11th February, 2021
Chief Olusegun Osoba, a former governor of Ogun, has expressed grief over the death of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.
Osoba, in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, condoled with the immediate and political families as well as the Lagos State Government over the death.
According to him, an “Iroko tree, as well as an elephant, has fallen.”
He described Jakande as an astute politician who left giant footprints wherever he had the opportunity to serve at state and federal levels.
“As governor of Lagos State, he ran a daily “political clinic” where citizens consulted him on issues
“In Yoruba parlance-Iroko tree as well as an elephant has fallen,” he said.
According to him, Jakande will be remembered in history as a personification of the best in journalism and a political colossus.
“He single-handedly founded both the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Institute of Journalism.
“He was the first black African Chairman of the International Press Institute made up of publishers and editors all over the world.
“He was a foundation member of both the Nigeria Union of Journalists and Guild of Editors,” he said.
He prayed that God would grant the late elder statesman eternal rest and also the family and Lagos State the fortitude to bear the loss.