Pa Lateef Kayode Jakande exits gloriously at 91: 22 things Lagosians will never forget about the first civilian governor of Lagos State

Lateef Kayode Jakande, first civilian governor of Lagos state, has passed on at the age of 91.

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, announced his death on Thursday.

”With gratitude to God for a worthy life well spent in the service of Lagos State, Nigeria and humanity, I announce the death of a venerable statesman, outstanding politician, public administrator and the first Civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Jakande was governor of Lagos from 1979 to 1983. He was later appointed minister of works by Sani Abacha in 1993.

Here is a list of 22 things that Jakande achieved within his short term in office, that laid the foundation for the progressive Lagos we see today:

 1) His government built the current Lagos State Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the popular round house hitherto occupied by all subsequent governors of the state.

2) His government built the Lagos State House of Assembly complex.

3) His government completed the Lagos State Television, Lagos Radio and Lagos State University

4) His government established General Hospital in zones all over the state with assurance of free health care.

5) His government established Teacher Training College and the College of Education.

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

7) His government established the Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board on the 18th of August, 1980.

8) His government constructed the Adiyan Water Works to increase water supply in the state to 18.16 million litres per day.

9) His government modernized and expanded the Iju Water Works which was first commissioned in 1915. This increased daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres per day.

10) His government purchased and commissioned the giant car crusher equipment. The equipment was designed specifically to crush derelict vehicles in Lagos State. It had the capacity to crush 45 vehicles per day.

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

12) His government constructed Victoria Island/Epe Road and thereby creating an ‘oil rig’ for Lagos State. His administration also constructed the Lekki-Epe expressway without the toll gate

13) His government established Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works and Electricity Board for Rural Electrification with provision of street lights

14) His government modernized, expanded and commissioned Onikan Stadium in 1982

15) His government established a singular school system and ensured genuine free education in Lagos State and the beneficiaries of this policy are in different positions of eminence in the country and around the world.

16) His government raised the 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).

17) His government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.

18) In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats christened "Baba Kekere and Itafaji" to run the Mile 2 - Marina (CMS) route via the lagoons were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of the Lagos State ferry services.

19) His government took over the ownership and financing of Lagos State Printing Corporation in July 1980

20) His government established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals).

21) His government established Traditional Medicine Board, small scale Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO bank and LASACO Insurance

22) His government expanded existing markets and built new ones.

He achieved all of these in just four years in office. His administration remains the benchmark for good governance.

Lateef Kayode Jakande (LKJ), former Governor of Lagos state (October 1979 - December 1983) will truly rest in peace.

Adieu Papa LKJ...