Newspaper proprietors mourn Jakande

The Newspaper Proprietors’  Association of Nigeria, has expressed shock over the death of its pioneer President and the first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

Jakande died on Thursday in Lagos at the age of 91.

The association, in a statement jointly signed by its President, Kabiru Yussuf and General Secretary, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, on Thursday in Abuja, described Jakande’s death as an irreparable loss to the nation.

“The nation has lost a great patriot, an advocate of good governance and democracy.

“NPAN condoled with members of the pen fraternity, his immediate and political families as well as the Lagos State Government, on this irreparable loss,” he said.

According to him, Jakande, a journalist, a publisher and a politician, was the pioneer President of the esteemed NPAN, from where he was loaned to politics in 1979.

“Between 1969 and 1979, Jakande, midwifed the association from infancy and it is to his eternal glory that the NPAN became the octopus that it is today.

“Austere, selfless, people-oriented, Jakande transferred these core values from newspapering / newsroom into politics and acquitted himself,” he said.

He said that Jakande became a reference point for performance not just in Lagos State which he served as a governor but across the country.

“He was also Minister of Works under the Abacha administration

“It is on record that Jakande throughout his tenure, lived in his personal house in Ilupeju area of Lagos and also used his personal car,  apart from other landmark projects consummated by his administration.

While expressing grief over the loss of the great icon, he urged the politicians to learn from the life and politics of Jakande and emulate his modesty, selflessness and passion for the people.