The first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, is dead.

Announcing Lateef Jakande’s death on Twitter, the Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu wrote via his official twitter handle:

 

Alhaji Lateef Jakande was a prominent journalist who was popular for his writings under the pseudonym of John West. As a politician, he was a prominent member of the defunct Action Group which was led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Expectedly, in the Second Republic, he was one of the pillars of the Unity Party of Nigeria which was founded and led by Awolowo. Indeed, he was an Awoist, as the political followers of Awolowo were called.

As the Executive Governor of Lagos State, he made a lot of impact. He made bold marks with the development of infrastructure in the state. He remained famous several years after he left the governor’s seat because of his monumental contributions to housing and education. The numerous housing estates and schools which he built still stand today.

He was fondly called Baba Kekere by his political fans and admirers. That accolade summed up his status as the younger version of Chief Awolowo whom political fans referred to as Baba or Father. Jakande’s humility and modesty as governor of Lagos State was legendary. He lived in his own house and drove his own car all through his tenure from 1979 to 1983.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Jakande’s popularity with Nigerians however suffered a major setback when he served as Minister of Works under Nigeria’s  late military dictator, General Sani Abacha between 1993 and 1998. Many of his countrymen expected him to resign from Abacha’s government when it became apparent that the General was not interested in handing over power to the man who won the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola.

Even so, many Nigerians still see him as the greatest governor to rule a state in post-independence Nigeria.