Fasoranti’s passage, an irreparable loss — Akure group

The Ooye Development Initiative (ODI) has described the passing of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, as “irreparable” and a sad day for the Akure kingdom.

ODI, a sociocultural umbrella body of Akure, Ondo State sons and daughters, representing indigenes, sons, and daughters of Akure, the capital of Ondo State, is a group that actively engages in community advocacy, cultural preservation, and governance accountability in the state.

It made this known after a visit to the family house of Pa Fasoranti to commiserate with his family on the exit of the Yoruba foremost leader.

In a release issued by its President, Mr. Tokunbo Jegede, the group said that rare persons it called “avatars” like Fasoranti live with a people once in multiple generations, maintaining that Akure was fortunate to have been favoured by God to play host to such in Fasoranti for 100 years.

“For us, it is like the sun setting at noon for the people of Akure Kingdom. Though Papa Fasoranti left this world at a desirable age, having lived to attain the advanced age of a centenary, Akure could not have had enough of his imperishable imprints on the sands of time,” said the statement.

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ODI recalled Pa Fasoranti’s “single-handed” role of placing Akure on the maps of the world, through his invaluable contributions to its development and advancement, since 1951 when he graduated from the University of Ibadan.

It recalled that, with his love for education, Fasoranti established Omolere school, the first privately-owned educational institution in the old Akure Province which today spans Ekiti and Ondo States, as well as establishing Akure High School in 1973 and St Francis Secondary school in early 1980s and how his joining forces with the political and cultural groups established by Chief Obafemi Awolowo placed his Akure people on the front burner of recognition by the political forces of pre-independence, the First and Second Republic, as well as thereafter.

“Chief Fasoranti made Akure Kingdom proud, brought the world’s attention to its people and promoted the values of Omoluabi which the forebears of the people established as the irreducible minimum of the people’s ethos in their relationship with humanity,” said ODI.

The Initiative also said that towards Pa Fasoranti’s twilight of existence on earth, he bequeathed to the people of Akure the dividends of his national honour and respect through the bestowal of the Federal University Teaching Hospital, Akure (FUTHAT) project which President Bola Tinubu gave Akure people in recognition of Fasoranti’s invaluable contributions to mankind.

ODI also recognized Pa Fasoranti’s role as one of the major forces for the establishment of Ondo State and who, since then, gave himself for its development.

“We will miss our father and leader; Akure will forever honour him among its pantheon of leaders; Ondo State will forever miss him; Yorubaland will remember him alongside leaders like Obafemi Awolowo, Adekunle Ajasin and the likes and Nigeria will never ever forget a first class patriot, for whom materialism was immaterial and one who worshiped humanity with his incredible existence,” the release concluded.