In life and death, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, first democratically elected Governor of Lagos State (1979-1983), remains an inspiration to all. No wonder, the entire social media landscape and even traditional media have been awashed with pleasant stories in the last 24 hours, celebrating a man who brought sincerity, dignity and civility to governance.
As Governor, Jakande demonstrated purposeful leadership and led for all. His impact was not only felt but also spread across the length and breadth of Lagos and Abuja city, where he served as the governor and when he was minister of Works and Housing under General Abacha respectively.
An accomplished Journalist, LKJ, as he was fondly called by admirers was in a class of five governors- all members of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which was then headed by the thoroughbred democrat and pathfinder, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Through them – Bisi Onabanjo –Ogun, Lateef Jakande -Lagos, Bola Ige -Oyo, Ambrose Alli –Bendel and Adekunle Ajasin -Ondo, Chief Awolowo was able to replicate the master plan he had for Nigeria, were he to be elected president in 1979.
Within four years of being in office, the five governors changed the face of their states and showed the way to go. In a way, the quality leadership they provided showed the purity of the leadership recruitment acumen of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo. Unlike most of today’s leaders, who see public offices as the extension of their estates, Jakande and his colleagues in UPN were conscious of their pact with the masses. They served at a time the place of ideology could not be dismissed in politics. They governed with the template of their party’s electoral promises (manifesto), which guided the masses of the time to chose which of the political party to vote, unlike now manifestoes are nothing more than mere cajole.
Awo and UPN promised free education, the five governors delivered it. In Papa Awolowo’s view, Nigeria urgently needed education for her to comfortably stand without recourse to expatriates in almost all phases of her system. This was necessary because, even after independence, Nigeria still paraded expatriates as priests, teachers and as health officials. They were also the drivers of most of the manufacturing companies and other establishments in the country then. To prepare Nigerians to be able to effectively run the affairs of the nation with little or no hitch, Awo, like the man who saw tomorrow, had cleverly woven his party’s manifestoes around Free Education; Free Health Care Delivery; Abundant Housing and Integrated Rural Development. Jakande as the incontrovertible captain of the class passed in all.
Looking back and using LKJ as a case study, one can easily conclude that Awolowo and his team meant well for the nation. As captured by the Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Olusegun Macmeda, who himself was a beneficiary of Awolowo’s free education, opined that Jakande was one of the best leaders that ever lived in this part of the world.
In his moving tribute, few minutes after Jakande’s passage, Macmeda, who referred to the late governor as his hero said; “Without him, I would not have been able to attend the great Igbobi College – a leading secondary school in Nigeria. Before him, the College was for the children of the rich.
“My father was a carpenter in a construction firm, living in a room with my mum and seven children, there was no way he would have been able to afford the school fee. But Jakande came and created the opportunity for me and hundreds of other children to attend the prestigious College. Whatever I have become today, Alhaji Lateef Jakande laid the foundation with the free education policy,”
Like Macmedal, many people, who were in Lagos while Jakande was governor, have come out to give accounts of how their parents got apartments in the Low Cost Housing Estate, initiated by Jakande without knowing anybody closed to the then governor and his political party. The legendary politician simplified governance and led with dignity. In terms of legacy and performance in office, LKJ was sure in a class of his own. No rival. Though, a journalist before coming into politics, Jakande allowed his works and achievements to speak for him and not the newspapers and television stations. Even when the game was almost over and politicians were scampering to impress the soldiers who had seized power, Jakande maintained his cool without resorting to propaganda or unnecessary blowing of his trumpet to prove that he was not one of the corrupt leaders of the era.
In his desperate attempt to revolutionise education, Jakande built classrooms to take care of as many primary school pupils and secondary school students as much as possible. Of course, the classrooms were discredited by some wailers as nothing but poultry barns; Jakande remained focus and didn’t throw stones at anybody. Few years later, he was celebrated for the initiative, even by those who didn’t believe in his dream. Perhaps because of the complexity of Lagos State, which LKJ had foreseen long before he became governor, he took housing seriously and built houses for Lagosians, regardless of whether one supported his party or not. Unlike today’s politicians, Jakande and his mates didn’t believe they were representing only the party on whose platform they mounted power but all and sundry. As pointed out by many commentators, one didn’t have to know anybody in UPN or government to become a beneficiary of his housing scheme. The beauty of the project also lies in its affordability as one needed not to break the vault to own one.
