Encomium, kind words and accolades on Tuesday filled The Haven Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, as men and women of timber and Calibre gathered to celebrate the first Executive Governor of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande, who turned 90.
Among those with heart warming good will messages were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Governor of Ogun State, Olusegun Osoba, National leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Tinubu and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
They described Jakande as a “revolutionary, progressive and selfless leader.”
In his remarks, Osinbajo said it was an “honour and privilege” for him to be part of the elder statesman’s 90th birthday celebration.
He described Jakande as a revolutionary and transformational figure in the political history of the nation.
His words: “This is a man who by share grate and vision was able to do several revolutionary things beginning with the change of the education system in Lagos State that is home of the country.
The free education policy in Lagos during his tenure was transformational in the sense that it stopped the shift in the education system which was morning and afternoon and it became a single system.”
According to him the single system policy made it possible for many children in the state to go to school.
“More importantly was the housing sector which he made effective.
He built the largest number of housing projects by any state government in one circle, including that of the federal government.
“So Alhaji jakande 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,” Osinbajo added.
Furthermore, the Vice President noted that Jakande’s life and times have shown that dedication to public service has its own rewards and prayed God to give him more years ahead in good health and joy so that he will see the country that he had in mind many years ago.
Speaking, Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos himself, said: “Many of us in Nigeria, especially Lagos are very happy today. Papa is the foremost progressives that anyone can find in the continent.
He achieved many firsts at the time it was extremely difficult to rule in Nigeria. One of the them, not excluding others, was his unshakable and absolute loyalty to his leaders.
“At the very crucial time in the history of politics in the country, he was extremely loyal to former Premier of the Western Region, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Ideologically, he has never departed from the progressives’ path.
He is always with the progressives.
“There are too many historical things that so many of us who governed the state after him had to dust up from the archives and ask ourselves what Jakande did when he was confronted with such challenges. And so many of the schools are testimonial for Alhaji Lateef Jakande. ”
Also speaking, former Ogun State Governor, Osoba, went down memory lane to the post June 12, 1993 era, to recall Jakande’s role.
According to him, following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections and the resultant political crisis, Jakande was asked to join the cabinet of former head of state, late General Sani Abacha as works minister.
He pointed out that Jakande’s acceptance of that post was not for personal gains.
“The thinking was that Pro-June 12 supporters should have a foot in the government.
Many may not remember that Alhaji Jakande, alongside Dr. Olu Onagoruwa and Alex Ibru were in the vanguard of those who worked for MKO Abiola’s bail, which, unfortunately, he was prevailed upon by his lawyers not to accept at the last minute.
“It is important for us to note that for Alhaji Jakande, the appointment was just another opportunity to serve the public; not for any personal aggrandizement.
He has, unfortunately, been maligned for this by members of the old political family, forgetting that much earlier in 1966, he had rejected invitation to serve the military government of the day.
The failure to understand the context of some of the political developments post-1993 still underpins the political tendencies in South West politics today,” he said.
Osoba, who recently celebrated his 80th birthday, however lamented that Jakande has not penned down his memoir. “How wonderful it would have been to hear first-hand account of his journalistic and political exploits; how he successfully implemented the four-cardinal points programmes of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN in the second republic, which many thought was political sloganeering and how younger Nigerians would have been able to draw from his wellspring of wisdom,” he said.
He also regretted that the elder statesman does not have a deserved national honour “when people of lesser contribution strut around the country with high honours.”
Osoba, therefore recommended that “Baba Jakande should be given nothing lower than the national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic.”
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, in his comments, assured that the Igando Housing Estate currently under construction will be commissioned by August and named as Alhaji Lateef Jakande Estate. The Estate when completed will have 496 flats.
