Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday urged residents of the state to embrace religious tolerance and live in peace with one another.
Sanwo-Olu gave the charge at the turbanning of a veteran Journalist and Public Affairs Officer, Sheikh Alabi Adedoyin Akoshile, as Grand Khalifa, Lagos State Tijaniyya Forum (LASTIF), which held at the Central Mosque, Lagos.
The governor who was represented at the event by Special Adviser to the Governor on Islamic Affairs, Abdullahi Jebe, Sanwo-Olu promised that the current government would continue to support religious organizations in the state while promoting tolerance among various groups through National Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
He affirmed that NIREC is doing enough to ensure harmony among people of different backgrounds, ethnic groups and religions.
Sanwo-Olu said that the Lagos State government puts in place favourable policies to carry people of different religions and backgrounds along.
According to him, “All hands are on deck. We bring everyone together when the government is making a policy. We ensure that people are carried along because they are part of the policy.
“Tolerance and uplifting of the living standards of the people is all that we are about in Lagos State.”
“Government is about the people and when you talk about the people, you talk about religion.
“There is no way the government can run a state without bringing together people of all religions.
Religion is part of governance and Lagos has been the pacesetter of all the states,” he noted.
Harping on the essence of NIREC, he said: “NIREC brings together people of all religions. We put heads together. Lagos is the only state that brings people across all its local government areas to see the religious affairs of people. Muslims and Christians come together to see the affairs of the people.
“If there is any religious issue, they intervene to resolve the conflicts.”
The governor expressed optimism that the new khalifa “will bring the society nearer to the government and at the same time, bring the government to the people.”
The New Grand Khalifa of Lagos State Tijaniyya thanked Allah for the grace and the state governor for honouring him with his presence at the event, as well as the leadership of the forum for giving him the opportunity to serve.
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