Afenifere leader Reuben Fasoranti dies at 100 in Akure home
- Pa Reuben Fasoranti, leader of Afenifere, died at his Akure home on Tuesday afternoon at the age of 100.
- His son Taiwo, Ondo State's secretary to the government, said he died quietly in his bed around 4 p.m.
- The family asked Nigerians to honour him by paying school fees for children and serving their communities.
Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the long-time leader of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, has died at his home in Akure. He was 100.
His eldest son, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, who is also Secretary to the Ondo State Government, said his father died at about 4 p.m. on Tuesday at his residence on Ijapo Road, Akure. He said the elder statesman passed away quietly in his room, in his bed.
Fasoranti marked his 100th birthday in May. His son told reporters the family had been looking forward to his 101st birthday.
"We are happy; we thank God for his life and for the impactful life he lived," Taiwo said. He said the family sees the death as a time to celebrate his long life and his influence on Nigerians, especially Yoruba people, rather than a period of mourning alone.
A father who waited up
Taiwo described his father as a man who spoke little but carried weight in his words. He said the elder Fasoranti was firm and stern, yet delivered his messages calmly, without threats or a raised voice.
What he will miss most, he said, were their daily conversations. His day began with seeing his father in the morning and ended with another meeting when he returned from work, however late. "No matter how late it is, he will still be up waiting for me to come in," he said.
He also recalled his father's stubbornness in hard times, saying the old man held his ground even in adversity.
Education and service
Fasoranti was an educationist, and his son said he kept visiting one of his schools until a few weeks before his death. He asked Nigerians who knew him to honour that legacy by sponsoring the schooling of a child who might otherwise not afford it, and by giving back to their communities.
The family set up a foundation when Fasoranti turned 90. According to Taiwo, it has quietly paid scholarships for many students in secondary schools and universities across the country. He said the children will keep the foundation running in their father's memory.
His residence in Akure has begun to take on a sorrowful look since the news broke, according to reports from the city.
