By Abdulfatah Babatunde
The family of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (LKJ), has reinstated the call to rename the state university after him.
One of his children, Seyi Jakande, made the appeal during the inaugural series of ” Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture” organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, on Monday in Lagos.
Jakande recalled that a former Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof. Kayode Fagbohun, had once requested to name the institution after his father.
”We, therefore, appeal to Lagos State Government to revisit the request of renaming the institution after Alhaji Lateef Jakande, who founded the university”.
He said the request was apt, as similar universities established in Ogun and old Bendel states, ”had been named after their founding governors”.
He explained that the state governments visited LASU to copy the model to establish a similar university.
According to him, the Ogun State Government renamed its university in honour of Chief Olabisi Onabanjo, the first civilian governor.
He added that Edo Government too named former Bendel State University after Chief Ambrose Alli, the civilian governor of the state.
Jakande also recalled how his father administered the state selflessly without giving any pecuniary benefit of office in favour of any member of his family.
In a message to the occasion, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State eulogised the late LKJ, who he said, demonstrated exceptional quality in his journalism and political life.
TheNewsZenith reports that Dep.-Gov. Obafemi Hamsat represented Gov. Sanwo-Olu at the annual lecture.
The theme of the lecture is ”Lateef Jakande: The Man, His Journalism, His Politics”.
The governor said that in order to enliven leadership quality of LKJ, the state government has established Lateef Jakande Academy.
According to him, the government set up the academy to groom quality leaders in the state.
“The academy is currently training 29 upcoming leaders, comprising 16 men and 13 women of honours.
“Government will continue strengthening the Academy and sponsoring the annual lecture initiated by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE),” Sanwo-Olu said.
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