As Christendom around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, urges Nigerians to embrace the virtue of peaceful coexistence and stay away from any thing that causes disunity.
This was stated in the governor’s goodwill message to the state’s residents, as he also draws their attentions to the approaching 2015 general elections for the continuous progress of the country.
“I urge you to continue in this vein, for it is only by living in peaceful and harmonious co-existence, by respecting each other’s right to live freely and peacefully and by being our brothers’ keepers that we are truly celebrating the essence of Christmas,” he reiterated
While going further on the fast approaching elections, he urged the people to make wise and informed decisions in their voting rights adding that is the only way forward irrespective of what has been their past experiences with various political parties in the country.
The current security challenges being faced in the country should not be be used to create ethnic division or favor one religion above the other, and that people should careful not to get carried away by some politicians who are blanketed in name calling against the opponents.
Governor Fashola said Nigeria has always been a heterogeneous nation and that the people should resist any attempt by any leader to now highlight such ethnic differences to further their selfish ends.
He also urged the people to be safety and security conscious, especially during the festive period by not indulging in drinking and driving and reporting all suspicious activities around them to security agencies by using the Toll free lines 767 and 112.
“The period of Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ who is the symbol of Christianity and the harbinger of peace, love and good tidings and there is no better way to celebrate the season than by showing love and being our brother’s keeper,” he said.
Fashola enjoined the people not to make the happy mood just a one day affair, but to live with the spirits of giving, bonding, restraints and love all through as that would be to the overall benefits to the citizenry.
“This is very much possible because it does not happen by accident and because we make Christmas happen by giving, by loving and by sharing and smiling. If we do it every day, you can just imagine what the world would be like if every day was Christmas,” he said.
While wishing all Lagosians “a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New year in advance”, the Governor further urged: “let us, therefore, resolve to emphasize only those things that unite us and de-emphasize all those things that separate us.”
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