By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Family members, political associates and admirers of Rafiu Bakare Adeyefa Jafojo have held a two-day remembrance to mark the 10th anniversary of the death of the former Lagos deputy governor, celebrating his legacy of loyalty, humility and public service.
The commemorative events began on Thursday, 23 April, 2026 in Ikeja with a memorial lecture attended by political leaders, traditional rulers and close associates.
They continued on Friday, 24 April, 2026 with a solemn Jumat Service at the Ikeja Central Mosque, where prayers were offered for the late statesman, his family and the preservation of the values he represented.
The gathering underscored Jafojo’s enduring relevance in Lagos politics and community life a decade after his passing.
The memorial lecture attracted a high-profile audience, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, represented by Bola Obasanjo. Delegates of Babajide Sanwo-Olu were also present, alongside Senators Tokunbo Afikuyomi and Bode Olajumoke, publisher Dele Momodu, Afenifere chieftain Supo Shonibare and several monarchs.
Their presence, observers noted, reflected the deep respect Jafojo commanded across political, social and cultural lines.
Tributes focused not merely on the offices he held, but on the values that shaped his public life.
Delivering the keynote lecture, Professor Olatunji Olateju described Jafojo as a rare model of political loyalty.
He said the late deputy governor remained steadfast to former Governor Lateef Jakande at a time when many deputies elsewhere sought to outshine their principals.
“He was loyalty personified,” Olateju said. “Today, party discipline has been relegated. Jafojo stood as proof that loyalty is not weakness it is strength.”
Similarly, Senator Olajumoke said Jafojo’s humility transcended religion and politics. “The fact that he and Jakande were Muslims never mattered. It was their simplicity, their devotion to service, that bound them,” he said.
Two of his sons: Adeniyi and Adewale Jafojo, offered a personal reflection of their father’s lifetime
They traced Jafojo’s journey from Denton Street, Ebute Meta, where he was born in 1935, to his upbringing in Ikeja as the only surviving son of the family.
According to the account, Jafojo attended Alafia Institute and Christ High School before travelling to England in 1961 to study building technology at Hackney Technical College and Northern Polytechnic Holloway.
While abroad, he joined the West African Students Union and Egbe Afenifere, thereby demonstrating an early interest in leadership and public affairs.
Upon returning to Nigeria in 1970, he briefly worked as an engineer before entering politics.
By 1975, he had become a councillor in Ikeja. Subsequently, in 1979, he emerged as deputy to Jakande in Lagos State’s first democratically elected governor-deputy governor administration.
Those who knew him described a man of truthfulness, quiet dignity and uncommon ability to unite people.
Furthermore, they said his service extended beyond politics into community development, especially among the Awori people, where he remained highly respected.
The remembrance assumed a spiritual tone on Friday as dignitaries and family members gathered at the Ikeja Central Mosque for the Jumat Service. Leading the state delegation, Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat said Jafojo’s example remained relevant to modern governance.
“Jafojo’s loyalty remains a rare example in our politics,” Hamzat said. “He was a man whose humility and discipline continue to inspire us. His loyalty to Governor Lateef Jakande was not just political it was a lesson in integrity that we must carry forward.”
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Religious Matters (Islamic), Abdullahi Kolawole Ahmad Jebe, said the late statesman lived a life rooted in faith and service.
“Chief Jafojo lived a life anchored in faith and service. Today’s prayers remind us that true leadership is measured not only by politics but by values that endure beyond one’s lifetime,” he said.
Family members, including Alhaja Bola Jafojo-Adediji, Chief Soji Jafojo, Prince Niyi Jafojo, Kemi Jafojo, Hon. Wale Jafojo, Kunbi Jafojo, Mrs. Bisi Fapohunda and Barrister Demola Adedeji, joined in prayers for the deceased and future generations of the family.
The two-day remembrance blended politics, history and spirituality, reaffirming that Jafojo’s legacy continues to resonate across generations.
For many attendees, his life remains a reminder that integrity, humility and loyalty still have a place in public service.
