Ambode’s Inaugural Address
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BEING THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, MR. AKINWUNMI AMBODE, GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE ON FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2015 AT TAFAWA BALEWA SQUARE, LAGOS PROTOCOL: Today, I have just performed the sacred duty of oathtaking as the Governor of Lagos State. It has pleased GOD through the good people of Lagos State, that my destiny as a little boy, born from a humble background, on the 14th day of JUNE to become the 14th Governor of our great State, Lagos is being realised. 2 I am eternally grateful to all of you. To all Lagosians, the young and elderly, widows, physicallychallenged; girls and boys, and especially, the children; who followed our musical campaign with vigour; God bless you all. 3 Permit me to acknowledge and appreciate specially all the voters that voted for me; equally appreciate those that did not and also the people that did not exercise their franchise to vote at all. We are all winners. One of the instructive lessons from this last political campaign and election is for all politicians never to take our people for granted again. I would, more than ever before; take you, the good people of Lagos, along with me, in this journey of renewed hope and prosperity at all times. 4 My appreciation goes to all our elder statesmen and women including all our senior citizens. To all our religious leaders, I say thank you. All our Muslim leaders, Christians leaders and other faiths; your prayers for Lagos State did not go unanswered. 5 I must not fail to acknowledge all our civil society organisations. The students, civil servants, labour unions, artisans, professionals, corporate Lagos, the business community, thank you very much. To all Lagosians in diaspora, foreign residents and all other stakeholders; thank you for keeping faith in the potential greatness of our State. 6 From the bottom of my heart, I greet all our traditional rulers, our Royal Fathers, Kings, Chiefs and their wives. I thank you all, most especially, the Chairman; the State Council of Obas and Chiefs, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Oba of Lagos. We promise to continue to nurture our traditional institutions as part of our heritage. 7 To our Party Leaders and all members of our great party, The All Progressives Congress (APC); today belongs to you all. Our elected Officers, the three Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members of the House of Representatives and Members of the House of Assembly; congratulations and thank you. 8 And my Deputy; Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule, thank you. 9 To my family, words are not enough; My mother, who is here today, thank you for being a very caring mother to me. All my uncles, brothers and sisters; I appreciate you. To my lovely wife, Bolanle, thank you so much for your sacrifices and perseverance. God bless you always. My
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Transcript of Ambode’s Inaugural Address
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5/29/2015 AmbodesInauguralAddressPoliticsNigeria
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BEINGTHEINAUGURALADDRESSBYHISEXCELLENCY,MR.AKINWUNMIAMBODE,GOVERNOROFLAGOSSTATEONFRIDAY,MAY29,2015ATTAFAWABALEWASQUARE,LAGOS
PROTOCOL:
Today,IhavejustperformedthesacreddutyofoathtakingastheGovernorofLagosState.IthaspleasedGODthroughthegoodpeopleofLagosState,thatmydestinyasalittleboy,bornfromahumblebackground,onthe14thdayofJUNEtobecomethe14thGovernorofourgreatState,Lagosisbeingrealised.
2Iameternallygratefultoallofyou.ToallLagosians,theyoungandelderly,widows,physicallychallengedgirlsandboys,andespecially,thechildrenwhofollowedourmusicalcampaignwithvigourGodblessyouall.
3Permitmetoacknowledgeandappreciatespeciallyallthevotersthatvotedformeequallyappreciatethosethatdidnotandalsothepeoplethatdidnotexercisetheirfranchisetovoteatall.Weareallwinners.Oneoftheinstructivelessonsfromthislastpoliticalcampaignandelectionisforallpoliticiansnevertotakeourpeopleforgrantedagain.Iwould,morethaneverbeforetakeyou,thegoodpeopleofLagos,alongwithme,inthisjourneyofrenewedhopeandprosperityatalltimes.
4Myappreciationgoestoallourelderstatesmenandwomenincludingallourseniorcitizens.Toallourreligiousleaders,Isaythankyou.AllourMuslimleaders,ChristiansleadersandotherfaithsyourprayersforLagosStatedidnotgounanswered.
