omoimamadekunlenewsBREAKING:Foremost Journalist, First Civilian Governor Of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande Dies At 91
By Africannewshub
First democratically elected Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, is dead.
The former Minister of Works passed on Thursday morning in Lagos at the age of 91.
He is a former journalist who became governor of Lagos State in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983, and later was Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime (1993–98).
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (born 23 July 1929) was a former journalist who became governor of Lagos State in Nigeria from 1979 to 1983, and later was Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime (1993–98). He died on 11th of February 2021, aged 91 years .
The Late Jakande.
After the military take-over in 1983, Jakande was charged, prosecuted and convicted of treason, although later he was pardoned.[1] After being freed, he accepted the position of Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime, which earned him some criticism. He claimed that he had accepted the post under pressure from M. K. O. Abiola and other progressive leaders.[6] In a later interview, he said he had no regrets about the decision to serve.[7] However, his association with Abacha handicapped his career in politics after the restoration of democracy in 1999.[8]
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande became a senior member of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) when the UNPP and APP merged. In June 2002, he was “suspended” by a faction of the ANPP loyal to Chief Lanre Razaq.[9] Jakande was the first chairman of the Action Party of Nigeria (APN) when it was formed in November 2006. In May 2009, he was reported to be engaged a struggle for control of the party with his former ally, Dr. Adegbola Dominic.[10]
Many prominent people attended his 75th birthday celebration. At this event, Governor of Lagos State Bola Ahmed Tinubu said Jakande was worth celebrating for his life of consistent commitment to public service. Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa said Jakande’s life and times epitomised “resilience, positive audacity, bravery and bravado, and a knack for excellence.”
