Ben Llewellyn-Jones, the British deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, has urged that Lagos be recognized as a cosmopolitan city whose strength lies in its blend of culture and religion.
He condemned the divisive statements and ethnic slurs that were rampant on social media prior to the Lagos governorship election, particularly the attacks on voters of south-east extraction during the polls.
Llewellyn-Jones emphasized that Lagos’s diversity is crucial to its success as a cosmopolitan melting pot of culture and language, and that this diversity should be celebrated rather than causing division.
He also called on those who promote ethnic discord to stop, noting that the success of cities like London is not built upon division but upon unity.
Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu similarly called for unity in the state after his re-election, emphasizing that elections should be based on competence and experience rather than ethnicity or religion.