Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti dies at 100, tributes pour in
- Afenifere national leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti has died at the age of 100.
- Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed the death in a statement he signed on Tuesday.
- Interior Minister Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo praised Fasoranti as a voice for justice and true federalism.
Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the national leader of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, has died at the age of 100. Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed the death in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday.
Fasoranti was one of the best-known elder statesmen in Yoruba politics and a long-standing figure in Afenifere. His death closes a long chapter in the politics of the South-West.
On Wednesday, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, joined the tributes. In a condolence message he signed himself, the minister said Nigeria had lost "a true leader and an enduring symbol of our democratic journey."
Tunji-Ojo described Fasoranti as a lifelong follower of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Yoruba leader, and said he stood for justice, true federalism and the dignity of the Yoruba people while also speaking up for national unity.
He said Fasoranti's contributions to the political development of Ondo State and Nigeria would not be forgotten, and noted that the elder statesman was celebrated in Lagos only recently to mark his 100th birthday.
"Nigeria's political landscape will miss his wisdom and moral clarity," Tunji-Ojo said.
The minister sent condolences to the Fasoranti family, the people of Ondo State and members of Afenifere.
Why it matters
Afenifere has long been a strong voice in Yoruba politics and in national debates over how power and resources are shared between the federal government and the states. Fasoranti led the group through some of its most active years, and his death leaves a question over who carries that voice forward.
For ordinary Nigerians, the group's positions on restructuring and true federalism touch on how states are funded and how decisions are made far from local communities.
Other tributes have also come in, including from former Ondo governor Olusegun Mimiko and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who called him a patriot, according to reports. Fasoranti's son said his father left big shoes to fill.
What happens next
Afenifere will need to settle on how it is led going forward, and the family has yet to announce funeral arrangements in the reports so far. Expect more condolence messages from political leaders across the country in the coming days.
