Pa Reuben-Fasoranti
Elegbede Abiodun
… enduring integrity, forthrightness and selfless service to Nigeria and the Yoruba nation.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated elder statesman and Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, as he marks his 100th birthday today, describing him as a towering figure of integrity, discipline and national service.
Tinubu, in a personally signed statement issued over the weekend, said his “joy knows no bounds” as Fasoranti attains the centenary milestone, adding that the Yoruba leader deserves “all the encomiums that will come his way” for his contributions to Nigeria.
He described Fasoranti as “a metaphor for integrity, honesty, dedicated service to the nation and true leadership,” praising what he called the elder statesman’s “uncommon life of service” and commitment to principles.
Former Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bisi Akande, had warned that growing political and ideological divisions among Yoruba leaders pose a serious threat to the cohesion and strategic future of the Yoruba nation.
He made the remark in a reflective tribute to Fasoranti. Akande, while describing Fasoranti as a symbol of discipline, moral clarity and steadfast commitment to Yoruba ideals, said the centenary celebration should serve not only as a moment of honour, but also as an opportunity for sober reflection on the state of Yoruba unity and leadership.
According to him, Fasoranti’s life represents “a living archive of struggle, sacrifice and steadfast adherence to principle,” adding that the veteran nationalist’s enduring example offers critical lessons at a time of mounting political fragmentation in the South-West.
Akande traced the recurring challenge of disunity among Yoruba political actors from the collapse of the old Oyo Empire through the crises of the First Republic, the June 12 struggle and the political realignments of the Fourth Republic.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji and the members of the South-West caucus of the National Assembly have congratulated Fasoranti on his 100th birthday.
Oyebanji, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, said Fasoranti deserves to be celebrated for his enduring integrity, forthrightness and selfless service to Nigeria and the Yoruba nation.
The statement by the Senate Leader and Chairman of the South-West caucus of the National Assembly, Opeyemi Bamidele, described Fasoranti as the patriarch of Yorubaland, a dogged defender of the collective interests and one of the last surviving disciples of the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo.
The Ogun State Government, in a tribute personally signed by Governor Dapo Abiodun, the centenarian was described as a symbol of patriotism, democratic ideals and principled leadership whose contributions to Nigeria’s political evolution remain indelible.
The governor said that Fasoranti who was born in Akure a century ago, had distinguished himself as a teacher, school administrator, politician and advocate of good governance.
