Speeches

Let This Be A Season Of Renewal And Hope

Dec 24, 2008 - Once again, it is Christmas, the season when Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. I rejoice with all our Christian brothers and sisters both within and outside Lagos on this occasion and wish you all very, fulfilling and pleasurable celebrations.

Beyond the fun and merry making, I also enjoin us to reflect on the symbolism of Christmas even as Christians commemorate this day. Christmas is essentially about the birth of a divine being that came to save his followers through the personal example of love and sacrifice.

In the same vein, I urge all Christians to adopt this same spirit of sacrifice and love, which is the corner stone of all great religions, and do your best in your own little corner of the world to extend love to all; to sacrifice your own interest for the sake of the other person and to save your community and neighborhood from the menace of hatred, selfishness and intolerance.

Let us strive to make this Christmas a season of renewal and hope; renewal of our commitment to our maker; renewal of our love for our fellow human beings; renewal of our faith in our nation and our determination to make her a better place. Let us also renew our hope in the possibilities of a world where all human beings live at peace as diverse children of one Almighty creator despite our religious, ethnic and cultural differences.

I thank all Lagosians of diverse religious beliefs, multi ethnic and cultural back grounds for living harmoniously together in peace and tolerance and urge us all to continue in this spirit even as we continue the steady transformation of our state into a world class modern Mega city that functions safely, prosperously and securely.

I wish all Christians a very merry Christmas celebration. God bless you.

Eko O Ni Baje!

BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA SAN
GOVERNOR, LAGOS STATE