By Rasaq Ibrahim, Ado-Ekiti

The remains of the foremost Afenifere leader, Senator Ayorinde Fasanmi was on Tuesday laid to rest at St. John Anglican Church in his hometown in Iye-Ekiti, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State.

The late second republic senator died last Wednesday at age 94 after a brief illness in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, where he lived.

The elder statesman remains arrived at Itawure-Ekiti, the border town between Ekiti and Osun State from Osogbo at about 10:30am, where he was handed over to Ekiti State Government.

His body was received in compliance with COVID-19 protocols by the Ekiti State burial committee.

The State of Osun was represented at the hand- over ceremony by the Honourable Commissioner of Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode; Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Adebisi Obawale; Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr Siji Olamiju; Special Adviser to the Governor on General Administration, Mr Niyi Idowu.

The Ekiti State Government was represented by the Commissioner for Health, Hon. Moji Yaya-Kolade; Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Fafure Mojisola; Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Chief Samuel Abejide; All Progressive Congress Chairman in Ekiti State, Barr. Paul Omotosho; and Ekiti State APC Welfare Secretary, Otunba Omotayo Kolawole.

From Itawure, the entourage drove in a convoy with Fasanmi’s body conveyed in a white Jeep motorcade to Saint John’s Anglican Church, Iye Ekiti where church service held.

His remains arrived Iye-Ekiti at 11: 55am and were thereafter driven to St. John Anglican Church’s cemetery where he was committed to mother earth.

Tears flowed freely from his children and family members as the brown coloured casket that bore his remains was lowered into the grave exactly 1:15pm.

The church procession and burial activities were performed in line with COVID-19 protocols with very limited number of people witnessing the event who all adhered to physical distancing rule.

In his sermon, the Bishop of Ekiti Oke, Anglican Communion, Reverend Peter Olubowale, said Fasanmi was not a noise maker and trouble maker during his time, adding that his transition on earth corroborated that “life is not important except it has impacts on others”.

Read Also: Osun hands over Pa Fasanmi remains to Ekiti govt

The man of God urged the people to continually do good to humanity , the way Fasanmi did to his family, political associates, friends and companions, by making himself available at the most critical and challenging times.

“We need to be available to ourselves and be committed to God and set goals. Nigeria is in the position it is today not because we don’t have material and human resources, but we lack commitment to ourselves, set goals, and the welfare of the people.

“Nigerians are number one people in the world that are easy to govern. They have patience, zeal and elastic in endurance. When you think they will fall, they will just stand and be looking and I think our political leaders will not play too much on this.

“Many of us no longer have trust in this nation. No trust in ourselves, no trust in our leaders. Baba has told us that all these monies you are spending and the one you are keeping inside bullion vans and the ones being stashed in banks accounts, all is vanity.

“The suffering in town is much. Use the position you are occupying very well to develop humanity. This is the only way you can gain eternity, the most important reward for all of us, because materialism will lead you to hell fire”, he said.

However, flurry of tributes by eminent Nigerians resurrected the heroic and patriotic exploits of the second republic senator who was interred in line with Covid-19 guidelines.

Among eminent Nigerians in attendance former Lagos Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu; Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Osun Governor Gboyega Oyetola, Ekiti Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi and his Osun State counterpart, Mr. Benedict Alabi.

Other dignitaries at the event were the APC Chairman in Lagos, Tunde Balogun, Senator Olorunnibe Farukanmi, former Ekiti APC chairman Chief Jide Awe, Hon Ade Ajayi, among others.

The All Progressives Congress National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said Nigerians should learn from the late politician, who lived a modest and spartan lifestyle.

Tinubu, represented by ex- Lagos Deputy Governor, Prince Abiodun Ogunleye described Fasanmi as was a rare breed who exemplified selflessness and compassion for the benefit of the masses and humankind, saying his outstanding mien, civility and character were worthy of emulation.

The APC stalwart said the legacies the political icon left behind on earth was full of purpose and lessons, noting that he was unarguably an embodiment of selflessness and uprightness.

He added that Fasanmi’s footprints shall remain indelible in the hearts of his followers across the globe while his glorious legacies shall continue to affect future generations.

The APC stalwart who described elder statesman as a mentor and role model, said he was an eminent politician, who devoted himself toward progressive development and democratic advancement for the betterment of the people.

He added that Fasanmi was one of the great icons who made unparalleled and indelible contributions to lawmaking as a Senator and later member House of Representatives in the Second Republic.

Tinubu, who described Fasanmi’s death as personal loss to him and colossal loss to the Progressive family, said “Baba at a critical period when his wealth of experience, knowledge and wisdom was most needed in Nigeria”.

