Fashola Advocates Family Values As Building Blocks For Good Governance

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Sunday advocated the promotion of family values in the home as the building blocks for good governance and development in the country.

Governor Fashola, who spoke as Guest of Honour at the Children’s Harvest Thanksgiving Service of the United African Methodist Church, Oke-Arin, Lagos, said every family unit represents a government with the father and mother as governor and deputy governor, local government chairman and deputy chairman as well as President and First Lady.

Governor Fashola told the large congregation, “Every family is a government and the mothers and the fathers are the heads of those governments, the governors and the deputy governors, the chairmen and the vice chairmen, the President and the First Lady in their home. If we get it right in the home, we will get it right in the Local Government”.

“I have said and I will repeat that the first government is the government at home. The more well-governed homes we have, the more well governed states we will have and the more well-governed state that we have, the more well governed federation we will have,”,the Governor said. Urging parents to spend more time with their children, the Governor said in bringing up a child, everyone, including the parents, the teachers and pastors as well as Imams, have roles to play adding that if the family must grow together for the benefit of all the members, no one should abdicate such responsibility.

“We all have roles to play, we all have responsibilities. The most important responsibility is not to abdicate the development of these children to the teachers alone. A day like this on Sunday in the Church, a day like this on Fridays in the Mosque and on Sunday when you are going for Asalatu, is a day spent in developing that government at home,” he said.

Recalling the drama earlier performed by a group of children as part of the event, Governor Fashola noted, “I need not say much but we have seen a most useful drama showing the reward of being close to God and listening to His words. I know that our children will learn a lot from that drama.

“We have spent what is essentially a Family Day when parents have committed a substantial part of the day to their children in the presence of the Lord. I am sure that the rewards lie ahead. These are the traditional building blocks of modern families and even ancient families.”

He debunked the notion that the problem of the country is caused by politicians alone pointing out that no one was exempted from the problem as, according to him, there is politics even in the family.

“There is a lot of politics at home whether we accept it or not. There is politics among the children; there is politics between husband and wife and between wives. The most important thing is to be close to the family, bring the children close to God because they are the people that will ultimately take responsibility for us when we are no longer able to support ourselves,” the Governor said.

According to him, “every investment we make in the children now is virtually an investment we make in ourselves. The more God-fearing and compassionate we make them, the more caring they will become when we need them.”

The Governor thanked the United African Methodist Church, particularly the Grand Patron of the Church Worldwide, Dr. Akinola Ogunlewe, the Grand Matron and members of the Busy Bee Society of the Church which sponsored the event as well as its President, Mrs. Arinola Fuwa who, according to the Governor, “was very unrelenting in ensuring that I was here personally.”

The officiating Minister at the occasion was the Minister- in -Charge of the Church, Rev. Paul Akinosi who was supported by the Bishop of Oke-Arin Circuit, Rt. Revd Mathew Olajonlu, and Revd. Peter Mayungbo, the Curate of the Church. Also present were the Proprietress of Seagate College, Chief (Mrs.) Tessa Egbe-Ikimi, Mr. Abiodun Fuwa and other dignitaries from all walks of life. Highlight of the occasion was a drama presentation by a group of children depicting the reward of being in close service to God.