Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (23 July 1929 – 11 February 2021) achieved in four years as the Governor of Lagos State what other governors in Nigeria failed to achieve in eight years.
Alhaji Jakande was an outstanding trailblazer in the the making of modern Lagos and the unique landmarks of his indisputable achievements made him the best Governor of Lagos since the establishment of Lagos State by the Federal Government of Nigeria on May 27, 1967 by the Creation and Transitional Provisions Decree No. 14 of 1967.
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande was the Governor of Lagos State from October 1979 – December 1983, during the Second Republic of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He was a socialist state governor following the footsteps of his political godfather, the great Obafemi Awolowo, Patriarch of modern Yoruba nation. Jakande focused on free education from primary to secondary school levels and affordable housing for low income workers.
He introduced housing and educational programs targeting the poor, building new neighbourhood primary and secondary schools and providing free primary and secondary education. He established the Lagos State University. Jakande's government constructed over 30,000 housing units. The schools and housing units were built cheaply, but were of great value.
Some of the housing units include low cost estates in Amuwo-Odofin, Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry.
To fund some of the projects, Jakande increased the tenement rates and price of plots of land in affluent areas of Victoria Island and Lekki Peninsula and the processing fees for lottery, pools and gaming licenses. He also completed the construction of the General Hospital in Gbagada and Ikorodu and built about 20 health centres within the state. As a governor, he established 23 local government councils which were later disbanded by the military. He also started a metroline project to facilitate mass transit.
- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, producer and director of "Lagos in Motion" documentary film.
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