Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Abiodun Adams, on Thursday said the death of elder statesman, Pa Ayo Fasanmi, one of the prominent leaders of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, is a great loss to Nigeria and the Yoruba nation, in particular, declaring that the Yoruba nation had lost one of the strong voices, an epitome of humility, selflessness and integrity.
Adams said this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Kehinde Aderemi, asserting that the death of Pa Fasanmi had created a big vacuum among great leaders of Yoruba race.
“With the exit of the late Pa Ayo Fasanmi, we have lost one of our finest personalities. The death of the Yoruba leader was a great loss to Nigeria and the Yoruba race in particular. Baba was a great man with exemplary characters. He was so devoted to the cause of our race, and he stood firm during the dark era of the military. Pa Fasanmi, in his time, loomed larger than that of his peers. He was an epitome of humility, selflessness and integrity.
“He was a strong voice of our race during the Second Republic when he served as a senator and House of Representatives member at different times. There is no doubt that the Yoruba nation will sorely miss his radical approach to issues,” Aare Ona Kakanfo said.
According to the Yoruba generalissimo, Pa Fasanmi was an Awoist that impacted his generation, describing him as amongst the core loyalists of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo that was reputed to be a strong voice and a symbol of courage.
He recalled that the late elder statesman served as one of the members of the Board of Directors of the Old Western Nigeria Housing Corporation, saying that he made enviable and remarkable contributions to his profession, to the socio-political development of Yorubaland and to the nation at large.
“Pa Fasanmi was an Awoist that impacted his generation. He was among the core loyalists of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo that was reputed to be a strong voice and a symbol of courage. For instance, during the old Western Nigeria, the late Pa Fasanmi served as one of the members of the Board of Directors of the Old Western Nigeria Housing Corporation,” Aare Adams recalled.
“He was once the National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, elected into the Senate in 1979, and became a member of the House of Representatives in 1983.
“He died Wednesday night at Osogbo Osogbo, Osun State Capital. He was 94,” he added.
Adams said that the late Pa Fasanmi lived a worthy life, and prayed God to give the family and the Yoruba nation the fortitude to bear the loss.
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