FIVE THESES ON LKJ
As one economist puts it, “…the measure of a society is the quality of life at the bottom of the pyramid, not the top.” It is the duty of the government to plan for development and drive the process of creating an inclusive society. That’s the path of progress. It is not a job to be outsourced to the private sector. That’s precisely why some persons are elected into the executive and legislative positions.
Fourthly, it is important for a governor or president to be armed with a coherent concept of development. Jakande’s government was a negation of the perverted concept of development currently on display in some states. For instance, in a country that is home to the largest number of out -of- school children on earth, some governors could still afford to indulge in the tokenism of setting aside a date to celebrate repainting the walls and replacing the louvres of a handful of classrooms in an exercise called “commissioning.” Since 1999 the development in the education sector in some states has hardly been measured by an exponential increase in school enrolment as Jakande did in the Second Republic.
Fifthly, a political figure should pay attention to what could be defining moments of history. Fortunately for Jakande, the defining moment of his political career was the period between October 1 1979 and December 31, 1983. The assessment of Jakande’s 14 months as minister of housing under General Sani Abacha would remain controversial. This is especially because of his failure, along with others, to quit the Abacha government in 1995 as demanded by a group of Yoruba leaders who met in Ibadan at the height of the agitation for the validation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election won by Bashorun Moshood Abiola. But from the tributes to his memory so far, that might not define his place as a historical figure.
Doubtless, the essential Jakande was the one that governed Lagos for only four years and recorded developmental leaps.
Alhaji Jakande was probably conscious of the disappointment of some of his admirers and supporters when he said, in response to Professor Dare’s comment on that period of his career, that:
“If I lost my popularity because of this principled and courageous stand, I regard it as part of the price a good leader must be prepared to pay for his deep-seated conviction and for public good. In this respect, I am in good and honourable company. World History is replete with several inspiring and noble precedents of this experience in the footsteps of the Great Masters. And their reputations have survived their experiences.”
The verdict of history will be kind on LKJ.
May his memory continue to inspire people - oriented governance in this land.