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PA REUBEN FASORANTI AT 100: THE QUIET STRENGTH OF A STATESMAN, TEACHER AND MORAL COMPASS
By Sunday Ajibola
Man has powers, minimal at that. He can expend his given time to please himself, his family and friends. He can also acquire power and wealth by any means to manipulate others and his surroundings. As broad as these powers are, he remains prescient about some more important areas of his life. He cannot determine how long his sojourn on earth will be. What will be the ending, how and where are beyond his knowledge. Man is not that powerful after all.
The forces that control our world are ruthless in their dealings with man. A man might be allowed to get into power, yet denied sounding health. He might be blessed with intellect, but denied happy home. He might be rich and powerful yet devoid of happy home. Man cannot have everything in equal proportion.
Any man, who is born, raised and grow to attain a century 100 years age on these climes must be extra favored. With all the vicissitudes, human afflictions, family and societal pressures and lacking human feelings and non availability of infrastructure, any mortal that outlive 100 years must be very special in the hands of his Maker.
Yes, Chief Reuben Fasoranti must be a special breed, who enjoys a type of favour none of his leaders, peers and subordinates are not privileged to have. And to further draw home my point, he is a politician.
Chief Reuben Fasoranti is famously known and acknowledged as a politician. This should not be surprising. The easiest means of becoming popular is partisan politicking. Once you have your way and get elected or apponited, it does not matter if you are intelligent, productive or useful, the media will put your name in the public glare. Baba Fasoranti is a chip of the old block. In all ramifications and any angle you look at it. As an adherent and student of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political philosophy, Chief Fasoranti has and is still of the opinion that service to humanity is the essence of politics. He was the Commissioner for Finance under the inimitable and unforgettable Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin from 1979-1983. It was a corruption-free governance. The partisan soldiers that supplanted the Republic could find no skeleton in their closet. They did not obtain loans to further their nest. The desire for such government remains a dream, which I doubt anyone in my generation can replicate. Unfortunately, the ultra- tribalistic Muhammed Buhari truncated that Republic and returned us to square one.
When the present democratic dispensation birthed in 1999, Baba Fasoranti was one of the brains behind the Alliance for Democracy (AD), which was the political party of the South West. By virtue of his antecedent and capacity for service delivery, he was chosen to hoist the flag of the party as its governorship candidate. Fasoranti politely declined, citing a very personal and correctable reason. He later became the leader of Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba sociocultural organisation. A position he still enjoys to date. In all these feats, it is noteworthy that Baba kept his dignity as a symbol of refinement. No noise, no controversy, no immorality, no jumping around like a frog; he dignifying.
Unknown to many, Baba Fasoranti is more than a politician; he is a teacher, an administrator and a proprietor per Excellence. After his graduation from the University of Ibadan, he took up teaching in Secondary School and rose through the ranks to become a Principal. The need to provide more service to the people of Akure, his beloved town propelled him to establish the Omolere Nursery and Primary School. It was the first private primary school in Akure Oye. Private schools were not popular, then. It was not in vogue. Why? Leadership was responsibility and responsiveness. Public schools were quite efficient and functional. Chief Fasoranti desire was the need to have a place where he can impart his vast knowledge in the young ones.
The educationist did not stop there as he went further to found Akure High School. This might sound surprising. The State government acquired it from him. It is rather disturbing, frustrating and destabilizing that Akure sons and daughters have not borrowed a leaf from the school entrepreneurial drive of this unique man.
Anyway you look at it, Baba Fasoranti is a man of many parts: a distinguished politician, a thoroughbred educationist and a proprietor per Excellence. Baba is a blessing to his generation, to Akure, to Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole. He is a great and successful man by any standard. Ironically, he has not held many political offices. Yet, by his selfless service and unifying drive, Nigeria is celebrating him today. I too, join the prominent people celebrate a role model.
God has been good to him. I am reliably informed that Baba’s memory is as sharp as that of a 40 year old man. What a favour and privilege! His health is as intact as ever, though his physically has ebbed. A few years ago, baba attended a church program that lasted hours. (Not his church). He was seated for over five (5) hours without visiting the rest room once. That day, Baba Fasoranti was asked how he does it? He replied, I dont fall sick; there is no ailment in my body. At 100, he hardly engage eye glasses to read.
Congratulations, aba ria Fasoranti. Aseyi samodun. Wera modun odi. Wera rogun ojojo. Wera rogun amudi.
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