Nigeria, Feb. 16 -- Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, the first executive governor of Lagos State (1979-1983) who died on Thursday, February 11 at 91, was a rare combination of administrative genius in public governance and humility, even self-effacement, in personal life. He was a remarkable giant in public life, who never made anyone feel small in his presence. Without doubt, Jakande was one of the ablest public administrators that the country has ever produced.
An encounter with the man popularly called LKJ by one of the top aides of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu illustrates the profound modesty of the spartan politician. Jakande, as the aide told me a few years ago, was in the governor's office to see Tinubu. He had obviously announced his presence ...