President Bola Tinubu has praised Afenifere leader Pa Reuben Fasoranti as a "rallying voice" against military dictatorship, in a tribute celebrating the elder statesman’s 100th birthday.
In a statement on Sunday, Tinubu described Fasoranti as one of the leading lights of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, saying he became its "authentic leader" after the death of Pa Abraham Adesanya and remains the only recognised head of Afenifere to this day.
The President recalled Fasoranti’s role in demanding the return of democracy to Nigeria and his advocacy for Yoruba unity, solidarity and development.
He also acknowledged the challenges Fasoranti faced, including an assassination attempt during the late Gen Sani Abacha regime, from which he emerged "stronger and more resilient against the tyranny and oppression of the military."
Tinubu remembered personal losses that had slowed the centenarian, including the death of his wife in 1991 and the killing of his daughter Funke Olakunrin by kidnappers in July 2019.
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"Pa Fasoranti weathered the storms, and he is soldiering on," he said.
The president said he visited Fasoranti in Akure at the start of his presidential campaign, where the Afenifere leader prayed for his victory and said he would live to witness it.
"God answered his prayer through my victory and eventual ascendancy to the top office," Tinubu wrote.
He thanked Fasoranti for his prayers, belief in his vision and continued support for the Renewed Hope Administration, adding: "Above all, I thank Pa Fasoranti for his service to Nigeria."
Tinubu prayed that God would keep the elder statesman "with us for many more years because of his intrinsic worth."
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