The annual thanksgiving and memorial service for the late Chief J.K. Randle will hold on Sunday at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos at 11:15a.m.
Randle died on December 17, 1956 at the age of 47 years, shortly after his return from Melbourne, Australia.
He was the Chief-de-Mission of the Nigerian Olympic Team to Melbourne, while the Captain of the team was Alhaji K.A.B. Olowu.
Randle was also the Chairman of Lagos Island Club and the Lagos Racing (Horse Racing) Club, as well as a member of Lagos Town Council and member of the Lagos Executive Development Board.
He was a businessman, politician, philanthropist and all round sportsman (cricket, football, boxing, athletics, draughts etc). While still a student at King’s College he played cricket at the international level as a member of the Nigerian team against Ghana (then known as Gold Coast) in 1929.
According to a statement announcing the memorial service, “Randle belonged to a generation of Nigerians whose influence cut across ethnicity, religion, and race. Patriotism and selfless service were the hallmark of their commitment to building a great nation that would command the respect of the international community.â€
Several streets are named after Randle in Lagos, Apapa and Surulere. Also, the Randle Memorial Hall at Onikan, Lagos was built in his memory. Furthermore, Randle Secondary School, Apapa and Randle General Hospital, Surulere, Lagos are named after him.
He is survived by Mrs. I.M. Adelaja and Randle, a past president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and former Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Lagos State University.
