JAKANDE WAS A THIEF IN 1944

RED HOTTIE!!!

JAKANDE WAS A THIEF IN 1944

BY ABDULMUMINI ADEKU

THE JAKANDE WE ALL KNOW IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE FORTHRIGHT NIGERIAN POLITICIANS OF ALL TIME,THIS SINGULAR EVENT IN 1944 DID NOT IN ANY WAY DEFINE HIS CHARACTER

Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande ,the First Executive Governor of Lagos  State was a thief in 1944 due to a sad incident in college.

In a ground breaking literary masterpiece about the elder Statesman ,titled:Jakande ,Fountain of Excellence ,written and published by the Nigerian Union of Journalists ,Lagos state Council,a copy of which is now in Paedia Library ,the momentary or rare acts of madness which did not define his entire career actually took place while he was a sophomore at Kings College ,Lagos,Nigeria sometimes on March,14^th ,1944.

Investigations by the News Office Desk Of Paedia Express Multimedia in Lagos,Nigeria ,showed that the young  Lateef Jakande  at the time, 14 years of age was probably too young to discern the direct implications of his actions.

In the 172 paged book ,this reporter read and discovered on page 8 of the book ,how a supposed friend and student ,Master Rashidi Oyekan at the time ,borrowed a mathematical set from Chief Jakande but despite repeated demands refused to return it.

It was learnt that after Jakande’s patience waned out over the matter he decided to pay a visit to the former’s  home and get his mathematical set at all cost.

It would appear that his decision to cart away another mathematical set aside from his own in order to teach his funny friend a lesson was to become a moment he will rue even into the grave.

A few days later after seizing the two sets of mathematical sets ,this reporter learnt that another school mate ,Charles Nwobi ,saw his mathematical set with Jakande and promptly declared that it was his own.

Checks showed that it was at this stage allegations and counter allegations over the matter started to fly around in the class room and this attracted the attention of a no nonsense class teacher ,Mr J.Enyeazu but Oyekan denied in very strong terms that the Mathematical sets were not seized from him and with nobody else but God Almighty to corroborate his own side of the incident , a crest fallen Jakande had to accept the situation as he  was enlisted for an immediate suspension..

This reporter was reliably informed on page 9 of the book that the principal ,Mr Clift ,an Englishman without any form of enquiry on the matter ordered his suspension.

Paedia Express Multimedia finds it strange that the word suspension instead of expulsion was used as Jakande left the College over this incident.

A pre-colonial newspaper,Morning Post ‘s attempts to do a critic on the affair met with a sharp reaction  from Chief Jakande himself.

Baba Jakande Speaks:”Your insinuations that I was expelled with ignominy from Kings College to Dishonesty after a spell of two years  is false and malicious”

“Your allegations that following such expulsion I was rehabilitated by a political godfather is a blatant lie without any foundation whatsoever “

“Your report that was at Kings College ,Lagos where I had a spell of the years is a deliberate distortion of the facts”

Chief Lateef Jakande while clearing the air on the matter on page 11 of the very revealing public relations job gone rogue insisted that he left the school on March,14^th,1944,two months and seven days after resumption at Kings College, Lagos because his family took him away after it emerged that he was suspended on trumped up charges .

The law has a away with juvenile delinquency and analysts feel that officials at Kings College at the time were too harsh for a fresh man and a first time offender who should have being better schooled on good behavior rather than immediate suspension..

Analysts are also of the opinion that even if ‘Baby- Boy’Jakande did not go into the home Rashidi Oyekan to collect his mathematical set another one in the latter’s possession ,he should at least have been smart enough to whisper it to his teacher,Mr J.Enyeazu.

However, this solitary moment of indecision or poor judgment did not in any way define Alhaji Lateef Jakande throughout his private and public service career  .