PDP urges leaders to emulate late Jakande’s legacy
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday urged leaders at all levels to emulate the humility, patriotism, selflessness and life of service exhibited by the first civilian governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja, said it was saddened by the death of Jakande, also former minister of works.
Ologbondiyan described Jakande, who died in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 91, as a quintessential statesman; very prudent administrator and exceptionally self-sacrificing leader.
He said that Jakande’s life remains a true stencil and source of inspiration for younger generation of leaders.
According to him, Jakande’s leadership footprints remain indelible in his unprecedented development of Lagos State.
“This include urban development, transportation, railways, road infrastructure, mass education, healthcare, economic empowerment as well as investment in mass housing infrastructure across Lagos State.
“Indeed, Alhaji Jakande’s exceptional patriotism is demonstrated in his manifest spurn for materialism and sacrificing of his comfort for the benefit of the society.
“His reputation of using his personal vehicle and house, while serving as a state governor, demonstrates his persuasion that leadership is about serving the people and not for personal aggrandizements,” Ologbondiyan said.
He recalled Jakande’s patriotic role in the development of the Nigerian media industry, especially in instilling professionalism as well as stabilizing the industry with the establishment of the Newspapers Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN).
He described Jakande’s death as the exit of the last of first generation progressives.
“The PDP asserts that it is more saddening that he left at a time the nation needed his wealth of experience and wise counsel the most.”
Ologbondiyan commiserated with the Jakande family, the government and people of Lagos State and prayed God to grant the nation the fortitude to bear the loss of one of her brightest patriots.
