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Emulate Jakande’s selfless service, Sanwo-Olu, Abiodun, Osoba, others task office holders

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun; former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba; former Minister of External Affairs, General Ike Nwanchukwu, and eminent personalities in the media profession, among others on Monday paid glowing tributes to the memory of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, urging public office holders to emulate his style of selfless leadership.

Speaking at the first Annual Memorial Lecture with the theme: ‘Lateef Jakande: The man, his journalism, his politics’, organized by the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and sponsored by the Lagos State government, various speakers at the event, which held at the Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Ikeja, described the late former governor of Lagos State Jakande as a man of ideas, who brought innovation to governance and journalism.

Sanwo-Olu represented by his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, said though Jakande lived up to ripe age, he should be appreciated for living an impactful life, saying that his “life was a reflection of humanity at its abundance with several stories of positive impacts,” just as he noted that the passing of the former governor was somewhat painful to Lagos State and to individuals who knew him personally.

“Though the passing of Alhaji Jakande was somewhat painful to us as a state and to individuals who knew him personally because he was indeed a man of lovable personality who we wished could live forever. We must give unreserved appreciation to God for blessing us with him and for also giving him the grace to live a life that touched and impacted lives.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration and the people of Lagos would continue to remember Alhaji Jakande and his achievements in the overall development of the state, noting that the former governor demonstrated leadership and selflessness in the service of the people and humanity generally during his lifetime.

The governor, while paying tribute to the leadership qualities of the late first civilian governor of Lagos State, noted that it was in recognition of his that the state government immortalized him by establishing the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy to unleash the potential of the next generation of leaders.

“The Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy was established to immortalize the name of the first civilian governor of our state whose impact on the generality of our people was outstanding,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.

Sanwo-Olu said the academy would provide an avenue for the younger generation to imbibe the ideals and essence of responsive, responsible and selfless leadership, which were the hallmarks of late Alhaji Jakande both in his private and public lives, adding that the leadership programme would offer life-changing, nonpartisan and meritocratic opportunities to young Nigerians who desired to impact their generation through public service.

Speaking further, Sanwo-Olu described the theme of the lecture as apt, saying it would x-ray Jakande’s life journey and milestone achievements, which, according to him, revolves around his profession as a journalist and his calling as a consummate politician.

Besides, he said the annual lecture would, in addition to immortalizing the good name of the late former governor, espouse his ideas for the coming generation to imbibe in their professional and public service, adding that the Nigeria Guild of Editors which had grown to become a highly respected body in the media industry, was a testament to his vision and exemplary leadership.

Sanwo-Olu, therefore, commended the NGE president, Mr. Eze Anaba and members of the Guild for deeming it appropriate to initiate the Annual Memorial Lecture in honour of one of the founding fathers and first president of the esteemed body sixty-two years ago.

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, in his own remark, said the maiden Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture had come at a time when Nigeria was in dire need of developmental drive and democratic culture of the like first civilian governor of Lagos State and former Minister of Works and Housing.

Abiodun, who was represented by Mr Kayode Akinmade, a former Commissioner for Information in Ondo State, greatly commended the NGE for coming up with a programme of this nature as a way of activating conversation around the indelible legacies of Alhaji Jakande, pioneered president and the late doyen in journalism, saying that the late governor’s “penchant and uncompromised stance for professionalism and responsible journalism, coupled with his selfless disposition to serve humanity clearly stood him out of his contemporaries and obviously created a larger than life image for him in the political space and Nigeria’s media industry.”

This was just as the governor affirmed that Jankande’s conception of democratic deliverables should ordinarily serve as a manual for policymakers in Africa in the quest for urbanization and human capital development.

“Today, we gather here to celebrate and honour the memory of an astute administrator, who combined media savvy with ideological perspectives of progressivism to build a foundation of responsive governance in Lagos State and Nigeria at large.

“Alhaji Jankande’s conception of democratic deliverables should ordinarily serve as a manual for policymakers in Africa in the quest for urbanization and human capital development,” the governor said.

