Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun, former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba, former minister of External Affairs, General Ike Nwanchukwu (rtd), and some eminent personalities in the media profession have paid glowing tributes to the late first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
They charged public office holders to emulate his style of selfless leadership.
At the first annual memorial lecture titled, “Lateef Jakande: The man, his journalism, his politics,” organised by the Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) and sponsored by Lagos State government, the speakers at the lecture described Jakande as a man of ideas, who brought innovation to governance and journalism.
Sanwo-Olu who was represented by his deputy Dr Obafemi Hamzat, said Jakande lived up to a ripe age and appreciated him for living an impactful life.
“Alhaji Lateef Jakande who did not only live long to the ripe age of 91, but whose life was a reflection of humanity at its abundance with several stories of positive impacts.
“Though the passing of Alhaji Jakande was somewhat painful to us as a State and to individuals who knew him personally because, he was indeed a man of lovable personality who we wished could live forever, we must give unreserved appreciation to God for blessing us with him and for also giving him the grace to live a life that touched and impacted lives.
“This administration and the good people of Lagos State will forever remember Jakande and his good deeds to Lagosians.
“To immortalise him, our administration established the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy to unleash the potential of the next generation leaders,” Sanwo-Olu stated.
Also, Ogun State governor who was represented by his senior consultant, Hon Kayode Akinmade, stated that Alhaji Jankande’s conception of democratic deliverables should ordinarily serve as a manual for policy makers in Africa in the quest for urbanization and human capital development.
Governor Abiodun said it is a thing of joy for him that the Nigeria Guild of Editors has chosen to honour the legendary memory of a man who represented, and still represents even in death, the very best of Nigerian journalism and statesmanship.
“Today, we gather here to celebrate and honour the memory of an astute administrator, who combined media savvy with ideological perspectives of progressivism to build a foundation of responsive governance in Lagos State and Nigeria at large,” the governor noted.
He said the late former minister for works was an ardent apostle of the late sage of Africa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, adding that Jakande was an ideological and ethically replica of his political leadership and mentor.
According to the chairman of the event, Gen Nwachukwu, the event marked the beginning of celebrating the men who have done so much, who have done so much for journalism in Nigeria.
Nwachukwu stated that he had his training in journalism, before joining the Nigerian Army, under the tutelage of the likes of Alhaji Jakande, saying he was a quiet and resolute man.
“It is a great honour to chair the inaugural lecture, whatever I became in life is because I have worked under people like Jakande. He laid the light to our feet and we have not gone wrong since then, “he said.
In his keynote address, former Editor of Nigerian Tribune, Chief Felix Adenaike, said Jakande was a pioneer of plans, which was why he was instrumental to setting up various institutions that promoted journalism, like Nigeria Union of Journalism (NUJ), Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Newspapers Proprietors Administration of Nigeria (NPAN) and the introduction of International Press Institute (IPI).
Adenaike who was represented by Jakande’s press secretary when he was governor of Lagos State, Bayo Osiyemi, noted that nobody can take anything away from the achievements of Jakande, and it is a thing of joy that he reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession, journalism.
He said Jakande was a serious-minded person who seldom smiled and was a man of ideas, just as he was a good listener to people’s view.
Adenaike said when he was editor of the Nigerian Tribune, he also doubled as the only member of the editorial board, who wrote editorial that made the paper attractive to readers.
Adenaike said, “He was an expert in drafting communique of political meetings and it is fitting and appropriate that Jakande was considered worthy of the honour, honouring him is to honour ideas that will interrogate Nigeria development and the role of Journalism in development.
Osoba described Jakande as a grassroot politician that has no equal in Nigeria, because he created time to listen to the grassroot people irrespective of how lowly placed the person may be and he did that to know their problem and challenges. He was a man that gave ears to all views. He was a Jack of all trades. Jakande made the Nigerian Tribune the bestselling newspaper because of the editorials written by him.
“He was the first black man to be president of the International Press Institute made up of Editors, publishers and he got the position on merit, because of his contribution to journalism. Jakande singlehandedly brought IPI to Nigeria.”
He said the establishment of NIJ, IPI was possible because of Jakande, describing him as the father of Journalism who created a political clinic for everybody.
“He created a political clinic for everybody. Everybody was allowed to visit him in his house, even when he was governor and he listened to the people, they visited him to discuss any problem they had.
“People visited him in his house, he interacted with them, without even having an appointment with them. I don’t know of any governor that is rooted in the grassroot like Jakande.”
In the contribution of Jakande son, Seyi described his father as a selfless person, who never gave preferential treatment to any member of his family when he was in position of authority or gave them access to largesse of government.
Seyi added that most of the achievements his father recorded were possible because of the cooperation of his mother Alhaja Sikirat Jakande, urging the audience to commend her for her support, which made the audience give her applause.
Seyi said his father was a consistent human being, just as he appealed to the Lagos State government to name the Lagos State University (LASU), which he founded after him.
Other veteran journalists who spoke at the event urged Nigerians and public officers to continue with Jakande’s good work and uphold his principle and amplify forces of upholding his virtues.
They urged journalists to contribute to positive change in the society, so that Nigeria can get to a level where truth prevails.
In his welcome speech, the NGE president, Eze Anaba, said NGE decided to set up the lectures in memory of Jakande because he lived an impactful life, “We can’t talk of modern journalism without mentioning Alhaji Jakande.
“He was impactful, he demonstrated and contributed to journalism freedom,” he said.
