Lateef Kayode Jakande: Architect of Modern Lagos

Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, popularly known as “Baba Kekere”, served as the first civilian governor of Lagos State during Nigeria’s **Second Nigerian Republic. His administration is widely remembered for its rapid infrastructural development, social welfare policies, and large-scale public works programs executed within just four years in office.
Jakande, a respected journalist and former editor of the Nigerian Tribune, entered politics under the Unity Party of Nigeria led by Obafemi Awolowo. His government pursued the party’s philosophy of free education, social welfare, and mass-oriented development.

Major Infrastructure Projects

Government and Administrative Buildings

Jakande’s administration built several landmark government facilities that still serve Lagos today, including:

The Lagos State Secretariat, which houses most state ministries.

The Round House (later known as the Governor’s Office complex) used by subsequent governors.

The Lagos State House of Assembly Complex.

These projects centralized government operations and modernized administrative governance in Lagos.

Education Revolution

Education was one of Jakande’s most transformative policies. His government implemented genuine free education across the state and massively expanded school infrastructure.
Achievements included:

Increasing primary schools to 812 with 533,001 pupils (from 605 schools in 1979).

Expanding secondary schools to 223 with 167,629 students.

Constructing over 22,000 classrooms between 1980 and 1983.

Introducing a single school system to standardize education.

His government also established key institutions including:

Lagos State University (LASU) in 1983.

Teacher Training Colleges and Colleges of Education.

Housing Development

Jakande launched one of the largest public housing programs in Nigeria’s history. His government built low-cost housing estates across Lagos to address urban housing shortages.
Notable estates include:

Dolphin Estate

Abesan Housing Estate

Amuwo Odofin Housing Estate

Oke Afa Housing Estate

Ijaiye Housing Estate

These estates were designed to provide affordable housing for civil servants and low-income residents.

Water Supply and Public Utilities

Jakande expanded Lagos’ water infrastructure through projects such as:

Construction of the Adiyan Water Works.

Expansion of the historic Iju Waterworks, originally commissioned in 1915.

His administration also established:

Lagos State Waste Disposal Board

Lagos State Water Corporation

These agencies helped improve sanitation and water distribution in the rapidly growing city.

Transportation and Roads

The Jakande government undertook major road construction and rehabilitation projects, including:

Epe-Ijebu Ode Road

Oba Akran Avenue

Toyin Street

Idimu-Iba-LASU Road

In 1983, his administration also launched Lagos’ first organized ferry service with two passenger boats — Baba Kekere and Itafaji — running between Mile 2 and Marina Lagos.

Health and Social Welfare

Jakande established general hospitals across Lagos zones and promoted free healthcare services for residents. His government also created regulatory institutions such as the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board to integrate traditional healing practices within public health oversight.

Industry, Markets, and Economic Development

To stimulate economic growth and support small businesses, his administration:

Created small-scale industry credit schemes, which later influenced the establishment of Eko Bank.

Established LASACO Assurance.

Expanded markets and constructed new commercial centers across the state.

Legacy

Despite governing for just four years before the 1983 Nigerian military coup, Jakande’s administration left an enduring imprint on Lagos’ development.
His combination of mass education, affordable housing, infrastructure expansion, and social welfare has made his tenure widely regarded as a benchmark for effective governance in Lagos State.
Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande passed away in 2021, but his legacy continues to shape the city he helped modernize.

Sources

Lagos State: A History of the People and Governance by Toyin Falola

Lagos State Government – Official historical records of former governors

The Guardian Nigeria archives on the legacy of Lateef Kayode Jakande.