The need to show gratitude

It was just like yesterday that we all gathered here on 5th January, 2014 to give thanks in an annual tradition that has now survived one-and-a-half decades. Today, 364 days after, when girls have disappeared without trace; bombs have exploded in mindless orgies of violence; Nigerian towns and villages have been sacked; our brothers and sisters have been displaced from their homes; young children have died in stampedes while looking for jobs; some of our brothers and sisters in the military have lost their lives while trying to defend you and me and the fatherland, I ask you all what else we can do than to give thanks, express our gratitude and praise God for surviving.

We are alive not because we are better, we are alive because of grace and mercy, and we must never take it for granted. Our appreciation must be reflected in our attitude of gratitude. In some parts of West Africa today, government has been forced to declare a lockdown of people and restrict movement in this season of festivity because an infectious disease caused by the Ebola virus is yet to be brought under control. These countries are smaller than Lagos; Lagos is in fact bigger than many of them combined. Yet the same virus afflicted us, we sadly lost 13 lives, but today we are not under lockdown. We can sit side-by-side, we can shake hands and we can move freely. Again there was grace, there was a coming together across ethnic, religious and government levels to address a common problem.

This lesson is important for all of us to remember in 2015. We must focus on our common humanity and those things that we share together and focus less on those things that are different about us. Our languages, our religion, our ethnic origins are accidents of our birth and not the essential content of our humanity. If our creator wanted us to be the same, it is not difficult for him to do so. Your faith is not better than mine, and if you think it is, I cannot quarrel with your opinion. You must respect my right to practice mine. That is why we gather today in the Centre of Excellence to thank and praise God together, Christians of different denominations, Moslems with different affiliations, and traditionalists, because we are all grateful. That is the Spirit of Lagos. As for me, I have said repeatedly that I do not see ethnic groups, I see Lagosians who contribute to the development of their state, but I cannot change the way people choose to see themselves.

Before I leave I will also like to appeal to all those who predict bad things for our state and our country to see the glass as half-full. I have no doubt that this country and this state are part of the Earth that God created. Yes, men may have passed laws and given names to territories. But the Earth is the Lord’s. So, let men be men, and let God be God, because his will shall be done.

Finally, as you all know, there is a time and season for everything. There is a time to start and a time to end. I am at the time where my tenure as your governor is coming to an end. In 55 days elections will be conducted and in 144 days my tenure will end and a new governor will start his own journey and next year’s thanksgiving will be hosted by him and not me. I hope you will choose wisely; I hope you will choose experience; I hope you will not experiment.

My wife and I thank you all very deeply, sincerely and profoundly for your counsel, prayers, support and belief. It has been a great and humbling privilege to serve as your governor. The memories will endure for a lifetime.

Happy New Year and God bless you all. Eko o ni baje o!

Being the governor’s opening remarks at the 2014 annual thanksgiving held on Sunday, January 4, 2015 at State House, Alausa.

Babatunde Raji Fashola