Lateef Jakande: Lawan Mourns Late Lagos Governor, Describes Him As An Exemplary Administrator

The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, on Thursday in Abuja, described late former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, as an exemplary political leader and administrator, who made sterling contributions to the development of journalism and the country at large.

In a statement, the Senate President said that the late statesman’s “feats and carriage as governor made him a permanent face of progressive politics which primary concern is the welfare and well-being of the people.”

Noting also that the Septuagenarian left indelible footprints and landmark achievements as the first elected governor of Lagos State, the Senate President recalled the former governor’s role in repositioning education in the country.

“Throughout his tenure as governor, he faithfully implemented the four cardinal programmes of his party, the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria.

“His numerous legacies continue to be appreciated, particularly in the education, health and housing sectors of Lagos State,” Lawan says.

The Senate President added that “Alhaj Jakande took his Midas touch to the Federal level when he served briefly as the Minister of Works where he left his marks especially on the landscape of Abuja.”

While commiserating with the people of Lagos State, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the death, the President of the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly extolled Jakande’s contributions to the growth of the Nigerian media.

Jakande was governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983, and later was Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime between 1993–1998.

The former Lagos State governor died at 91.

Alhaji Jakande was a former journalist who became governor of Lagos state in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983, and later was minister of works under the Late Sani Abacha military regime.

He is noted for introducing housing and educational programmes targeted at the poor, building new neighbourhood primary and secondary schools and providing free primary and secondary education.

His government constructed over 30,000 housing units including low-cost estates in Amuwo-Odofin, Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry.

To fund some of the projects, Jakande increased the tenement rates and price of plots of land in affluent areas of Victoria Island and Lekki Peninsula and the processing fees for lottery, pools and gaming licenses.

He also completed the construction of the General Hospital in Gbagada and Ikorodu and built about 20 health centres within the state.

As a governor, he established 23 local government councils which were later disbanded by the military. He also started a metro line project to facilitate mass transit.