Oluwole Oladipo, an experienced media practitioner, recounts memorable days with Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, former and first executive governor of Lagos State who died recently as presented in OpenLife Nigeria
“I was at the Ilupeju residence of Alhaji Lateef Jakande sometime in December 1993, after my resignation from the Ogun State Local Government Service as Information Officer1. As many as we were on that fateful Saturday, Alhaji Jakande saw everyone, without an exception on first come first served basis.
I was eventually offered the opportunity to serve in his John West Newspapers Limited as a journalist, specifically in The Lagos News Newspaper, as a staff writer and later features editor, before I resigned to take up another job as a research editor.
Working in the newspaper owned by a doyen in Nigeria print media, like Alhaji Jakande, was actually a dream come true to many, as impetus and an avenue to expand and broaden one’s horizons with giant strides. I, like many, eventually achieved this, judging by the caliber of personalities I secured interviews with, and investigative stories that I embarked upon, like “How Soyinka beat the security network” during the NADECO and June 12, political stalemate, and Professor Soyinka’s dramatic escape abroad, “Abiola’s travails” amongst others. But, my then write-up, “LKJ, MKO AND JUNE 12” is really the reference point of today’s “THE LATEEF JAKANDE I KNEW” which, at that relatively young age of mine, exposed the other side of LKJ that lingers in my mind, till date-LKJ means Lateef Kayode Jakande, a well known appellation for the First Civilian Governor of Lagos State (1979-1983).
LKJ, MKO AND JUNE 12, was a political analysis I did on the publisher himself, Alhaji Jakande, in an edition of Lagos News. This was a critique of Baba Jakande’s continued stay in Abacha Military Government as a minister, after June 12, 1993, MKO Abiola presidential poll result annulment by the then Military Government of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), despite the call by NADECO, Afenifere and other June 12 agitators on Alhaji Jakande, and other progressives to leave Abacha’s government.
Alhaji Jakande later sent for me at his Ilupeju residence, Lagos, one weekend, after coming back from Abuja, where he unexpectedly commended me for a balanced, unbiased and good piece, like others of mine, which according to him, he had read in the past.
He then recommended me for elevation. So, I was promoted to the position of features editor. This is unlike our today’s socio-economic and politico-religious leaders who always find it very difficult to withstand criticism or any opposing views.
A great lesson for both leaders and followers, indeed!
Adieu the political Icon, and doyen of Nigeria journalism!!”
Oluwole Oladipo can be reached via Oladipooluwole21@gmail.com
08033598528
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