Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has stressed the need to live in peace and harmony among residents, as well as embrace religious tolerance.
Sanwo-Olu said this at the turbanning of a veteran journalist and public affairs officer, Sheikh Alabi Adedoyin Akoshile as Grand Khalifa, Lagos State Tijaniyya forum, held at Lagos Central Mosque.
The governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Islamic Affairs, Abdullahi Jebe, also said the state 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 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.
On 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.
