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· “For those who think we are heading for a break, we have pulled back so many times in the past and I don’t think this will be a different occasion”, he says.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, Monday hosted the new British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Martin Uden, expressing confidence that the country would have a successful, free and fair elections come March 28 and April 11 this year.
Governor Fashola, who spoke in his office at the Lagos House, Alausa, said those who had predicted that Nigeria would break up as a result of the elections would be disappointed because, according to him, “We have pulled back so many times in the past and I don’t think this will be a different occasion”.
The Governor told his guest, “You will see more enthusiastic people willing to participate in a democratic process that affects their lives. There will be cultural dissimilarities from what you may probably be used to in the United Kingdom; but I am convinced that it will ultimately turn out for good and for those who think we are heading for a break, we have pulled back so many times in the past and I don’t think this will be a different occasion”.
He declared, “All will be well and it will be the responsibility of everybody – voters, parties, the regulator, security apparatus, the communities and all of us – to ensure that we ultimately deliver a process that will meet the global standards of fairness, transparency and participation”.
“I think once that is done, we can now relax and everybody will heave a sigh of relief and then people will hopefully choose the leaders that they want; I don’t expect anything else”, the Governor said.
Acknowledging the outstanding works which past British Deputy High Commissioners have done in Lagos, Governor Fashola, expressed joy that the periodic breakfast meetings developed during their times between the British Government and the Lagos State Government have helped in delivering support to various sectors of the State’s economy.
He, however, expressed grief at the passage of one of the former Deputy High Commissioners, Mr. Peter Carter saying himself and members of his Cabinet were yet to come to terms with the unexpected passage of the envoy whom he described as “a very fine gentleman”.
Naming such sectors that have benefitted from the periodic breakfast meetings to include Education and healthcare, the Governor said the interactions have also helped in many ways to assist British business in the State and also assist in linking Nigerian businesses with British institutions.
He expressed joy that the intervention of DFI to develop Solar Power kits for the State’s public schools was making commendable progress adding that in the first phase, about 172 schools and seven primary healthcare centres would be benefitting from the project across the State.
Explaining the reason behind the large number of Executive Council members joining him to welcome the Deputy High Commissioner, Governor Fashola said they were the heads of the various departments such as Finance, Budget, Trade, Commerce, Education, Law and Justice who, according to him, participate in the biennial breakfast meetings.
Describing the occasion as significant, the Governor told his guest, “Over the years we have built partnerships with the British Government through your diplomatic outpost here and these are the people with whom we have developed breakfast meetings where we go from Finance to Budgets, Trade, Commerce, Education, Law and Justice; these are the heads of those departments. That is why they are here”.
He noted that the new Deputy High Commissioner has not had an experience in Africa in his diplomatic career which , according to him, had taken him largely across Asia adding, however, that he would not find Nigeria very much different from Asian countries in term of their foods, cultural and language diversity as well as fashion.
“Our food can be as spicy as Asian foods so you will be in very familiar terrain. Our people are diverse culturally, in language and in dialect and even in fashion and all of that”, Governor Fashola said adding, however, that the diplomat may find Nigerians more outspoken and more expressive than Asians.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Deputy High Commissioner thanked Governor Fashola for receiving him and his efforts at maintaining the historic link and very fruitful relationship with the British Government adding that he would contribute his quota to sustain the healthy and growing collaboration between the two governments.
The British Diplomat, who also expressed delight that his posting would afford him the opportunity to observe the coming general elections in the country, pledged to assist in every way necessary to ensure that the democratic process would be successful and for the people of Nigeria to be able to elect the leaders of their choice in free and fair elections.
Also present at the occasion were members of the State Executive Council including the Commissioners for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Commerce and Industry, Special Duties, Justice and Education, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi, Mr. Ben Akabueze, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, Dr. Wale Ahmed, Mr. Ade Ipaye and Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye respectively while the British Deputy High Commissioner was accompanied by the Communications Manager, Mr. Wale Adebajo.
