Seyi, one of the sons of the first civilian governor of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande, has appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to consider renaming Lagos State University, LASU, after his father, the late journalist and politician.
Seyi, who was accompanied by his mother, Abimbola, said his father was reluctant to serve under late General Sani Abacha, but for MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, who prevailed on him to do so.
He, however, pleaded with Sanwo-Olu to reconsider the proposal that was made to him by the former Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof Lateef Fagboun, who gave the Lagos state governor a proposal to rename the university after him (Jakande) during the celebration of his 90th birthday in 2019, but it was not accepted.
Seyi said: “In 2019, when Baba was celebrating his 90th birthday, the Vice Chancellor of LASU came up with a proposal that the university be renamed after my father.
“Let me thank Mr. Governor for establishing LKJ Leadership Academy after my father, but I also want to appeal to Mr Governor to reconsider renaming LASU after him.
“Two of his colleagues then, Prof Ambrose Ali of the old Bendel State and Bisi Onabanjo of Ogun State, came to my father in Lagos to understudy how LASU was founded.
“My father then instructed Prof Femi Agbalajobi to put them through. Today, both universities have been renamed after the founders.
“Bendel State University is now Ambrose Ali University, while Ogun State University has changed to Olabisi Onabanjo University to reflect the names of the founders.
“What is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he said.
-Vanguard