Abiodun said it was a thing of joy that the NGE had chosen to honour the legendary memory of Jakande, who he noted represented, and still represents even in death, the very best of Nigerian journalism and statesmanship.

He further described the late governor of Lagos State as an ardent apostle of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, whom he said Jakande was “an ideological and ethical replica of his political leader and mentor.

“It is then a thing of joy for me that the NGE has chosen to honour the legendary memory of a man who represented, and still represents even in death, the very best of Nigerian journalism and statesmanship.

“An ardent apostle of the late sage of Africa, Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo, pioneer premier of the defunct Western Region and the best president Nigeria never had, Jakande was an ideological and ethical replica of his political leader and mentor.

“It is, therefore, incontrovertibly correct to say that as the first democratically elected governor of Lagos State, Chief Jakande laid the foundation for modern Lagos, after he had made remarkable landmarks in journalism, details on which would require an entire address on his own.

“For another, and as you all know, the story of Ogun, the state over which I preside under Almighty God as the fifth democratically elected Governor, is intrinsically linked to the story of journalism/media in Nigeria,” Abiodun said.

“It was in Ogun that Iwe Iroyin, Nigeria’s first newspaper, was birthed in 1859. Beyond that, Ogun, over the centuries, has produced some of the greatest names in Nigerian journalism, including Segun Osoba, a man who, like Baba Jakande, brought his versed knowledge in journalism and as a member of NGE to bear in public service as Ogun State Governor.

“Without mincing words, NGE has proven to be one of Nigeria’s most distinguished, most iconic and most impactful institutions in Nigeria, if, for anything, the democracy that we all enjoy today is a product of the blood and sweat of courageous journalists and NGE members, many of whom are in this very hall,” he added.

Chairman of the event, General Nwanchukwu, said the event marked the beginning of celebrating the men who had done so done so much for journalism in Nigeria, even as he disclosed that he had his training in journalism under the tutelage of the likes of Alhaji Jakande whom he described as a quiet and resolute man, before joining the Nigeria Army.

“It is a great honour to chair the inaugural lecture, whatever I became in life is because I have worked under people like Jakande.

“He laid the light to our feet and we have not gone wrong since then,” he said.

Chief Felix Adenaike, in his keynote address, described the late Jakande as a pioneer of plans, saying that was why he was instrumental in setting up various institutions, including the Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ), Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Newspapers Proprietors Administration of Nigeria (NPAN) and the introduction of International Press Institute (IPI) that promoted journalism.

Adenaike, who was represented by Jakande former Chief Press Secretary (CPS) when he was governor of Lagos State, Bayo Osiyemi, noted that nobody can take anything away from the achievements of Jakande, saying that it was a thing of joy that he reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession in journalism.

He further noted that the former governor was a serious-minded person, who seldomly smiled, and was a man of ideas, just as he was a good listener to people’s views.

This was just as he recalled that Jakande as editor of the Nigerian Tribune, also doubled as the only member of the editorial board, who wrote editorials that made the paper attractive to readers.

“He was an expert in drafting communique of political meetings, and it is fitting and appropriate that Jakande was considered worthy of the honour. Honouring him is to honour ideas that will interrogate Nigeria’s development and the role of journalism in development,” he said.

Also speaking, former Governor Osoba described Jakande as a grassroots politician that had no equal in Nigeria, saying he created time to listen to the grassroots people irrespective of how lowly placed the person might be to know their problems and challenges.

“He was a man that gives ears to all views. He was a Jack of all trades. Jakande made the Nigerian Tribune the best-selling newspaper because of the editorials written by him.

“He was the first black man to be president of the International Press Institute made up of Editors, and publishers and he got the position on merit, because of his contribution to journalism. Jakande singlehandedly brought IPI to Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking further, Osoba said that the establishment of NIJ, IPI was possible because Jakande, whom he described as the father of Journalism, created a political clinic for everybody.

“He created a political clinic for everybody. Everybody was allowed to visit him in his house, even when he was governor and he listened to the people. They visited him to discuss any problem they have.

“People visited him in his house, and he interacted with them, without even having an appointment with them. I don’t know of any governor that is rooted in the grassroots like Jakande,” he said.

