By Kayode Olopade
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday declared that the battle to build a peaceful and tolerant Lagos must begin inside the family, warning that society cannot raise a harmonious generation if homes fail to model empathy and respect.
Speaking at the 2025 International Day for Tolerance held at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, the Governor said Lagos’ diversity, home to over 25 million people of different ethnicities, cultures and religions, makes tolerance a civic duty and the bedrock of the state’s resilience.
This year’s theme, “Raising a Generation of Tolerant Citizens-The Centrality of the Family,” he said, should force a national reflection on how children are being shaped.
“The first lessons of empathy, respect, patience, love and acceptance are not learned in government institutions. They are learned at home, in the family, from parents, guardians and community elders,” Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said.
He noted that his administration has deliberately strengthened interfaith harmony through active participation in Christian and Muslim observances, including Lent and Ramadan, and by institutionalising the Isese Day holiday in 2024, an action he said reaffirmed every resident’s right to worship freely.
The Governor also highlighted expanded collaboration with Christian and Muslim bodies in education, healthcare, youth development and social welfare.
These partnerships, he said, “are not only social investments; they are tools for building bridges across communities and strengthening the culture of mutual respect.”
Sanwo-Olu further cited Lagos’ engagements with the National Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and its efforts in mediating emerging tensions, urging religious leaders to continue preaching peace—especially during periods of economic strain.
Reinforcing the government’s commitment to inclusive development, he said programmes under the T.H.E.M.E.S+ Agenda, including EKO CARES and enhanced security measures, were designed to ensure that “no one is left behind,” a condition he described as essential for tolerance to thrive.
Calling for collective responsibility, the Governor stressed that families, teachers, religious leaders, community heads and youths all have defining roles in shaping peaceful communities.
“We must teach our children, by our actions even more than our words, that tolerance is not weakness. It is strength. the ability to listen without prejudice and to disagree without hostility,” he said.
He urged Lagosians to reject hate speech, challenge misinformation and protect the state’s diversity, assuring that his administration would continue investing in unity, interfaith harmony and family support systems.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Home Affairs, Hon. Olanrewaju Ibrahim Layode, said the responsibility of nurturing a peaceful and inclusive society rests heavily on the family, describing it as the “first classroom” where values that shape future citizens are formed.
According to him, Lagos remains committed to promoting understanding among its diverse population, noting that the global observance, established by the UN, offered an opportunity to strengthen conversations around peace in an increasingly complex world.
“The family is the first classroom, the first laboratory for human interaction. It is within our homes that children watch how we react to neighbours of different backgrounds, how we handle disagreements, and how we respond to the diversity around us,” he said.
Layode stressed that families must consciously model behaviour that embraced difference, explaining that tolerance cannot be fully achieved through laws or school curricula alone, noting that children learn tolerance by observing how adults interact with others, resolve conflicts and express compassion.
He argued that societies become stronger when families prioritise empathy and active listening, adding that nations thrive when diversity is celebrated rather than feared.
The Commissioner praised participants for supporting the conversation, saying their engagement reinforces Lagos’ longstanding commitment to peaceful coexistence.
He urged families to “teach empathy, practise patience and lead by example,” while encouraging youths to let tolerance guide their actions as they shape the future.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr Adewunmi Ogunsanya, commended local government leaders, market women, artisans, invited guests, and the press for their commitment to the cause, urging them to continue supporting initiatives that promote peaceful coexistence across the state
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