Shettima mourns Fasoranti, says Nigeria has lost a century of wisdom
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has mourned the death of Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, the Afenifere national leader, describing him as a custodian of wisdom whose life shaped Nigeria’s political and democratic history.
Fasoranti died at the age of 100.
In a condolence message issued on Wednesday, Shettima extended his sympathies to the deceased’s family, Afenifere, the Ondo State government and people, and the Yoruba nation.
The vice-president said Fasoranti belonged to a generation of leaders who regarded public service as a lifelong responsibility and remained committed to the common good.
“There are men who live through history, and there are those whose lives become part of history itself. Pa Reuben Fasoranti belonged to the latter,” he said.
Shettima described the late elder statesman as a custodian of political memory whose contributions to education, democratic governance and progressive politics went beyond regional boundaries.
He said Fasoranti’s life demonstrated that a person’s legacy was measured not by the number of years lived or public offices held, but by the values they passed on, the people they inspired and the institutions they strengthened.
The vice-president acknowledged that Fasoranti’s death would be deeply painful to his family and those who regarded him as a father, mentor and trusted counsellor.
He, however, said the late Afenifere leader’s commitment to public service would endure through the people he influenced and the principles he upheld.
