Lateef Jakande at 90

Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, known as LKJ, joined the nonagenarian class on Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Many people who did not know the date of birth of this elder statesman knew it through the rain of tributes and encomiums that published in many newspapers of that day. These were from ex-governors, governors and eminent personalities. Obviously, it was the newspaper adverts that I took time to read that changed my view about Lateef Jakande and forced me to write this tribute to him.

Hitherto, the picture of Lateef Jakande in my mind was that of his acceptance of the position of Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime, which earned him some criticism. Although, he claimed that he had accepted the post under pressure from M.K.O Abiola and other progressive leaders.

However, from the tributes I read in the newspapers, personalities that sponsored the advertisements, which included the national leader of the All Progressive Congress, Senator Bola Tinubu, my view of Alhaji Jakande has changed forever.

An accomplished veteran journalist, he began his journalism career in 1949 with the Daily Service and in 1953, he joined the Nigerian Tribune. In 1956, he was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Tribune by the owner, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. After leaving the Tribune in 1975, Jakande established John West Publications and began to publish the Lagos News. He served as the first president of the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria.

• Breakfast with Jakande

Thereafter, he was encouraged by the Sage, Obafemi Awolowo, to run for election as executive governor of the Lagos State in 1979 on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). In the second Republic, as the first civilian governor of Lagos state, Jakande presided over a people-oriented, progressive administration that was second to none in Nigeria in the execution of welfarist programmes and in the process, earned himself the sobriquet  ‘Action Governor.’ The highpoint was the faithful implementation of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)’s four cardinal programmes of free education, free health service, full employment and rural development for the benefit of Lagosians.

The low-cost housing scheme he instituted in Lagos particularly stood him out. The hallmark of Lateef Jakande’s life is loyalty; loyalty to worthy causes, loyalty to principles and ideas and loyalty to his leaders, the indomitable sage, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who has remained the undisputed father of progressive politics in Nigeria.

As a matter of fact, our politicians have a lot to learn from Jakande’s selflessness; he has lived a fulfilled life. He came, he saw and conquered. His footstep is indelible on the sands of time. As long as the earth exists, his acts, both as journalist and administrator,  will be a reference point in the annals of the history of trail blazers. I wish LKJ many years in the service of his fatherland, in good health.

Sunday Ogunkuade,

Ogbomoso.