5Imustnotfailtoacknowledgeallourcivilsocietyorganisations.Thestudents,civilservants,labourunions,artisans,professionals,corporateLagos,thebusinesscommunity,thankyouverymuch.ToallLagosiansindiaspora,foreignresidentsandallotherstakeholdersthankyouforkeepingfaithinthepotentialgreatnessofourState.
6Fromthebottomofmyheart,Igreetallourtraditionalrulers,ourRoyalFathers,Kings,Chiefsandtheirwives.Ithankyouall,mostespecially,theChairmantheStateCouncilofObasandChiefs,HisRoyalMajesty,ObaRilwanAkiolu,ObaofLagos.Wepromisetocontinuetonurtureourtraditionalinstitutionsaspartofourheritage.
7ToourPartyLeadersandallmembersofourgreatparty,TheAllProgressivesCongress(APC)todaybelongstoyouall.OurelectedOfficers,thethreeDistinguishedSenators,HonourableMembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesandMembersoftheHouseofAssemblycongratulationsandthankyou.
8AndmyDeputyDr.IdiatOlurantiAdebule,thankyou.
9Tomyfamily,wordsarenotenoughMymother,whoisheretoday,thankyouforbeingaverycaringmothertome.Allmyuncles,brothersandsistersIappreciateyou.Tomylovelywife,Bolanle,thankyousomuchforyoursacrificesandperseverance.Godblessyoualways.My
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children,friendsandlovedonesandsupportersIreallyappreciatetheenormityofsacrifices,pain,prayersandefforts.Iremaineternallygrateful.
10Lastly,IspeaktothetwopeoplethathaveshapedthehistoryofthisStateinthelastsixteen(16)years.
11Youarefocused,doggedandhardworking,youareavisionerparexcellence.Youareabridgebuilder.ToourleaderAsiwajuBolaAhmedTinubuyouhavelaidanenduringfoundationforwhatweareallbuildingontoday.WhenthehistoryofthepoliticaleconomyofNigeriaisbeingwritten,surelyitwouldbekindtoyou.Thankyousomuch.ToourDistinguishedSenator,(Mrs.)OluremiTinubuyoursupportandcommitmenttoourStateandtomepersonallyduringtheelectioniswellappreciated.
12TotheoutgoingGovernor,Mr.BabatundeRajiFashola(SAN),youhavefoughtthegoodfight.Youcame,yousaw,youconquered.Ihavebeenatclosequartersasastudent,youasmyteacherandmentor.OnbehalfofmyfamilyandothergoodpeopleofLagoswesaythankyou.Weappreciateyouandyourfamily.
13EVERYBODYCOUNTSAswecollectivelyfacethechallengetomakeLagosabetterplacetolivein,wemustrecognizeourstrengthindiversity.Acommonnationalidentitywhereeverybodycounts.Ishallrunanopengovernmentofinclusionthatwillnotleaveanyonebehind.Nomatteryourage,sex,tribeoranyotherStatus,aslongasyouresideinLagos,wewillmakeLagosworkforyou.
14THENIGERIANDREAMLagosiansarehardworkingpeople.Lagosisstrivingbecauseofitsundyingentrepreneurialspirit.Howeverwemustrealisethattherearenoshortcutstosuccess.Toouryouths,wemustnurturegoodfamilyvaluestosucceedinanyendeavour.Iwantouryoungeronesandchildrentodrawsomelessonsfrommystory.Anyoneofyoucanriseuptobethebestyouwanttobe.Yourbackgroundandcircumstancescannotbeanobstacletoyourdreams.Inourcountry,particularlyinLagos,youcanalwayssucceed.ThisistheNigeriandreamwherehardwork,courage,perseverance,persistence,meritandrewardspay.Wemustthereforeembracenewthinkingandbedeterminedtosucceedatalltimes.Iamreadytoencourageandnurturethatdreaminourchildren,youthsandeveryhardworkingLagosian.Wewouldrewardmerit,hardworkandloyaltytotheState.Thefutureisforthosewhodaretodreamandfindcouragetopursuetheirdreams.