The fact that LKJ sat on the most fabulous budget of his era notwithstanding, he remained his humble self-till the end. No wonder, he retired to his Ilupeju home and not Ikoyi or Victoria Island, where he would not be easily accessed by the masses.
Like Jakande, the four other governors also lived their lives within and outside government in line with the spartan live style of Awolowo, coupled with genuine mission to serve the people. Awo’s lieutenants in UPN didn’t allow the affluence associated with the office of governor to becloud their reasoning. They all left office honourably and united with the masses in the best possible way. For instance, Michael Ajasin left office and returned to same house he was living in when he was the principal of Imade College, Owo. It became an irony that the man under whom Owena Bank, Nigeria-Romania Wood Industry, NIROWI, Premier Metal Industry, Oluwa Glass, Ire Burnt Brick, Confidence Insurance and others were established within four years didn’t have houses scattered around the country.
After leaving office as Oyo State Governor, Bola Ige dusted his wig and gown and went back to his legal practice in Ibadan. And after 12 years of unwavering struggle and hard-work, he clinched the much converted and highly prestigious rank of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1996.
They have all gone but their legacies will forever remain here. In furtherance of UPN educational policy and resolve to produce middle class administrators that would pilot the affairs of the South West states, including the then Bendel State, Awo had impressed it on his lieutenants the need for creation of state universities. It was in line with this that Jakande established the Lagos State University, Ojoo, Ajasin established the then Ondo State University, Ado Ekiti, Ambros Alli established Bendel State University, Ekpoma and Bisi Onabanjo established the Ogun State University, Ago Iwoye. There were also polytechnics, colleges of educations and other state owned tertiary institutions across the states.
In fact, what is today known as Ekiti State University was initially named after Obafemi Awolowo until the regime of Michael Bamidele Otiko as Ondo Military Administrator, changed it from OAU to Ondo State University.
This reporter was though not brought up in Lagos, he had practical encounter with Jakande’s simple lifestyle in the 80s when the late Governor came to Aramoko Ekiti in his beloved Toyota Crown to unite with his maternal uncle, the late Chief Shitu Oladipo, the Abaatiba of Aramoko Ekiti, Ekiti state.
The rank and file of the community had gathered at the palace of the then Alara of Aramoko Ekiti, Oba Adelusi Arasowole, expecting a convoy of the Shagari type Mercedes-Benz or other raves of the moment cars but Jakande arrived in a Toyota Crown. Incidentally, a similar car was owned by Chief Ayedun, a UPN stalwart from the town and a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly between 1979 and 1983, who died two weeks ago at 95. At the Alara’s palace, Jakande, humbly appreciated Architect Isaac Fola Alade, who made the meeting possible and promised to remain part of the community. Again, he stood by his words. He didn’t only involve in Aramoko affairs but remained committed to Chief Oladipo’s upkeep till he (Oladipo) passed on in 1994. Jakande’s mother, who was the initiator of the re-union, was later to be conferred with an honorary chieftaincy title.
L-R: Jakande’s Wife, Jakande, Tinubu and Osinbajo
Beyond Lagos, Jakande’s little stint as a minister of the federal republic was also glorious. In the FCT, LKJ replicated his achievement in Lagos in the area of housing with the conceptualization and inauguration of what is today known as Gwarinpa Estate in Abuja. The Estate is said to be the biggest in the entire West Africa. Same for Lugbe Housing estate but surprisingly he didn’t own a single apartment in any of those estates.
Obviously, like all mortals, Jakande would have faults but he gave his best to the masses. He didn’t build for his family or name monuments after himself as common to today’s politicians. As Nigerians across various divides celebrate his legendary life of purpose, one only hopes that today’s leaders can pause and pick some lessons from his life of selfless leadership.
