Afenifere will miss Fasanmi, says Arogbofa

Emmanuel Oladesu, Deputy EditorPAN-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, on Wednesday paid tributes to Senator Ayo Fasanmi, who passed on last week at 94.The organisation regretted that the tribe of patriotic elder statesmen had further been depleted by his demise in a country battling with contradictions.According to Afenifere, the late Fasanmi led a life of selfless service and commitment to national progress, like the late Chiefs Obafemi Awolowo and Adekunle Ajasin.Its National Secretary, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, who spoke on phone, called for the re-evaluation of politics, which he said should be perceived as a vocation instead of an occupation.He advised young graduates to work and grow professionally before venturing into politics.Arogbofa said Nigeria should discourage monetisation of politics and pay only sitting allowances to legislators to discourage a life of opulence in the corridor of power.To the eminent educationist and author, Fasanmi, Awo, Ajasin and Chief Reuben Fasoranti worked as professionals and earned income before entering politics, which they perceived as an avenue for rendering productive service to their communities and the nation.Eulogising the deceased elder statesman, Arogbofa said: Fasanmi was one of our fathers. We thank God for his life. We will continue to remember him for his legacies as senator of the Second Republic. His colleagues in the Senate were Prof. Banji Akintoye and Prof David Oke.Read Also:Osun hands over Pa Fasanmi remains to Ekiti govtThey were really fantastic. Because of them, I also aspired twice to the Senate in 1992 and 1998 under the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD).The secretary hailed Fasanmi and his colleagues for their outstanding loyalty, patriotism and devotion to the welfarist philosophy of Afenifere.He said: They were fighting for the welfare of the people and progress of the country. Now, politicians are fighting for their pockets. There is open stealing from government coffers. They are selfish.Fasanmi, Ajasin and Chief Awolowo laid very good examples. We now have people on the fast lane to wealth. People defect from parties to parties.Arogbofa added: People should have professions before going into politics. Fasanmi, Akintoye, Fasoranto, Chief Awolowo and I too have professions. Our young graduates should first of all go into their professions. We should stop monetisation of politics. They should only pay sitting allowances to office holders.
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