15THEFUTUREISNOWWeareallwitnessestotheeconomicdownturnanddwindlingrevenuesatthenationalandstatelevels.Thepresenteconomicsituationhasaffectedthefinancialprofileofmoststatesinthecountry.Thestateisblessedthatthefoundationofitsfinancialautonomywasdesignedandimplementedbythatvisionerandourleader,AsiwajuBolaAhmedTinubu.Thus,thestatehasbeenpartiallyshieldedfromthenegativetrendflowingfromthefederallevel.Forustosustaintheprogressiveandradicaltransformationongoinginthestate,wehavetoredoubleoureffortsonallfrontsforourcommitmenttoexcellence.Whilewemustbecreativeand
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innovativewearenotcitizensuntilwebecomeresponsibletaxpayers.IwanttoassureallofusthatIwillmakeyourtaxesworkforyou.Youwillsurelygetatransparentandincorruptiblegovernmentthatwillgiveyougoodvalueforyourtaxespaid.Creativityisthemostvaluableassetinanypublicinstitution.Progressivegovernmentsmustrewardcontributorsofgoodideas.Therefore,whereverpracticable,weshallpractisegovernmentbyincentivesandnotgovernmentbyenforcement.Weshallimplementcreativeideasandconceptsthatreducethecostofrunninggovernmentideasthatmakelifesimplerandhappierforourpeople.I,therefore,inviteyouall,tojoinhandswithme,tooffernewideasthatwillpullmoreresourcestocaterforthepoorandneedyamongstus.Thiswillbeacompassionategovernment.
16DEVELOPMENTPLAN(20122025)Inthespiritofcontinuity,IamcommittedtotheStateDevelopmentPlan(20122025).Theplanisstructuredunderfourpillars(1)SocialDevelopmentandSecurity(2)InfrastructuralDevelopment(3)EconomicDevelopmentand(4)SustainableEnvironment.ThechallengeswefacetodayasaState,aregoodenoughingredientstobringoutthebestofallofus.Together,weshallpushforwardandnotlookback,withourhandsfirmlyontheplough.Wewouldworkhardtotacklepoverty,ignoranceandsocialdecadenceinourState.
17PUBLICSECTORREFORMSAsweallknow,thebestpracticesofyesterdaymaynotbegoodenoughfortheproductsoftoday.Inthissense,weshallembarkoncontinuousreformsinthepublicservice.Iamdeterminedtodemonstratethatthegovernmentbelongstothecitizens.Youhaveputushereasservantstoserveyouandnotyouservingus.Todaywearecommittedtothatcreed.Movingforward,theCivilServicewillbestrengthenedandmadetorespondtotheneedsofallcitizensinthesamemanner,qualityservicesarerenderedintheprivatesector.Myadministrationispreparedtotakethedecisionsneededtopromotemeritandprofessionalism.Torestructurewhererequired,eliminatepoorHumanResourcepracticesandacceleratethepaceofreformsinthespiritofgoodgovernance.IwanttoassurethebusinesscommunityandcorporateLagosthattheeaseofdoingbusinessinLagoswillbeimproveduponearnestly.LagosisopenforgreaterbusinessTothisend,anewofficeofOverseasAffairsandInvestment(LAGOSGLOBAL)shallbecreatedundertheGovernorsOffice.WewantyoutoflyintoLagos,startyourbusiness,findyourwaylive,workandenjoyinLagos.Aspartofourreforms,anewMinistryofWealthCreationandEmploymentshallbeestablished.ThiswouldspecificallyaddressthepromiseImadeduringthecampaignonemploymenttrustfund,labourexchangeandentrepreneurship.Thisgoal,weshallpursuevigorously.Also,theOfficeofCivicEngagementshallbecreatedundertheDeputyGovernorsOfficetostrengthenandenhanceourpromiseongovernmentofinclusion.Everyonemusthaveavoiceinmyadministration.
18CONCLUSIONIhavethepoliticalwilltoengageinvestorsandstakeholdersincreatingtheenablingenvironmentfortourism,entertainmentandartsandiconicinfrastructureforthebenefitofall.Onceagain,IthankthegoodpeopleofLagosfortheconfidencereposedinourpartybothatthe
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nationalandStatelevels.Weshallnotdisappointyou.Godblessyouall.20GodblessLagosStateGodblessNigeriaItesiwajuIpinleEkoOjemilogunOjewalogunEkoonibajeIpromise.Thankyou.
