Buhari, Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Oyetola, NPAN, others mourn as Jakande dies at 91
…To be buried on Friday
By Ayo Fadimu and Bankole Taiwo
Several Nigerians including President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Governors of Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Kwara; Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dapo Abiodun, Gboyega Oyetola, Godwin Obaseki and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq respectively have mourned the death of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Other notable Nigerians include former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Former Lagos State governors, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Akinwunmi Ambode, former Ogun State governor, Olusegun Osoba, former Abia State governor, Orji Uzor Kalu, Afenifere Chieftain, Ebenezer Babatope, Newspaper Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN), All Progressive Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) among several others.
In his condolence message, President Muhammadu Buhari said late Jakande lived for the good of others, state and country, and his legacy of standing for all that was right for humanity would be long remembered.
The president affirmed that Jakande’s imprint on the commercial nerve centre of the country, Lagos State, which was the former national capital, would continue to awe and inspire, reminding everyone of the strength of character and sacrifices of the visionary leader.
He described the elder statesman as “a patriot, whose wisdom will run through generations, especially in putting people first in development plans.”
In his condolence message, Sanwo-Olu who officially broke the death of the former governor on his verified twitter handle said that the remarkable achievements of Jakande as Governor in Lagos State would remain indelible for generations to come.
“With gratitude to God for a worthy life well spent in the service of Lagos State, Nigeria and humanity, I announce the death of a venerable statesman, outstanding politician, public administrator and the first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande.
“Baba Jakande’s record of service as a journalist of repute and a leader of remarkable achievements as governor of Lagos State will remain indelible for generations to come.
“His death is a collosal loss and he will be missed.”
To Lawan, Nigeria has lost one of its exemplary political leaders and administrators with the death of Jakande while former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the late Elderstasman deserved all accolades poured on him over his death.
“He would be remembered as a fine journalist and one that was greatlyadmired by the general public and his peers as a straight-forward and complete gentleman majorly,” Obasanjo said.
To Tinubu, the late Jakande was the ‘last of the political titans.’
According to Tinubu, “Papa Jakande could appropriately be described as the ‘last of the titans’ ranking with the likes of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Adekunle Ajasin and Pa Abraham Adesanya.”
Others according to Tinubu include: “Chief Bola Ige, Chief Olabiyi Onabanjo, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Alhaji Aminu Kano, among others.”
Tinubu’s statement, titled ‘We Celebrate, Not Mourn Jakande,’ said: “Today, we lost a great soul. Pa Lateef Kayode Jakande exemplified the best of Lagos and Nigeria.
In his message, Oyetola said that Jakande was a professional and a respected journalist, a progressive politician, a distinguished public servant and an outstanding leader, who demonstrated strong concerns and commitments to the welfare of the people he served as governor.
He noted that when the late Jakande served as governor of Lagos between 1979 and 1983, he brought significant development to the State and left remarkable legacies that made him a reference point for politicians, not only in Lagos but across the country.
In his condolence message, Gov. AbdulRazaq of Kwara described the death of the late politician as the end of a glorious era.
“I commiserate with His Excellency the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the people of Lagos State, and the entire progressive fold on the passing of this giant.
“Similarly, I condole with the people of Kwara State, especially the Omu-Aran community from where Baba Jakande hailed, on this sad development.
Also, Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun as well as Otunba Gbenga Daniel, the former governor of the state have both mourned the exit of Alhaji Jakande, describing his death on Thursday at the ripe age of 91 as a colossal loss to Nigeria and journalism practice globally.
In a condolence message signed by his Spokesman, Mr Kunle Somorin and made available to journalists at Abeokuta on Thursday, Gov. Abiodun said, “Papa Jakande was a statesman of statesmen. He was not just a great disciple of the legendary Obafemi Awolowo, he carried the Awoist traits everywhere he went. Lagos has lost a visioner.
“The Awoists family has lost a great inheritor and practitioner of the great legacy and Nigeria’s progressive politics has been weaned of a model.”
Similarly, in a condolence message sent to the governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, copy of which was made available to Nigerian NewsDirect, Otunba Gbenga Daniel said he received with the greatest disbelief the death of Alhaji Lateef Jakande saying that “the disbelief is not connected in any way to the fear for his ripe old age, but for the myth which ‘Baba Kekere’ invoked in many of us young men in the then Lagos State as a great achiever, an astute administrator which made him near invincible for death to go near.”
“His intervention in the Housing Sector were no less ingenious and creative with a Mass Housing scheme for the less privileged. Many of his Low-Cost ‘Jakande Housing Scheme’ still dot the landscape of Lagos State.
“His pioneering efforts in founding the Lagos State College of Science and Technology (now the Lagos State Polytechnic) where I was a pioneer Lecturer at the School of Engineering, redefined the concept of Higher and Vocational education in Lagos State.
“His famed Metroline project which he conceived over 40 years ago clearly defined the character and strength of his vision which would have resolved the chaotic transportation problems in Lagos State.
“Today, that vision remains a road not taken and the problems persist.
“His footprints are visibly stamped on almost every sector of the economy; from education to health to infrastructure development. He will be greatly missed and forever remembered each time the history and development of Lagos is told.
Also, the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) expressed shock over the death of its pioneer president and first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
The association, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Mr Kabiru Yussuf and General Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, on Thursday in Abuja described Jakande’s death as an irreparable loss to the nation.
“The nation has lost a great patriot, an advocate of good governance and democracy.
