The Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC in Ondo State, Chief Olusola Oke has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the people of Akure, Ondo State and the Country at large over the passing away of Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasonranti who died at the age of 100.
Oke in a statement made available to Journalists on Thursday, said the Country has lost a rare gem and left a wide vacuum like that of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
In the statement, Oke said the passage of the late siege has paid the price for democracy.
The Statement
PA FASORANTI: THE LAST TITAN OF THE AWOLOWO ERA BOWS OUT AT 100
The news of the passing of our father, leader and moral compass of the Yoruba nation, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, at the glorious age of 100, came with mixed feelings. While we are grateful to God that he lived to the fulfilled age of 100, that gratitude pales into insignificance when weighed against the sorrow of his departure. The Yoruba race has lost its patriarch, and the progressive family has lost its last standing titan.
Pa Fasoranti was many things to many people, but to the progressive fold, he was the living embodiment of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s ideals.
Baba lived and breathed Yoruba and its Omoluabi ethos. In character, in principle, in his uncompromising insistence on Omoluabi, he reminded us that politics without commitment to vission and purpose is empty. He was the father figure who held the Yoruba family together both in both good and perilous times. He never wavered in his love for our values and heritage.
Pa Fasoranti did not just preach democracy; he paid the price for it. As a dedicated disciple of Chief Awolowo, as an educator, and later as a leader of thought, he stood courageously against military dictatorship and all forms of oppression. When it was risky to speak, Baba spoke. When it was dangerous to stand, Baba stood. The democracy we enjoy today bears his footprints.
As Leader of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organization and conscience of the nation, Baba held on to the values of the association till the end. Under his fearless leadership, Afenifere became the voice of the voiceless, the defender of true federalism, the relentless advocate for restructuring and good governance. He led with wisdom, with candour and with an uncommon integrity that earned him respect across party lines. Even at 100, Baba remained on duty — guiding, counseling, and praying for Yorubaland and for Nigeria. That is the hallmark of selfless leadership.
On behalf of my family, my political associates, and the progressive family in Ondo State, I commiserate with the Fasoranti family of Akure, the Government and people of Ondo State, the Afenifere family worldwide, and all Yoruba sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora.We have lost a giant, but we are consoled that he lived a fulfilled life of service, honour and impact. His legacy will endure for generations.
May the soul of our dear Baba rest in perfect peace, and may God grant us all the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Chief Olusola Oke, SAN
21/10/2026
