Jakande’s indelible footprints in the sand of Lagos
The death this Thursday February 11, 2021 of first Executive Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, has made revisiting his achievements as governor and Minister of Works and Housing, Lagos and Nigeria, respectively, imperative. Jakande was governor for four years and three months (Oct 1979-Dec 1983) just like he was Minister for six years (1993-1998). Excerpts:
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande’s government built the current Lagos State Secretariat which houses all the state ministries as well as the popular round house hitherto occupied by all subsequent governors of the state.
His government built the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex.
His government built the Lagos State Television
His government built the Lagos Radio
His government built Lagos State University
His government established General Hospital in zones all over the state with assurance of free health care.
His government established Teacher Training College and the College of Education.
His government built low cost housing estates in Ijaiye, Dolphin, Oke-Afa, Ije, Abesan, Iponri, Ipaja, Abule Nla, Epe, Amuwo-Odofin, Anikantamo, Surulere, Iba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Isheri/Olowu, Orisigun etc.
His government established the Water Management Board and Waste Disposal Board on the 18th of August, 1980.
His government constructed the Adiyan Water Works to increase water supply in the state to 18.16 million litres per day.
His government modernized and expanded the Iju Water Works which had been commissioned earlier. This increased daily capacity from 159 million to 204 million litres per day.
His government purchased and commissioned the giant car crusher equipment. The equipment was designed specifically to crush derelict vehicles in Lagos State. It had the capacity to crush 45 vehicles per day.
His government constructed, rehabilitated and resurfaced Epe/Ijebu-Ode Road, Oba Akran Avenue, Toyin Street, Town Planning Way, Alimosho-Idimu-Egbe Road, Idimu-Iba-LASU Road, the new secretariat road and several others.
His government constructed Victoria Island/Epe Road and thereby creating an ‘oil rig’ for Lagos State.
His government established Asphalt Plant for the Department of Public Works.
His government established Electricity Board for Rural Electrification with provision of street lights.
His government modernized, expanded and commissioned Onikan Stadium in 1982.
His government established a singular school system and ensured genuine free education in Lagos State and the beneficiaries of this policy are in different positions of eminence in the country and around the world today.
His government raised the primary schools in Lagos State to 812 with 533,001 pupils (against 605 primary schools with 434,545 pupils he met in 1979) and secondary schools to 223 with 167,629 students (against 105 schools with 107,835 students in 1979).
His government constructed 11, 729 classrooms with the maximum of 40 children per class between March and August 1980, by 1983, he had constructed over 22,000 classrooms.
In July 1983, two commercial passenger boats christened “Baba Kekere and Itafaji” to run the Mile 2 – Marina (CMS) route via the lagoons were inaugurated by his government to mark the official launch of the Lagos State ferry services.
His government took over the ownership and financing of Lagos State Printing Corporation in July 1980.
His government established the first State Traffic Management Authority (Road Marshals).
His government established small scale Industries Credit Scheme which preceded the EKO bank.
His government established LASACO Insurance.
His government expanded existing market and built new ones.
His government established Traditional Medicine Board.
His government started the painting of Lagos commercial vehicles to regulate and generate income to fund the free education and free health programme of the state.
He cancelled the 3 tier system of education in Lagos State.
As governor, at a time Lagos served the dual purposes of a state and Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Jakande established the Lagos State Television, LTV8, and Radio Lagos.
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS A MINISTER:
He built the largest Housing Estate in Africa, Gwarimpa in the Federal Capital Abuja.
He also built Lugbe Housing Estate in the Federal Capital Abuja.
He started the Banana Island project.
These were his achievements under General Abacha as the Minister of Housing.
