Moshood Adebayo
Bishop of Lagos West (Anglican Communion), Rev. James Olusola Odedeji, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to allow Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu a free hand to govern the state.
Odedeji spoke during the inaugural church service in honour of the governor and his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat at the Chapel of Christ Delight, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday.
In his sermon titled “Righteousness in governance”, Odedeji charged the governor to rule with fear of God and ensure he surrounds himself with good people, which he said would make his job easier.
“Do not intimidate him. If you give someone a ram, you allow him to have control over the animal. Do not pocket him. He is too big to be pocketed. Do not pollute him because he is saint. Do not misinform because he is intelligent and has competent deputy who has PhD. He has all it takes to make Lagos better and put smile on the people’s face.
“To all Lagosians, party leaders, elders, friends, let us remember the governor and his deputy because if the governor succeeds, we have all succeeded. But if otherwise, we will all be held responsible. We must support the government because we all cannot occupy the office; someone must be there. So, do not put too much pressure on him.
“The people have a lot of respect for you and a lot of expectations from you. The people believe that the time has come and that righteousness has been enthroned in the state. God has a lot of expectation towards you. So, do not disappoint God and the people that voted for you. Do not look elsewhere but look onto Jesus.
“There is no bad advice but there are bad decisions. The people will give you a lot of suggestions, so do not reject advice. But when you are alone, think about all the suggestions and consider the people in your decision. If the policy fails, you cannot go back to meet the person that gave you advise. If you do so, he or she will said even if he had given you advice, it beholds you to do it well.
“Be fair to all because you are not governor to APC alone but to the entire citizens of the state. You must be friendly to all. And as a governor, you are responsible to the people but accountable to God who made the office available to you because many.”
Meanwhile, the governor has assured that his administration would partner with the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the problems along the Okokomaiko-Agbara-Seme-Border road.
He also said government would complete the road from Maza -Maza to Okokomaiko before the end of the year.
Sanwo-Olu made the disclosure during the inspection of the Lagos-Badagry expressway, which has been abandoned for the past four years.
Addressing journalist, the governor said there would be a major clean up of the road from the National Theatre to the Maza-Maza end. He urged the traders who display goods on the road to desist from doing such.
“We would ensure that the commerce in the Western axis of Lagos come back. That is why we have come here. We should be able to complete the road from Maza-Maza to Okokomaiko before the end of the year or beginning of next year with the needed funds to do it,” he concluded.