“NPAN condoled with members of the pen fraternity, his immediate and political families as well as the Lagos State Government, on this irreparable loss,” the statement said.
According to the statement, Jakande, a journalist, publisher and politician, was the pioneer president of the esteemed NPAN, from where he was “loaned to politics” in 1979.
“Between 1969 and 1979, Jakande midwifed the association from infancy and it is to his eternal glory that the NPAN became the octopus that it is today.
“Austere, selfless, people-oriented, Jakande transferred these core values from newspapering / newsroom into politics and acquitted himself,” it said.
The statement said that Jakande became a reference point for performance not just in Lagos State which he served as a governor but across the country.
“He was also Minister of Works under the Abacha administration.
“It is on record that Jakande, throughout his tenure, lived in his personal house in Ilupeju area of Lagos and also used his personal car, apart from other landmark projects consummated by his administration,” it added.
In the meantime, Mr Ahmad Jebe, the Special Adviser on Islamic Matters to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said the remains of Alhaji Lateef Jakande will be buried on Friday according to Islamic rites.
Jebe , alongside the third son of the late Jakande, Mr Seyi Jakande, who was receiving sympathisers at the family’s house on behalf of the state and family, said that the venue for late Jakande’s internment would be announced soon.
People from various walks of life were seen at the deceased house at No. 2, Bishop St., Ilupeju, Lagos, to express their condolences over Alhaji Jakande’s demise.
Different individuals and groups of people were seen weeping, lauding the late icon and some registering their condolences in the register opened by the family for their late Patriarch.
Mr Ali Adeyemi (APC- Mushin 1) who was one of the early callers at the family house in Ilupeju said that Nigeria has lost a great man and a philanthropist who was passionate about the wellbeing of the poor masses in the society.
“Baba was a great man and a great philanthropist. He was an architect and one of the pioneers of Lagos state. He was a leader who contributed immensely to the modern development of the state.
“Baba served as a link between the old and the new era of developments in the state and had the interest of the poor at heart.
“It was during his era that several low cost housing estates were built in Lagos State and were made affordable for the ordinary citizens,” he said.
Life and Times of Lateef Jakande, 1st Civilian Governor of Lagos State
Tributes have been pouring in for the former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, who died at 91 on Thursday in Lagos.
Fondly called Baba Kekere, Jakande was the governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983 on the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
He later became Minister of Works during the Sani Abacha military regime between 1993 and 1998.
Jakande, who was also a veteran journalist, was born in Epetedo Area of Lagos State on July 23, 1923, to parents from Omun-Aran in Kwara.
He studied at Lagos Public School at Enu-Owa, Lagos Island, then at Bunham Memorial Methodist School, Port Harcourt from 1934 to 1943.
He also studied at Kings College, Lagos in 1943 and then went to Ilesha Grammar School in 1945 where he edited a Literary Paper called the ‘Quarterly Mirror.’
Baba Kekere is known for his visionary leadership and for bringing development to Lagos State during his tenure between Oct. 1, 1979, and Dec. 31, 1983.
He keyed into the five cardinal programmes of the Unity Party of Nigeria, founded by a former Premier of the Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Jakande first worked with the Daily Service and then in 1953, joined the Nigerian Tribune where he rose to become the Editor-in-Chief.
He left Tribune in 1975 and established John West Publications on whose platform he published The Lagos News.
Jakande was the first President of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
On the political scene, Jakande ran for election as the Executive Governor of Lagos State in 1979 on the UPN platform and defeated Adeniran Ogusanya of NPP and Sultan Ladega Adeniji Adele of National Party of Nigeria.
Under his administration, Lagos state was open and full of developmental strides, especially in the education and housing sectors.
He built primary and secondary schools and provided free education.
Baba Kekere established the Lagos State University and constructed over 30,000 Housing Units in Lagos State especially in the low-cost category.
Some of the housing units include low-cost estates in Abesan, Abule Nla, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo, Badagry, Dolphin, Epe, Iba, Ijaiye, Ije, Ikorodu, Ipaja, Iponri, Oke-Afa, and Surulere among others.
In the Health sector, Jakande made an impact by building about 20 health centres. He also completed the construction of the General Hospitals in Gbagada and Ikorodu, thereby improving on the health sector in the state.
Baba Kekere also encouraged the development of traditional medicine and its application for the treatment of patients when his government established the Traditional Medicine Board.
This initiative helped to make people have a wide array of choices on the type of medical services to seek.
He also established 23 local government councils, which were later disbanded by the military.
In the transportation sector, Jakande started the Metro Line project to facilitate mass transit in the state. However, the project never saw the light of the day, following the military take-over of the government in 1983.
To tackle transportation problem coming up in the state, Jakande government was responsible for the introduction of Odd/Even Traffic System and established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals) under the headship of Chief S. O. Ige a distinguished Lagos Lawyer).
His administration also enhanced Water Transportation by establishing the State Ferry Services Corporation.
Some other laudable achievements attributable to late Jakande also include the establishment of Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works as well as Electricity Board for Rural Electrification.
The Lateef Jakande government also built the Lagos State House of Assembly complex, the Lagos State Television and the Lagos Radio among others.
The tenure was halted when the military took over in 1983, headed by Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon.
Jakande was without airs and had no interest in public coffers and this exhibited when he refused to move into the comforts of the governor’s official residence.
He lived in his private residence located at Ilupeju and commuted to work in his private car.
Jakande also ensured that members of his household attended state-owned schools and accessed healthcare from state-run hospitals.
