is often said "the voice of the people is the voice of god". That message cannot be more apt than in this season of Easter.

The quality of our lives in the next four years will depend significantly on the calibre and competence of those we elect as governor and house of assembly members. We can, therefore, not afford to treat this election with levity. Let me at this point thank all the residents of Lagos state for our peaceful and mature conduct in all the elections held so far.

I congratulate you all for showing by example, once again, that elections must be conducted in the spirit of sportsmanship and not in desperation.

My heart goes out in gratitude to all our people, artisans – carpenters, mechanics, vulcanizers, tailors, electricians, plumbers, barbers, hair dressers, okada riders, recharge card sellers and all those who have made our state a model of peaceful and violence-free elections.

Let me also express my deep appreciation to our teeming market men and women, farmers and fishermen and women as well as members of the various public transport unions for participating peacefully in the elections.

In the same vein, I am profoundly grateful to all our professionals – doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lawyers, engineers, architects, town planners, civil servants, accountants, artistes and members of the corporate sector who continue to be such a great pride to our state.

I must not forget to mention our various youth groups, non-governmental organizations, civil society groups, and most especially the great students of our higher institutions. Thank you all for making our elections in Lagos state peaceful and hitch free.

The various electoral officers and security agencies also deserve our collective accolades for discharging their duties objectively, impartially, efficiently and with a high degree of professionalism.

The success of the previous elections in Lagos state makes it more imperative for all hands to be on deck to ensure that next Tuesday's elections are flawless and reflect the popular will of the people.

As you all know, I am the governorship candidate of our party, the action congress of Nigeria (A.C.N.). Most of you, I am sure, have watched the various debates organized between flag bearers of other parties and I. you are therefore in the best position to who has the best understanding of the challenges and the experience and ability to deal with them.

You have seen your government in action over the last four years since 2007. Even our opponents agree that we have delivered on critical infrastructure and social services. these include water supply, modern road networks; rehabilitation and equipping of public schools; environmental renewal; modern, new markets; massive construction of drainage channels to prevent flooding, massive investment in rural roads, water and electrification as well as expansion and modernization of public health facilities to name just a few.

Our revolutionary bus rapid transit system, the first of its kind in the country, continues to move millions of people daily in safe and comfortable buses on dedicated lanes that enable them move with minimum impediment.

Your government has sustained free education in our schools including payment of internal and external examination fees as well as provision of free text books in critical subjects.

In the health sector, we have continued to provide preventive free medical care. our various specialized health programmes such as free treatment for malaria, leprosy and tuberculosis; free eye screening, treatment, surgery and provision of free eye glasses; free cleft lip deformity corrective surgery, free limb deformity corrective surgery and hypertension and diabetes screening and treatment have contributed to the well being of many citizens.

To achieve our goal of alleviating poverty, our administration's eko micro-finance institution has disbursed over n5 billion to empower poor persons to start or expand their own businesses.

Our security model remains the pride of all thus making Lagos the safest state in Nigeria today courtesy the innovative and path-breaking security trust fund.

We are building thousands of new houses across the state, many in collaboration with the private sector. To facilitate access to these houses by low income earners, we are concluding plans on a mortgage scheme that will enable people to take ownership of these houses while paying instalmentally over a period of not less than ten years.

This same mortgage facility will also be available to enable traders own stalls in our new markets without having to pay a lump sum at once. Instead, payment will be spread over a long period to facilitate convenience and ease of payment.

In our second term in office, our administration will intensify the on-going radical modernization of infrastructure in Lagos state. we will deliver on such major projects as the ten-lane Lagos-Badagry express way, the light rail mass transit scheme, the on-going Lekki Free Trade Zone, the transformation of Badagry into a major tourist hub in Africa and of course increase the pace of work on inner city roads which have already started. Surely, the best is yet to come.

Beloved Lagosians, the undeniable truth is that Lagos is working. And why is this so? It is simply because our party, the A.C.N, and your government have worked diligently, day and night, to fulfill our social contract with Lagosians and justify the confidence reposed in us.

We have been tested and have shown beyond all doubt that we can be trusted. Our word is always our bond. This is the time to vote for continuity of good governance and effective service delivery in Lagos state.

This is not the time for untested hands to come into government to experiment. The transformation and progress we have achieved is too valuable to be used as an experiment. Let us stay with that which is working and transforming our state positively and improving our lives.

As we all know, governance is team work. it is never a one man affair. I therefore urge us all not only to turn out en masse to vote for me, Babatunde Raji Fashola, as your Governor. I equally enjoin us to vote for all A.C.N House of Assembly members as well as our House of Representatives candidates for Ikorodu, Shomolu and Ifako-Ijaiye constituencies. Together, we will ensure that Lagos does not deviate from the path of excellence and greatness.

We have kept faith with the people of Lagos. We have also endeavoured to build a big tent for Lagosians without discrimination in terms of ethnic origin or religious faith. Here we love our neighbours as ourselves. That is why Lagos accommodates all people in Nigeria and our benefits are for everyone. This is a state of every state, a state of states. We pride ourselves as Nigeria's great melting pot. That is the spirit of Easter.

It is in that spirit I urge you to cast your vote on Tuesday for the Action Congress of Nigeria at all level. The seed that has been planted like a grain of mustard seed is growing. Let it mature to a big and flourishing tree. Vote for a brighter and rewarding future.

Happy Easter.

God bless you all.

Eko o ni baje o!

Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN
Governor of Lagos State