Fasoranti was quintessential nationalist — ACF

Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the late Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti as a quintessential man of the people.

This was contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad Baba, on Thursday.

The statement averred that Pa Fasoranti was a well-known trailblazing as a quintessential nationalist, politician, a man of the people, and a deeply respected community leader who had served Nigeria very well as an ardent advocate of progressive politics and good governance, and who dedicated almost his entire life to the pursuit of these ideals.

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“Living to mark 100 years, Pa Fasoranti’s life of a century on earth enabled him to witness the best that Nigeria has had to offer, even as he had lived to regret the nation’s missed opportunities for even greater achievements.

He retained deep and admirable fidelity to struggles for a better Nigeria, to which he had visibly, trenchantly and admirably remained focused in the search for excellence in the country.

He had also remained, to the end, an indefatigable fighter in an undying quest for a better deal for his people and, nay, Nigeria.

ACF noted that he will remain a telling testimony of his worth as a go-to personality, as he emerged as the National Leader of Afenifere, the frontline Yoruba socio-cultural organisation.

He was thus another happy exemplar in Nigeria’s crop of principled and far-sighted leaders, from the times of the struggles for independence, through to the First Republic, the turbulent civil war years, military rule and the unending tumbling and hobbling experiment with democratic governance.

In short, Pa Fasoranti’s life, in shoes too big to fit in, has left behind a formidable record of excellence in service to the nation and to his community. As surely as can be said, Pa Fasoranti’s demise is a celebration of life, not a loss to rue but one to pay tribute to. Pa Fasoranti’s life was one well-lived.

ACF extends condolences to his immediate and extended family, friends, the Federal Government and peoples of Nigeria, the entire Yoruba people, the numerous people he had mentored as well as other beneficiaries of his wise and avuncular counsel during his years on earth.

ACF prays that Almighty God will grant him eternal peace.