Jakande, Real Builder of Lagos –Prof. Akintoye

An Emeritus Professor of History and member of Second Republic Senate, Banji Akintoye has described the first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, late Chief Lateef Jakande as the original builder of Lagos State, the commercial headquarters of the nations of Nigeria.

In a statement personal signed by him on Thursday, Senator Akintoye labelled Jakande as a man whose life was a model to the younger generation of Nigerian Nationalists during the reign of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in second Republic.

Jakande died early morning of Thursday, aged 91.

He served as the Governor of Lagos State between 1979 and 1983.

He lost his power of incumbency to the coup de’tat that was coincidentally superintended over by the current President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.

In his tribute, Akintoye said Jakande has been the one playing the role of an Elder brother to him since he (Akintoye) returned from his 25 years of professional sojourn in the United States of America (USA) in 2016.

Akintoye, the leader of umbrella body of Yoruba Socio-Cultural and Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oduduwa said the late Jakande was loyal to the well-being of his people and his achievements were titanic in the megalopolist building of Lagos State.

“Baba Jakande has been playing the role of a senior brother to me since i came back from America in 2016. I have been close to his family as his younger brother.

“He was loyal to the wellbeing of his people and he lived his life to serve humanity. His idea of service to the people contributed immensely to the making of the great and people-oriented agenda of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).

“In the year of evolution of UPN, between 1975 to 1978, I served with him under various committees. I was a Secretary to a Committee to which he was a Chairman.

“In the years of UPN’s reign in south western Nigeria, he made us all proud to belong to the party. His achievements were titanic in the building of Lagos.

“The megalopolist that Lagos has become was started within four years under his reign. He built almost all the legacy projects and institutions you can think of today in Lagos State.

“Jakande dazzled Nigerians within four years with massive programmes of provision of schools for the masses of Lagos children without a dint of commercialisation.

“He built estates after estates until Jakande estate became the name of enormous area in Lagos State.

“I say with all sense of responsibility that Jankade was the planner and original builder of Alausa, Magodo and Lekki districts of Lagos.

“Jakande built Abesan, the largest estate in West Africa in Ipaja-Ayobo area of Lagos State. He never sought to enrich himself. He was a great model to the younger generation of Nigerian nationalists in UPN. Adieu, my great elder brother”, Akintoye said.