Lagos State Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate Owolabi Salis has said the challenge facing Nigeria is not religious but bad political leadership.
He added that poor economic management was responsible for the decadence in the country.
Salis who made the remarks during his visit to the Lagos Central Mosque Annex, Alimosho constituency, said religion was playing significant role to reduce socio-economic tension.
He said: “Religion has its own value in the sense that it teaches peace and help relationship.
Without religion, people will be killing each other but the fact remains that some religious people are not doing the right thing.
“Poverty is the real cause most people run to religious gathering. They find happiness in religion by going to different crusades and other political gathering, if there were jobs and the economic situation is good, people will be busy and have less time to go there.
“So let’s say the problem in Nigeria today is political leadership problem.
The Lagos governorship hopeful stressed he would focus on good governance when elected next year, noting that his administration would embark on massive job creation.
“There are no jobs , leaders are corrupt and there are no good welfare system for the people. All over the world, a good government will put all those things in place and like I keep on saying, it is necessary to bridge that gap and give to the poor what they need to survive but those things are not in place and people are in pain, so in order to get relieved, they run to religious leaders.
“Some of these people who are either jobless or are going through some other economic challenges sometimes thinks someone is behind their predicament, meanwhile, its just a sycho-social problem.
“This sometimes leads some people into crime, some go into begging and drug while some run to religious leaders.
“We are going to get the resources of this state and give it back to them and teach them how to create jobs by bringing factors that will increase buying and selling in the state.
“Law and insurance are key because you can use them to expand the economy. There is a way the law that is being practiced in this country militates against the economic development.
“I am a lawyer in Nigeria and in New York and I know what they do with law over there to power the economy and we are also going to use it extensively.
“We will also provide welfare and increase people standard of living with the available resources.
“It’s very sad that there are certain individuals that has a lot of money but everybody is just about themselves in Nigeria.
“I am multi-religion because I am a research professor on diversity religion, so I have to be multi-religious to understand what every religion is doing , which is the best way in life so that I don’t have conflict with any interest group,” he said.
Responding the Chief Iman in-charge of the Lagos Central Mosque, Annex, Affininh Ayinde called on leaders to support the less privileged in the society.
Alhaji Aynde who prayed for the state and the success of the AD governorship candidate, stressed on the need for politicians to identify with the need of the citizens.
Tag: OWOLABI SALIS
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Bad leadership responsible for failure – AD
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AD urges youths to shun violence
Lagos State Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate Owolabi Salis has urged the youths to shun acts capable of breaching the peace of the state.
At a conference in Lagos, he said some youths were being used by politicians to foment trouble, noting that the recent killing in Somolu and environs was misplaced.
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Salis said the youths would gain if they channel their energies in pursuit of positive agenda, stressing it was time they call the bluff of politicians, who use them for evil acts and dump them later.
According to him, since the adoption of the electronic voting system, politicians now recruit thugs to scare away voters in order to gain advantage for themselves.
He said: “I don’t really feel good when I see what is happening in parts of Lagos. A situation where youths kill one another for political reasons is condemnable.
“Life is open to competitions; the youths can channel their energies toward positive development. What these politicians give them at the end of the day is not enough to better their lives. It is time they shun these evil acts for positive things.
“Again, some youths are even admiring these lawless criminals’ lifestyle. They think it is an easy way to make money and live big, but this is not true. My advice is that they shun violence and embrace productive ventures.”
The AD candidate maintained that he would start his reforms at the grassroots, if elected the next governor of the state, noting that the youths would be gainfully employed to prevent such incidents.
He said Lagos was a land of opportunities, stressing it was only people who lack vision, good ideas that are vulnerable to politicians.
“Our investigations reveal that some of these youths are paid just N200, 000 to N300, 000 to snuff life from human beings. This is a case of absurdity and Nigerians should rise against it.
“The politicians deliberately refuse to create job in order to always recruit from the army of unemployed youths to pursue their agenda. It is time for them to say no to crime because the youths should be agent of positive change,” he said.
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‘Lagos will be better under AD’
Lagos State Alliance for Democracy (AD) governorship candidate Owolabi Salis has said his administration will focus on grassroots development if voted in 2019.
At a conference in Lagos, he said his mission was to rescue the state and reposition it for excellence.
He added that AD would redistribute the commonwealth to bridge the gap between the poor and the reach, noting that the state had the resource to banish poverty.
Read Also:‘6,609,115 Lagosians eligible to vote in 2019’
The AD candidate said it was possible to address the developmental problems of the state without seeking foreign loans.
According to him, this was the right time the commonwealth return to the people who had endured policies that affected them negatively in the state.
He urged Lagosians to shun vote buying, stressing that the AD administration would provide youth employment, health facilities, good roads, affordable education etc.
“Lagos has led many states in Nigeria in term of development. Africans look up to Lagos for good leadership which it has produced over time. The world is looking for leadership in Nigeria and Lagos is well positioned to provide it.
“This can only be possible, when Lagos asserts itself by providing enabling ground to allow easy economic competition among the youths, provide adequate security through professionalism and improve on infrastructure.”
He maintained that there must be a paradigm shift from the way Lagos was being governed, noting that AD cardinal objective was ensuring the people’s welfare.
“The theme of what I am discussing is protecting the commonwealth of Lagos and stopping imposition and systematic slavery in Lagos.
“I was elected the AD governorship candidate and perhaps you might be interested in knowing the background leading to the nomination. More than two years, I and about 14 individuals met on the issue.
“At our meeting on the political situation in Lagos and Nigeria, we all echoed the complaint in all Lagosians’ minds that Lagos commonwealth must go back to the people,” he said.
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OWOLABI SALIS CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE WITH ONE NIGERIA CONCERT
UNITED States-based lawyer and former Lagos State governorship aspirant, Chief Owolabi Salis, has, once again, displayed his interest for a united Nigeria, celebrating the last Independence Day with parade and concert that featured different cultural dancers, masquerades, and music artistes of diverse genres.
The variety brought together both young and old, at the National Stadium, where a plethora of handy Nigerian flags were brandished by many.
Notable among the entertainers at the event are the Eyo Masquerades, Egungun Masquerades, and the Igunuko Masquerades. There were also cultural groups of the Benin, Igbo, Nupe, Yoruba, and Calabar traditions among others, just as artistes like Bravo G, DJ Raw, MC CG, Damilare, Collabo, Lord of Ajasa, Wollex Kelly, MC D, Dammy Blaze, Bobby Tee, and Ojima were billed to thrill the audience.
The free-entry, free-entertainment show was produced by the Nigerian Patriots and Nationalists, an organization led by Salis, using the opportunity to offer food and drinks to revelers at the event.
Speaking at the event, Salis noted the objective of the event was to stress the importance of Nigeria staying together, despite its cultural and religious diversity.
“I am a Nigerian and I want to remain a Nigerian. The expiring generation and the expired generations of Nigerians have enjoyed one Nigeria. The developing and coming generations of Nigeria are also entitled to enjoy one Nigeria and it is our duty as current generations and governments to preserve one Nigeria for them.
“We have to stay together because we are stronger together and represent the hope for the black race. For us to stay together in peace and with love, we have to reform or restructure to create proportional opportunities for all diverse groups within the country…” said Salis.
The event was also attended by leadership of Hausa and Igbo communities in Lagos.