A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Engr. Kayode Ojo, has described the late Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, as the true conscience of Nigerian democracy who stood to defend the cause of all without bias.
Ojo, in a statement issued and made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday, said the death of the centenarian marks the end of a glorious era in Yoruba and Nigerian history.
He said Pa Fasoranti, who died on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at the age of 100, lived a fulfilled life defined by integrity, selflessness, courage and unwavering commitment to justice, true federalism and good governance.
“The passing of our revered leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, at the age of 100 is a monumental loss not just to Yorubaland but to the entire Nigerian nation,” Ojo said.
“Pa Fasoranti was the true conscience of Nigerian democracy. He was a patriot per excellence, a custodian of the progressive ideals of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and a fearless voice who stood to defend the cause of the common man without fear or favour.
“From his days as an educationist and school administrator to his service as Commissioner for Finance in the old Ondo State, and his leadership of Afenifere, especially during the NADECO struggle for the restoration of June 12, Baba demonstrated uncommon principle and discipline.
“He was a bridge between the politics of the First Republic and the Fourth Republic. His fatherly counsel, moral authority and stabilising voice will be sorely missed at this critical time in our national life.”
Ojo commiserated with the Fasoranti family, the people of Ondo State, the Afenifere family, the Yoruba nation and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom Baba endorsed as a true progressive.
He prayed for the repose of the soul of the late elder statesman and for God to grant his family and all of us the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.
“May the soul of Baba Fasoranti rest in perfect peace,” he concluded.
