Fasinro’s legacies worthy of emulation, say Ambode, others

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and his deputy, Mrs. Idiat Adebule, were among dignitaries who yesterday paid a condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman, Pa Hassan Fasinro, who died on Sunday aged 99.

Pa Fasinro was an author and Islamic leader who served as president, Anwwar-Ul-Islam between 1987 and 1990. He also had a stint in politics and was a councilor with the Lagos Town Council in the 1950s. Thereafter, he was elected as senator representing Lagos in the Second Republic.

While his early life was devoted to politics and community development, his later years were more about religion and community development. He served the Nigerian Muslim Council as national president.

Born on September 13, 1919, he attended Ereko Methodist School, Lagos, and Boys High School, Lagos, before going abroad in 1948 to study law. He was called to the bar in 1951.

Among political followers and colleagues, he was popularly called HAB. His love for Islam led him to write two books, The Faults Of The Faulters: Response To The Critics Of Ahmadiyya. This followed Ahmadiyya As I See It: Conflicts Within The Moment.

Speaking to newsmen at the residence of the deceased in the Adeola Odeku Area of Victoria Island, Ambode described Pa Fasinro as a great nationalist who contributed significantly to the success story of Lagos.

“If you are actually looking at the real foundation makers of this state, the person you really have to refer to is Pa Fasinro. I was here last September to celebrate his 99th birthday and I had promised him I would be here for the centenary. But again, you know the will of God must be obeyed.

“But what we are doing here today is to celebrate him; we are not mourning him because God gave Lagos State Pa Fasinro and whatever it is that we are today as a state, he was one of the founding fathers that made that happened and we must also celebrate the kind of achievements he made throughout his lifetime,” Ambode said.

The governor said he was proud of the achievements of the deceased, and his legacies, which he said were worthy of emulation.

“He (Pa Fasinro) was simply a nationalist that one should be proud of and a proud son of Lagos. That is why all of us are here to celebrate him. And we can see that his children and the legacies he left behind are all successful and worthy of emulation. We are celebrating all of them and we are proud to be part of the story,” the governor added.

Also speaking, Adebule said: “This is somebody who did all he could for the progress of Lagos. He was an elder statesman and it was quite unfortunate that we lost him at this time. We pray that Almighty Allah will grant him Aljana firdaus and, of course, comfort the members of his family.”

Other eminent Nigerians who offered condolences included former Lagos State deputy governors, Otunba Femi Pedro and Alhaja Lateefat Okunnu; former Federal Commissioner for Works and Housing, Pa Femi Okunnu; former Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Christopher Kolade; and a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Lanre Razaq.