Legendary Lateef Jakande, modest life in retirement | Swordpress Nigeria

“You mean Jakande is living here in Ilupeju? I can’t believe it.
I thought he lives in Lekki or Ikoyi,” said a commercial
motorcyclist who took this reporter from Anthony Bus Stop to the
Ilupeju residence of Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first
civilian governor of Lagos State.

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Jakande, now 88, was born on July 29, 1929 and served as the
first governor of Lagos between October 1979 and December 1983 when
he religiously implemented the four cardinal programmes of the
defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN.

Alhaji Lateef Jakande, popularly known as LKJ, is one of the
last men standing among the group of eminent Nigerians who served
their respective states as first civilian governors. He was Lagos
governor for four years and three months, having been re-elected
for a second term in 1983, only for the tenure to be truncated by a
military coup.

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Thirty-four years after, his legacies pervade the entire length
and breadth of Lagos State. Many market men and women, artisans,
traders, Danfo drivers, Okada riders and many business men in Lagos
might not have met him before but his name resonates often among
them.

But has the state accorded Jakande the honour and respect he
deserves today? This is the poser analysts and commentators have
ceaselessly pondered on.

Jakande’s record has not been surpassed by any governor, be it
military or civilian, that served afterwards.

Despite bestriding the state’s political sphere like a colossus,
Baba Kekere, as he is fondly called (a reference to Awolowo
Junior), is living a decent and modest life, enjoying the later
part of his life in his one-storey building at Ilupeju.

Unlike many politicians who amassed stupendous wealth and
resources after serving in any capacity and acquiring mansions and
flashy cars, LKJ continues to live a modest life in retirement as a
politician and one of the most successful media managers the
country has ever produced, having started as a journalist, rising
through the ranks to become the Editor- in- Chief of Tribune
newspapers, and then a newspaper publisher.

His Number 2 Bishop Street, Ilupeju residence is devoid of the
paraphernalia expected in a former governor’s residence, especially
one of such status.

Except a few people who visit him to solicit for assistance in
securing jobs, the former governor’s residence cannot be described
as a beehive of activities to where people, especially politicians,
throng. Politicians do not flock there because he no longer
influences political decisions in the state.

Deji, one of his sons who was in the House of Representatives,
was defeated in the APC primaries in December 2014. During a visit
by this reporter, efforts to have a conversation with the
octogenarian could not yield much result, as he could hardly speak
for a long time.

He, however, said he was delighted that Lagos had developed
tremendously and that he had no regret serving as governor of the
state.

According to him, he is fulfilled that he was able to provide
mass houses for Lagosians and implemented free education.

While former governors who served from 1999 to 2011 had access
to substantial resources from the pension and retirement benefits
allocated themselves, those who served prior to 1999 when Nigeria
returned to civil rule were exempted from pension.

This is where many analysts faulted the present crop of
politicians for not adequately taking care of those who laid the
foundation for them.

Rights activist, Mr Yinka Odumakin, argues that Jakande would
not even accept the kind of pension and retirement benefits which
the governors allocated to themselves.

“What they are allocating to themselves is immoral, criminal and
I don’t think people like Jakande can take that. What they are
doing is criminal. They (former governors) should be given their
due, they should be supported in their old age in decent ways but
not with these criminal retirement benefits and packages that
governors have allocated to themselves,” he said.

Many people believe that Lagos State has not done well to
appreciate a man who gave his all in the service of the state, who
professed a philosophy of service above self and accomplished
projects and programmes that directly touch the lives of the people
till today.

Governor Akinwumi Ambode acknowledged this during Jakande’s 87th
birthday celebration where he was represented by his deputy, Dr
(Mrs) Idiat Adebule.

“Alhaji Jakande is truly a progressive politician and
administrator par excellence. We cannot forget his memorable years
of selfless service to the people of Lagos State. He is a selfless
leader who has set the precedent for us to follow and we shall not
relent until we have surpassed his achievements in providing good
governance in the state,” Ambode said in 2015.

Odumakin further said, “He (Jakande) remains a reference point
of governance in Lagos State. He recorded unparalleled
achievements. Nobody has met his standard. He faithfully
implemented the four cardinal programmes of the UPN in his four
years in terms of education, health, housing and the rest of them,”
he said.

Barr. Monday Ubani, the second Vice President of the Nigerian
Bar Association (NBA), said, “The man did almost everything, almost
every aspect of infrastructural development was touched. He touched
the housing sector, you know the Jakande Estates all over the
place. He touched roads. There is no aspect of governance that that
man did not touch. In fact, he is one of the best. The only person
that is trying now is Ambode and if Ambode continues the way he is
going now, he may likely meet the record but he may not surpass
it,” he said.

“The man has a name. He and Samuel Mbakwe of the old Imo State
and Abubakar Rimi of Kano State, these were the old governors of
the 80s and I think we should be able to recognize them and give
them a prominent place in our national life but that has not been
done,” he added.

One area where Jakande endeared himself to the hearts of every
Lagosian was in the implementation of mass housing projects across
the state, the same way he built schools and put in place many
iconic projects that have become permanent features of Lagos
today.

His low-cost houses are in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije,
Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo,
Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Isheri/Olowu, Orisigun.

The houses were allocated to workers in a way that was quite
easy and convenient for them to pay.

Lateef Jakande’s government built the current Lagos State
Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the
popular Round House which was occupied by subsequent governors.
Other monuments he embarked upon were the House of Assembly
complex, State Television, Lagos Radio and Lagos State
University.

He also established the General Hospital in all zones in the
state, a Teacher Training College and a College of Education, the
Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board.

Also notable among his achievements were construction of
numerous water works which ensures availability of potable
water.

Jakande was said to have modernized and expanded the Iju Water
Works which was first commissioned in 1915. This increased its
daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres of water per
day.

His government constructed, rehabilitated and resurfaced the
Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road, Oba Akran Avenue, Toyin Street, Town Planning
Way, Alimosho-Idimu-Egbe Road, Idimu-Iba-LASU Road and the new
secretariat road, among others.

In the area of education, Jakande’s government raised primary
schools in Lagos State to 812 with 533,001 pupils (against 605
primary schools with 434,545 pupils he met in 1979) and secondary
schools to 223 with 167,629 students (against 105 schools with
107,835 students in 1979). His government constructed 11, 729
classrooms with a maximum of 40 children per class between March
and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000
classrooms.

In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats named “Baba Kekere”
and “Itafaji” to run the Mile 2 – Marina (CMS) route via the lagoon
were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of
the Lagos State Ferry Services. He established the Small Scale
Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO Bank as well as
LASACO Assurance Company.

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