Key actors in the Nigerian political scene, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, national leader of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and Segun Osoba, former governor of Ogun State, on Tuesday, agreed that Lateef Jakande, first civilian governor of Lagos State, deserves a national honour.
They spoke at the 90th birthday anniversary of Jakande, a man popular for for his policies on low-cost housing and free education, while he served as the governor of Nigeria’s former capital city, between 1979 and 1983 in the second republic.
Although Jakande won re-election under the Obafemi Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria, (UPN) for a second term in office, the December 1983 military coup that saw General Muhammadu Buhari (current president of Nigeria), took over power, swept Jakande and the rest out of office, with some politicians forced into detention by the military junta.
The dignitaries, who turned up at the elder statesman’s birthday, said he deserved to be honoured.
Among other dignitaries at the event held at the Haven Centre, GRA, Ikeja, were vice governors of Lagos and Ogun, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Dapo Abiodun, deputy governor of Lagos, Obafemi Hamzat.
Others were former governors of Lagos, Oshun, Ogun and Borno states: Babatunde Fashola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Ibikunle Amosun, Segun Osoba, Mohammed Goni, former deputy governor of Lagos state, Femi Pedro, Speaker of Lagos Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, Ademola Seriki, Musiliu Obanikoro, Jokotola Pelumi among others.
Osinbajo said Jakande would be remembered by the generations after as the man who transformed Lagos and by that stroke transformed Nigeria.
“I do not know of any body here who has held a leadership position that was not influenced by Jakande’s administration and I am sure that many years from now all of us and generation after will remember the man who transformed Lagos and by transforming Lagos transformer Nigeria”.
“He has shown that governance with the people in mind, with the common man in mind is possible and that it is possible to impact the lives of all our people if we are dedicated and committed.
“The free education in Lagos was transformational in the sense that he stopped the shift system and so many hundreds of thousands of young men and women were able to go to school,” he said.
Speaking also, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said Jakande remains a national name.
“when you say Jakande it is synonymous with development whether in education, water, housing, public transportation, etc., and it is a name nobody can toy with.
The Sanwo-Olu named the soon to be commissioned Igando Housing Estate which has 496 flats of 1,2 &3 bedrooms after Jakande, christening it ‘Alhaji Lateef Jakande Garden Estate, Igando, adding that next month the elder statesman would declare the place open.
On his part, Tinubu described Jakande as Africa’s foremost progressive adding that the elder statesman has stuck to a progressive ideology promoted by late sage, Awolowo.
Also speaking, Osoba debunked the notion that Jakande lobbied to serve in the administration of the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha.
He praised Jakande for using his position in Abacha’s government to lobby for bail for the detained winner of the 1993 presidential election, MKO Abiola.
“Following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections and the attendant political crisis, Jakande was enjoined to join the cabinet of General Sani Abacha as works minister. The thinking was that pro June 12 supporters should have a foot in the government.
“Many may not remember that Jakande alongside Olu Onagoruwa and Alex lbru were in the vanguard of those who worked for MKO Abiola’s bail, which, unfortunately, he was prevailed upon to not accept at the last minute.
“We will never know what course history would have taken if Abiola had taken that bail.
Osoba said it is important to note that Jakande’s appointment in Abacha’s government was just another opportunity to serve the public and not for personal aggrandisement
According to him, the Federal Government’s failure to accord Jakande a national award was “a disgrace.”
“The second is that our celebrant does not have a deserved national honour when people of lesser contributions strut around the country with high honours. It is my recommendation that Baba Jakande should be given nothing lower than the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic,” he said.
Joshua Bassey
