MY DAY STARTED WITH HIM AND SEEING HIM WHEN I GET BACK FROM OFFICE – TAIWO FASORANTI
“…No Matter How Late, He Would Still Be Up Waiting For Me To Come In….”
“…Baba Passed On Peacefully In His Room On His Bed….”
Taiwo Fasoranti, the Secretary to the Ondo state Government, who spoke with newsmen on behalf of the family, narrated the last moment of the late Yoruba leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti
Q: About the death of Baba, so we want you to confirm it
A: Baba passed on this evening around 4p.m. peacefully in his room, in his bed. About 4 p.m., 20th of October 2026, Baba was 100 years old. He turned 100 in May, we’re all looking forward to his 101st birthday, but God knows best. We’re happy, we thank God for his life and for the impactful life he lived.
I don’t count it as a mourning, but I count it as time to celebrate his longevity and his influence and impact in the lives of Nigerians, especially Yoruba people as well. The family is very grateful for the support.
Q: What will you miss about him?
A: What will I miss about him? I think his dominion, even in the face of adversities, he was a man of little words, full of wisdom. And I thank God that the last couple of years I’ve been able to see that and enjoy one-on-one conversations with him. I think my day starts with seeing him in the morning and seeing him when I get back from the office. No matter how late it is, he will still be up waiting for me to come in.
I just want to thank God that I will remember a father who was very affirmative, very stern, but passed on his messages with little or without threat. He will communicate with you in a low voice, but the message is full of meaning. I think we will miss that in this family.
Q: What would you tell people who have been looking up to Baba up to this very moment?
A: I would tell them to celebrate his life, take one or two things from the way he lived. He touched everybody. Baba was an educationist to the core. Even until a few weeks ago, he still went out of his house to one of his schools. Baba was an educationist. He was a leader that wanted people to give back to the community they served. He was a selfless person. So I think people who knew him should take a cue from that. A life of service. Baba believed that you must be educated.
Education is key to him. So those of us who met him, his friends, his family members, colleagues, admirers should look for a child, educate that child. Sow into the lives of those people. Make sure people are educated. And also be a community person. Give back to your community. That’s what I would tell them.
Q: Will you open a foundation in his name?
A: Baba already has a foundation. We have a family foundation When he turned 90, the foundation that was established, it has been a foundation that has provided a lot of scholarships, quietly, to so many children. Secondary, all over the country. University, all over the country. So the foundation will continue to do that. We, the children, will make sure we continue to allow that to flourish in the memory of Baba.
Credit: SunshineTruth