The former governor recounted memorable moments he shared with the elder statesman, saying “Baba jealously lived for the principles and legacies of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo till he breathed his last. Throughout his forays into politics, he was consistent as a progressive.

In his tributes, Osun State Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola described Fasanmi’s death as a huge loss to the country and humanity, praying that God grants his immediate family and Nigerians the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Oyetola, represented by his deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi described the late Yoruba leader as an undiluted progressive whose “life, times and legacy typify the Omoluabi ethos that the State of Osun holds dear.”

The governor said the deceased served Nigeria with passion without expecting any benefits in return, adding, he was one of God’s generous donations to humanity.

He said Fasanmi was one of the few patriarchs who stood to be counted in a nation in search of politics of ideology and principle and described him as “a great leader of monumental significance”.

On his part, Governors of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi described the late Afenifere leader, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, as one of the country’s unsung heroes, saying his demise had robbed them of a “godfather and counsellor”.

Fayemi who was represented by his deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi branded Fasanmi’s contributions to the development of democracy as immeasurable, particularly his role in the formation and operation of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) that fought against military imperialism in the country.

Fayemi stated that his government is present constructing a secondary school to immortalise the deceased for his giant contributions to Ekiti, saying: “my only regret was that he has now left us before the school will be officially inaugurated for academic activities when schools finally reopen”.

Fayemi in his speech entitled: ‘Tribute to a Man of Integrity’, said what actually admired him to the deceased was his integrity, which bore eloquent testimony to immaterialistic life and added more respect his incorruptible nature.

“His death has, therefore, robbed me of a godfather, counsellor, an advocate and a father. A good man has left us. We will sorely miss him but we are consoled that Baba’s entire adult life was dedicated to selfless service”.

Fayemi added that Fasanmi belonged in the class of the youths of the 1950s when the nationalist movement was at its feverish peak, and got indoctrinated into nationalism struggle through the forceful writings of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe and his contemporaries who used the instrumentality of the media to etch an indelible impression on the minds of the young students of that era.

“He proved his political mettle in 1964 when he was elected as a member of the Federal House of Representatives before the military struck in 1966 and he got imprisoned in Agodi Prison before he was later released.

“By the time democracy returned in 1979, he was a major participant in the politics of that time in the old Ondo State. He offered to serve as governor of the old Ondo state in 1978 and slugged it out with Chief Michael Adekunle Ajasin who defeated him in the primary.

“He eventually went to the Senate along with other iconic Ekiti bests such as Prof. David Oke and Prof Banji Akintoye where they distinguished themselves and became exemplars.

“One legacy for which Baba would be fondly remembered was his credential of incorruptibility. He was a man of tall integrity and honesty. It would be recalled that he was the first to start the Anti-Bribery and Corruption Committee in 1973 under Col. Oluwole Rotimi of the Western Region.

“He would go round roads and highways to arrest police and other enforcement agencies who were collecting bribes on the roads, in his determined commitment to stamp out corruption in Nigeria”.

“Chief Ayo Fasanmi has come, he has seen and conquered. He conquered human cravings, vanity of power, ostentation, greed and malice”, he said.

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Special Adviser on Civic Engagements, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, said Fasanmi’s influence became more pronounced by his incorruptible nature.

Sanwolu described the demise of the foremost Afenifere leader as a great loss to Nigeria, especially happening at a time when the country is desirous of more men of good conscience to offer wise counsel in the nation’s drive towards socio-political and economic development.

On his part, the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu of said the news of the passage of the Icon was a loss to Yoruba race and Nigeria at large.

“Baba living long for 94 years was not what we are celebrating, but we are celebrating how many lives he had impacted. He lived an impactful life.

“He was not petty but he spoke truth to power. He lived a remarkable life and he was one politician who became Senator and came home to rest later. Let politicians of today learn how to be contented and allow this remarkable conduct to guide us”.

In his remarks, one of the sons of the deceased who is a Judge of the Ekiti State High Court, Mr. Obafemi Fasanmi described his father as a principled man.

Obafemi said the late elder statesman radiated inward and outward exquisiteness until his death and exhibited an unrivalled passion to serve and advance the cause of humanity.

He described him as God’s precious gift Ekiti, Southwest, and Nigeria as well as to the entire human race, adding that his simple life of openness, selflessness, patriotism and diligence made him an outstanding personality worthy of emulation.

“In a nutshell, Baba has left enduring legacy. He thought us not to promise what we cannot fulfill. We shall continue to abide by it.”

He called on the present-day politicians to emulate his father’s virtues of honesty, openness, contentment, diligence and selflessness, urging them to stop seeing politics as wealth-making enterprise but to serve humanity.