Former Managing Director of Daily Times, Akogun Tola Adeniyi, in his own remark, said the late first civilian governor of Lagos State, stood as an enigma, noting that Jakande was very different in all respect as, according to him, he had had “no time for frivolity, no time for ‘jagbajantis,’ but very loving, very kind.”

Adeniyi of Aba Saheed fame, who recalled his first contact with Alhaji Jakande way back in 1964, noted pointedly that he had never seen any editorial writer that had surpassed what he presented to the whole world while alive, saying that his style was different as he created his own path, which he followed meticulously, even as the Lagos State governor then.

“His style is different, he created his own path and followed it meticulously. That was what he ensured in Lagos,” he said.

Also speaking, former Managing Director, the Guardian newspaper, Chief Lade Bonuola, described the late Jakande as an amazing personality, recalling his strong passion for journalism and he was able to build professionals in the field.

According to Lade Bonuola, one of the things he would not forget about the former Lagos State governor is his stand on the fact that a newsroom is a school where one will never graduate, saying that it Jakande’s position that as a journalist “you must know about everything and everything about something.”

Malam Garba Shehu, former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Media to former President Muhammadu Buhari, in his short remark, acknowledged the glowing tributes paid to the late governor of Lagos State by all those who had spoken earlier, describing him as a very unconventional person, who he said maintained a very high degree of the journalism profession.

Shehu, who is also former NGE president, said the day’s gathering was for them to come and learn and celebrate the late icon, quickly recalled that the Nigerian Tribune newspaper, which Jakande presided over was much like the UK- based paper.

In his remark, Chief Dayo Duyile, former Managing Director of defunct Sketch Newspaper, also paid glowing tributes to the late former governor, describing his encounter with Jakande as pleasant, even as he recalled that the mentoring he gave to him made him rise from reportorial the editorship level in the journalism profession.

“It was Jakande’s mentoring that made me rise from reportorial to editorship level in the journalism profession,” he said.

Jakande son, Seyi described his father as a selfless person, who never gave preferential treatment to any member of his family when he was in a position of authority or give them assess to the largesse of government.

Seyi added that most of the achievements his father recorded were possible because of the cooperation of his mother, Alhaja Sikirat Jakande, urging the audience to commend her for her support, which made the audience give her applause.

Seyi noted that his father was a consistent human being, just as he appealed to the Lagos State government to name the Lagos State University (LASU), which he founded after him.

Other veteran journalists who spoke at the event urged Nigerians and public officers to continue with Jakande’s good work and uphold his principle and amplify forces of upholding his virtues.

NGE president, Anaba, earlier in his welcome address, stated that the lecture was to honour Alhaji Jakande as a great man and recognize his outstanding achievements as a journalist and politician.

He further described Jakande as an incredible talent, who devoted his entire profession and political career to advancing values of liberty and social justice, exemplifying the values of honesty, integrity, courage and fairness as demonstrated through his commitment to journalistic freedom and its longtime survival.

This was just as he recalled that Alhaji Jakande founded many institutions which includes: The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), and the International Press Institute (IPI), among others that have been impactful to humanity and the nation at large.

“The annual lecture is to honour a great man and to recognize his outstanding achievement, which will at the same time give us an institutional memory to know how the institution got to its present position and how to build on the legacy and accomplishment of the past,” Anaba said.

He, therefore, urged media managers should think innovatively, provide sustainable solutions, reposition and re-strategize the face of the media by addressing the impact of new technology in every part of their profession either as a journalist or media practitioner, just as Jakande and his contemporaries did to meet the challenges of their time.

Present at the lecture were the Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka; Chief Tola Adeniyi, Garba Shehu, a former spokesperson to former President Muhammadu Buhari; former Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture in Lagos, Mr Steve Ayorinde; Dr Dayo Duyile, Lade Bonuola, Muskiliu Mojeed, the Chief executive officer of premium Times, Dupe Gbadebo -Ajayi; Gbenga Ogunleye, Richard Akinnola, among others.

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