File: National Leader of Afenifere, Reuben Fasoranti
A former governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has described the late National Leader of the Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, as a distinguished educationist and devoted disciple of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The Afenifere leader passed on at his residence in Akure , the Ondo State capital, on Tuesday at the age of 100.
To this end, many prominent Nigerians have been paying tributes to the departed centenarian, including President Bola Tinubu, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Oba Olu Falae among others.
In a statement he personally issued on Wednesday, Mimiko said passing away of Pa Fasoranti at the remarkable age of 100 marked the end of an extraordinary chapter in the political and moral history of Ondo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria.
He said, “He was more than an elder statesman; he was a custodian of a political tradition, a devoted disciple of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and a man whose life embodied the enduring virtues of discipline, integrity, courage and service.
”As an educationist, administrator, politician, Afenifere leader and pro-democracy activist, Pa Fasoranti distinguished himself across generations. His service as Commissioner for Finance in the administration of the late Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin was a defining expression of his commitment to public probity and responsible governance.
”His subsequent leadership of the progressive movement, particularly as the leader of Afenifere until his demise, reflected a lifelong conviction that politics must be anchored in principle and directed towards the welfare of the people.”
The former governor further eulogised that Fasoranti, as leader of Afenifere, provided wise, principled and steady guidance to the organisation and to the broader and global Yoruba political family.
”He carried the responsibility with dignity, courage and an unwavering commitment to the ideals of social justice, good governance, federalism and the advancement of the Yoruba people within a united and prosperous Nigeria and in the diaspora. Never for once were personal ambition or greed markers of his leadership philosophy or direction; it was all about fidelity to principle and an abiding concern for the future of the nation.
“He belonged to a generation for whom public service was a duty, not an avenue for private enrichment; for whom political convictions were not disposable conveniences; and for whom the struggle for a better society demanded consistency, sacrifice and courage. His steadfastness through the difficult years of military rule and his commitment to democratic ideals remain important lessons for our country.
”When tragedy of monumental proportions visited him through losses, one of his wife and another of a dear daughter, he soldiered on with uncommon stoicism and untainted submission to the supreme will of God,” Mimiko eulogised.
He also noted that Fasoranti’s death was a profound loss to the people of Ondo State, saying ” we have lost a father figure whose long life connected our political present to some of the most consequential chapters of our collective history.”
”His was a generation that understood the value of institutions, the responsibilities of leadership and the need to preserve a political culture in which the public good must always take precedence over personal interest.
”At over a century lived on this side, Baba leaves behind more than the memories of a long and eventful life. He leaves a standard by which leadership may be judged and a legacy that challenges younger generations to pursue public life with honour, courage and an abiding sense of responsibility,” the statement concluded.
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