Lateef Jakande Never Travelled Outside Nigeria Throughout His Tenure, Here’s Answer He Gave When I Asked Him Why – Prof. Olorode

▪️’He Had Premonition of What Nigerians are now facing in South Africa, others,’ Chairman, 4th Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture, relayed interaction with late first civilian governor of Lagos, says Jakande’s Patriotism Still Speaks

▪️At 4th Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture, Speakers Link Xenophobia, Governance and Public Service, Underscore Media, INEC and Voters’ Integrity as path to credible elections

LAGOS -The hall was quiet on Thursday as Professor Lai Olorode, Chairman of the Occasion at the 4th Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture in Lagos, recalled a conversation he once had with the late former Lagos governor.
His words cut through the theme: _The Media, INEC, Voters And Path To Credible Elections._

“There is a bitter lesson in what is happening to Nigerians in South Africa,” Olorode told the audience. “And I think Oga, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, envisaged that a day could come when Nigerians will be faced with such a challenge outside the country.”

The reference was to the wave of xenophobic attacks and discrimination Nigerians have faced abroad in recent years. For Olorode, Jakande’s life offered an answer long before the problem became headline news.

“He never travelled out of the country throughout his tenure as governor,” Olorode said. “He never sought medical help outside of Nigeria throughout his four year tenure.”

When asked why, Jakande’s reply was simple and, to Olorode, prophetic. “He said, ‘what will he go and do when there was a lot to do here in Lagos, Nigeria, to make foreigners even come here to seek help.’”

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That sentence drew nods in the room. It was not about pride. It was about purpose. Jakande, Olorode noted, believed leadership meant fixing home first. “He rendered impeccable service to Lagos and to Nigerians,” he added.

The lecture, held in Lagos on July 23, 2026, brought together journalists, civil society leaders, and voters reflecting on how to deepen democracy. But Olorode kept pulling the conversation back to character — the kind Jakande modeled.

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He also paused to honor the woman behind the public figure. “It is important to acknowledge his wife, Alhaja Jakande who has been holding the forte since his demise,” he said.

According to Olorode, Alhaja Jakande chose a different path from many political spouses. “She was a first lady who never intervened in governance. She was fully faced with home because she believed it was only her husband that sought the governorship office and that was voted as the governor.”

That discipline, he suggested, is part of why Jakande’s legacy endures. A leader focused on service, and a home that protected the boundary between public duty and private life.

As the event shifted back to elections, media, and INEC, Olorode left the audience with one lingering question from Jakande’s example: “What is it that you want to give to Nigeria?”

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It was not a rhetorical question. In a time when many young Nigerians are looking abroad for opportunity, and when trust in institutions is being tested, the Jakande story offered a human counterpoint — that nation-building starts with staying, serving, and believing that Nigeria itself can be worth coming to.

The 4th Lateef Jakande Memorial Lecture continues to be held annually to reflect on governance, media responsibility, and civic duty in honor of the former Lagos governor and veteran journalist.

NOP NIGERIA