Ondo Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa names a committee led by Kayode Ajulo to organise Fasoranti’s state burial and honour the late Afenifere leader’s legacy

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has appointed a 13-member committee, chaired by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Dr Kayode Ajulo, to organise a state burial for the late Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, the revered Afenifere leader who died at the age of 100.

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The announcement was made in Ondo State on Thursday, 29 October 2026, as preparations gathered pace to honour the elder statesman’s contributions to public service, education and Nigeria’s democratic development.

The committee was announced in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan. Apostle Eniola Olushola will serve as secretary, with 11 other members drawn from public life and different professional backgrounds.

The members are Hon. Gbenga Fasua, Mr Gbenga Atiba, Mrs Kosemani Kolawole, Rt. Hon. Bakkita Bello, Hon. Idowu Otetubi, Erelu Modupe Martins, Mr George Asonja, Mr Muyiwa Ogunyemi, Hon. Stephen Abitogun and Mr Adetunji Gbenga.

According to the statement, the committee is expected to work closely with the Fasoranti family and Afenifere leadership to coordinate arrangements for a dignified farewell.

The state government said its decision to grant Fasoranti a state burial reflected his contributions to Ondo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria.

Aiyedatiwa has maintained that the late elder statesman deserves to be honoured for a lifetime of service, wisdom and principled leadership.

The government said the arrangements would seek to reflect the breadth of his influence and the enduring significance of his public life.

The appointment follows Fasoranti’s death on 20 October 2026, just months after he celebrated his 100th birthday on 11 May.

His death was announced by Aiyedatiwa, who described the loss as a significant moment for the state and the wider Yoruba community

Fasoranti was a prominent educationist, politician and pro-democracy advocate whose career spanned several defining periods in Nigeria’s history.

He served as commissioner for finance in the old Ondo State between 1979 and 1983 under the administration of the late Governor Adekunle Ajasin.

His political outlook was strongly shaped by the progressive tradition associated with Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Fasoranti was involved in the Action Group and later the Unity Party of Nigeria before becoming one of the most influential figures in Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation.

He later emerged as the organisation’s recognised leader following the death of Chief Abraham Adesanya, becoming a prominent voice on governance, federalism, social justice and the protection of democratic institutions.

Fasoranti’s public life also included a prominent role in the struggle against military rule.

His advocacy for democratic government and principled leadership earned him respect among political figures across different generations, even as debates over Afenifere’s direction and internal divisions continued during his later years.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was among those who paid tribute following his death. In a statement issued on 20 October, Tinubu described Fasoranti as an icon of principle and recalled his contributions to democracy, social justice and the development of the Yoruba people.

“His life, spanning a century, was a lesson in integrity, discipline, selflessness, and unwavering commitment to the Yoruba people and the unity and progress of Nigeria,” the President said.

The preparations for Fasoranti’s burial are also being coordinated by Afenifere, which constituted its own 33-member planning committee on 27 October under the chairmanship of Oba Olu Falae.

The group said it would work with committees established by the family and government to organise a befitting funeral.

The Fasoranti family has announced 17 December 2026 for the funeral service and interment, providing a date around which the various planning efforts can be coordinated.

The decision to organise a state burial places Fasoranti’s final farewell within a wider recognition of his contributions to education, political development and democratic advocacy.

It also brings together the state government, his family and Afenifere at a time when tributes continue to reflect on the legacy of a man whose public life extended across a century of profound change in Nigeria.

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As preparations continue, the committees will be expected to coordinate their responsibilities and ensure that the funeral programme reflects both the wishes of the family and the significance of Fasoranti’s place in the state’s history.