A former governor of Ogun, Chief Olusegun Osoba, on Thursday likened the death of a former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, to the fall of an elephant.
He said that the late first civilian governor of Lagos State had left giant footprints.
Osoba, who paid glowing tributes to Jakande in a statement in Lagos, said: “An Iroko tree, as well as an elephant, has fallen”.
He said the late Jakande would be remembered as a personification of the best in journalism and a political colossus.
“He singlehandedly founded both the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.
“He was the first black African chairman of the International Press Institute made up of publishers and editors all over the world,” Osoba said.
The former Ogun governor also noted that Jakande was a foundation member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
He described Jakande as an astute politician who left giant footprints wherever he had the opportunity to serve at the state and federal levels.
”As governor of Lagos State, he ran a daily ‘political clinic’ where citizens consulted him on issues,” he said.
Osoba, who also made a notable career out of journalism and politics like Jakande, prayed to God to grant the late Second Republic governor eternal rest.
Jakande died in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 91.
Jakande, a former journalist, was Lagos State Governor from 1979 to 1983, and later served as Minister of Works under the military government of Gen. Sani Abacha.
His administration as Lagos State governor left a legacy of massive infrastructure development during his four-year stint, especially through numerous Jakande estates built across the state as well as his sterling investment in education.
