NUJ mourns demise of ex-governor of Lagos, Lateef Jakande
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By David Royal
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos Chapter, on Thursday mourned the demise of Lagos state’s first civilian governor, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande.
Jakande who died at the age of 91 according to the Union was “an erudite journalist, publisher, administrator par excellence and a political giant”.
A press statement jointly signed by NUJ Lagos Chapter’s Chairman (Adeleye Ajayi) and Secretary (Tunde Olalere), noted some of his achievement thus; “he recorded massive infrastructure development during his tenure, especially in the areas of housing and education (building of schools)”.
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Nigerians, yesterday, expressed sorrow and paid glowing tributes as Lateef Jakande, the first civilian governor of Lagos State, died at the age of 91. x
His remains, according to his family, will be buried today.
His third son, Seyi, said he died in his sleep on Thursday, around 11 a.m., in his Ilupeju home.
Committee of Friends of the late ex-governor also confirmed the passing in a statement, which released details of the burial plan.
The statement was signed by Prof. Abisogun Leigh, former vice-chancellor LASU; Mr. Kamal Giwa; Prince Bayo Oshiyemi, Alhaji Gani Owolabi Dada; Mrs. Omolara Abeke Vaugh; and Alhaja Latifat Olufunke Gbajabiamila.
Jakande: The titan that took Lagos to modernity takes a bow
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Deputy Editor
FONDLY called Baba Kekere, he was the governor of Lagos State elected in the “Class of 79” Governors of the Second Republic, under the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, founded by late sage and nationalist, Chief Jeremiah Oyeniyi Obafemi Awolowo.
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, also called LKJ was, as governor, contemporary of the likes of Alhaji Balarabe Musa of Kaduna State, Jim Nwobodo of Anambra State, Sam Mbakwe of Imo State, and back home in the South-west, he had late Olabisi Onabanjo of Ogun State, Ambrose Alli of the defunct Bendel State, Bola Ige of old Oyo State and Adekunle Ajasin of old Ondo State as political actors and state governors.
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 Omu-Aran in Kwara.
He studied at Lagos Public School at Enu-Owa, Lagos Island, then at Burnham Memorial Methodist School, Port Harcourt from 1934 to 1943.
He also studied at King s College, Lagos in 1943 and then went to Ilesa Grammar School in 1945 where he edited a Literary Paper called the ‘Quarterly Mirror’.
OBITUARY: Jakande: Exit of Baba Kekere, man who transformed Lagos
Lateef Jakande, the former Lagos State governor, died on Thursday at the age of 91. 6 min read
The remains of Lateef Jakande, the first elected governor of Lagos State and a former minister of works, were interred at the Vaults and Gardens Cemetery, Ikoyi on Friday.
The event marked the exit of the last of the five governors elected on the platform of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) at the beginning of the short-lived Nigerian Second Republic in 1979.
He died on Thursday at the age of 91.
In his days as governor of the Lagos, which was also the federal capital at the time, Mr Jakande was called ‘Baba Kekere.’