Segun James
Lagos State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has harped on the need to protect the environment and security consciousness among the people.
Sanwo-Olu, who hosted children in the state to a special Christmas and End of the Year Party on Christmas Eve, described these measures as very important to the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to her, “we have the environmental section in T.H.E.M.E.S. as well and before we leave this place, we are going to ensure we leave it the clean way we met it. Each and every one of you will pick the paper or the plastic bottle or the food pack and dispose them accordingly. We are going to make Lagos clean and it starts with you and me.”
While harping on the need to encourage waste management and sorting from source, the First Lady said the task of ensuring a cleaner Lagos involved everybody including children, and that it must be taken seriously.
“Now, you have heard about recycling. When you see your water bottles, we are going to pick them up and put them in purple waste bags and dustbin for recycling, while every other domestic waste should go to the black bags and dustbin,” she added.
Speaking at the event, which held at The Parliament, State House in Marina, the First Lady also said it was important for children to know history of Nigeria, as well as the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the state government designed to engender a greater Lagos.
“This is 2019 Children End of Year party for all our children in Lagos State. We decided this year that we should have it in the House of Parliament. This place has been here for a long time.
“In the past, we had the whites who were ruling Nigeria. We had people like Lord Lugard and others. They used to live here and take decisions for the whole of Nigeria not just Lagos. So, we want you to be part of the history too. We want you to know your history very well and at the same time we want you to enjoy your party,” Sanwo-Olu’s wife said.
She said in the spirit of Christmas, it was important for people including children to show love to others and be thankful to God for His grace and benevolence.
“Christmas is a period when we share love; when we remember our loved ones; when we remember people that are not as blessed as us; people that have special qualities that are VIPs in their own rights.
“So we want to thank God for the opportunity of being alive today. We started this year since January through to December. It can only be God that made it possible for all of us to be alive from the beginning of the year up to this moment and beyond.
“We want to say a very big thank you too to all our parents out there for taking good care of our children. We thank God for our teachers. God bless our teachers. God bless our children and God bless all the guardians that have been taking care of us one way or the other,” she said.
On security, Sanwo-Olu’s wife said everybody has to be vigilant and speak up when they see strange movement around their vicinity.
According to her, “Everybody has to be security conscious. When you see something, say something. Don’t keep quiet when you see something strange in your vicinity.”
