Chief Kolapo Onabanjo, a former Photo Editor with the defunct Daily Times Newspapers, has urged the Federal Government to rename an estate in Abuja after the Late Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Onabanjo, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, also urged the Lagos State Government to rename the State Secretariat at Alausa after Jakande, the state first civilian Governor.
According to him, this is to immortalise him for his patriotic, iconic, exceptional leadership and monumental development in all sectors of the state and the country in general Nigeria.
Onabanjo said that immortalising Jakande would be a worthy and befitting monument.
“Jakande should be immortalised because he was a colossus, an unassuming genius, a bridge-builder, a humanist and quintessential patriot who believed and worked for the unity and oneness of Nigeria.
“We have lost yet one of the rare breeds of leaders, who exhibited extraordinary attributes of selflessness, incisive intelligence, vision, courage and uprightness when he had the opportunities of centre-stage in governance.
“Jakande when he was Governor of Lagos State, thought of building affordable housing units for the people of Lagos State.
“He introduced free education system to the people of Lagos State.
“Before schools in Lagos State were overcrowded, Jakande built and expanded schools with the introduction of shift school system to accommodate more pupils to go to school.
“He built many infrastructure, hospitals and many social amenities in Lagos; and when he was the governor, Jakande was living in his personal resident in ilupeju,” he said.
Onabanjo, also described Jakande as a simple former governor that could be approached at any time till he died.
“He was a good friend to my late brother, late Olabisi Onabanjo former civilian Governor of Ogun.
“They were on the same camp with the late political sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the Action Group. I knew the late politician as far back as 1962,” the photo editor said.
He said that Jakande was one of the frontliners that believed in Awolowo’s ideology.
“Whey they were arrested, I was attached to serve him bread, because the family knew I was so young; so, I was serving him bread in the Lagos Prison.
“I was very close to the former governor. I also worked with him as Photo Journalist when he established The Lagos News, an afternoon Newspaper.
“He was a simple man that want others around him to grow. He was one of the best journalists the country has ever produced.
“He was a good writer with many books credited to him. Nigeria has lost a good journalist.
“My advice to upcoming politicians is to read and research deeply about the lifetime of the great icon.
“Emulate his political ideology by not enriching himself. They should think of what they can do to better the lives of the people. (NAN)
