The family of the late former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande has said that they have no single piece of land on Banana Island despite the island being developed under the Jakande administration.
During the maiden edition of Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos on Monday, Jakande’s son, Seyi delved into the family life of his late father, saying he made no special allocation to his family as governor.
The lecture was organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).
Jakande, a former journalist and first President of the NGE, also served as the governor of Lagos State from 1979 to 1983, and later Minister of Works under the Sani Abacha military regime.
Saying his father was selfless while developing Lagos, Seyi said: “People say: ‘does he (Jakande) even have a wife? Does he even have children? I had to tell my sister, ‘Won’t we go for DNA?’
“In the years that Alhaji Jakande served as governor of Lagos, with all that he did, he did not allocate or give anything to either his wife or son. She (his wife) stayed with Jakande at the Ilupeju residence. At a time, I asked my dad, from inception as governor, you said there was no money in Lagos, and you built schools and houses”.
He said Jakande, while serving as a minister, conceived the idea of developing what is called the Banana Island today.
“He (Jakande) went back to his thinking box and said what are we going to do? They came up with the idea of Banana Island. As Minister for Works, they took advantage of the waterways and filled them up, sold them to the rich, generated money and subsidised the housing scheme.
“Again, Baba did not even have sand on Banana Island. This was just water. He started Banana Island, created it, and filled it up, and not even (a portion) of sand (was allocated) to his beloved wife or any member of his family”.
Also at the event were Jakande’s wife and daughter, Alhaja Sikirat Jakande and Dr. (Mrs.) Lanre Adeboye.
Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who represented Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said Jakande’s life was a reflection of humanity with several testimonies of positive impacts.
In attendance were former Foreign Minister, General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd.); and former governor of Ogun State, Aremo Olusegun Osoba; while Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun was represented by a former Commissioner in Ondo State and a consultant, Mr. Kayode Akinmade.
Former spokesperson for ex-President Muhammdu Buhari, Malam Garba Shehu was also present among many other media players.
