Fasoranti Never Remarried After Wife’s Death, Rejected Appointment To Raise Children — Son

Daud Olatunji

The late national leader of Afenifere, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, rejected a government appointment in 1999 to concentrate on raising his children following the death of his wife, according to his son, Taiwo Fasoranti.

Taiwo, the Secretary to the Ondo State Government, said his father declined the offer because he feared that the demands of public office would deprive his children of the parental guidance and stability they needed after losing their mother.

The elder statesman, who lost his wife in 1991, also never remarried, insisting that no woman could replace her, according to the SSG.

The revelations offer an insight into the family life, personal sacrifices and guiding principles of the late Yoruba leader, who devoted much of his life to education, community development and political activism.

Speaking in an interview with New Telegraph, extracted by PLATFORM TIMES, Taiwo said his father understood the responsibilities that came with public office but chose to put his children’s welfare ahead of political opportunities at a difficult period in their lives.

“My mother had just passed on. He felt that with that kind of responsibility, you need stability in the house.

“If you went into that kind of responsibility, his children would suffer. There would not be any parental figure to make sure that they did what they were supposed to do,” he recalled his father as saying.

Taiwo said Fasoranti graciously declined the appointment, prioritising his responsibility as a father over the opportunity to serve in government.

His account highlights a personal dimension of the late Afenifere leader’s life, portraying a man who, despite his political influence, considered the upbringing of his children a responsibility he could not afford to compromise.

The SSG also disclosed that his father remained devoted to his late wife after her death, refusing to remarry because of the bond they shared during their marriage.

According to him, the relationship between his parents was characterised by affection, mutual understanding and respect, with disagreements settled privately without involving their children.

He said his father’s decision not to remarry reflected the depth of his commitment to his wife.

Fasoranti’s family life, Taiwo explained, was guided by discipline, consistency and a strong sense of responsibility, values that also shaped the upbringing of his children.

The SSG described his father as a caring but firm parent who took a personal interest in his children’s education and welfare.

He recalled that the late elder statesman regularly visited them at school and even travelled to the University of Ife, where he was studying medicine, to check on him.

“He was a disciplinarian, but he wasn’t a bully. He was a disciplinarian. He would stand his ground. He would tell you what he wanted and he would stand by it,” Taiwo said.

He added that he could not remember his father physically punishing any of his children, explaining that Fasoranti relied on words, personal example and stern looks to communicate his expectations.

According to him, the family always understood when their father approved or disapproved of their conduct.

Beyond his family responsibilities, Fasoranti consistently advised his children to establish themselves in their chosen professions before venturing into politics.