'2026 Demands Patience,Cooperation' Says Sanwo-Olu As Lagos Celebrates New Year Eve Low Key After Cancelling Greater Fiesta
By: Olufemi Orunsola
For the first time since 2021, when the Greater Lagos Fiesta was cancelled due to concerns of a fourth wave of COVID-19, the aquatic state of Lagos. Nigeria has celebrated the new year cross over night on an all-time low-key after the state government announced cancellation of the 2025 edition of its Greater Lagos Fiesta, scheduled to hold on New Year eve.
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that following the cancellation made known in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, to the Lagos Governor, Mr. Gboyega Akosile, Lagos experienced a low key cross over.
Although no official reasons were directly given for the cancellation, there are speculations that the cancellation may nit be unconnected with pockets of violence recorded during the recent Eyo Festival which held in tje state after 8 long years of hiatus.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu who approved the cancellation has directed that, in place of the Greater Lagos Fiesta during which a countdown to 2026 is usually done, Lagosians should instead spend quality time in personal prayers for the nation, the state and the people of the state.
The governor also urged the people to pray for the continued prosperity, leadership, peace, as well as the continued general wellbeing of all Lagosians and Nigerians in the new year.
The governor therefore seized the opportunity of the release to wished all Lagosians a happy and prosperous year 2026, stating that the year 2026 holds great promises for the state and Nigeria.
Meanwhile, a new year message by the Governor, Sanwo-Olu reads in full:
"As we begin 2026, my heart is with the people of this great state. Lagos is a daily test of grit, hope, and determination, and nobody understands that better than Lagosians.
I see you. I see the traders, the workers and the young people chasing dreams. You carry this state on your shoulders, and you do it with courage.
Governing Lagos is really about you. It is about ensuring that your hard work is not in vain and that your children have better chances than you did.
This year will demand patience and cooperation from all of us. It will also require honesty about what is not working and the courage to fix it. I am committed to listening more closely, acting more decisively, and staying focused on what matters most, the everyday lives of Lagosians.
I know many of you feel the weight of the economy, and I see the daily hustle it takes to keep going. The challenges we face are real, but they are not permanent. We are fixing the foundations so the next generation inherits a state that truly works for them.
I ask you to keep believing in this state. My hope for every Lagosian this year is that your hard work meets the right opportunities. May your homes be filled with peace, and may your ambitions find the space they need to grow.
Lagos is a city of grit, but it is also a city of grace. Let us carry that energy into 2026. Let us be kinder to one another, stay focused on our goals, and keep moving this great state forward together.
Happy New Year, Lagos.
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