• My father was a principled man and he loved dancing even till he passed on, says daughter
In six months’ time, precisely September 13, 2019, Pa Hassan Adisa Babatunde Fasinro, one of the founding fathers of Lagos State, popularly known as HAB, would have joined the league of centenarians. He passed on at the age of 99 on Sunday evening after a brief illness.
He was a Senator in the Second Republic and the first Clerk of Lagos City Council whom many commend for sacrificing a lot to see Lagos State progress and develop to what it is today to occupy the enviable position of the fifth largest economy in Africa and the leading state in Nigeria.
Although, it was not clear whether elaborate plans are in place to mark his 100 years in September, there are, however, insinuations that Lagos State Government would ordinarily have honoured him and also recognised his contributions to the development of the state, if he had lived up to 100 years.
While Pa Fasinro lived a life of humility, commitment and unparalleled public service example for the generation behind to emulate, unfortunately death pulled him out of the race among those Nigerians that are currently edging towards 100 years. It would be recalled that late Chief Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, wife of the founder of Action Group (AG), Chief Obafemi Awolowo, died few days away from attaining 100 years. She was born on November 25, 1915 – September 19, 2015.
Fasinro was born on September 13, 1919. He went to Ereko Methodist School, Lagos, and the Boys High School, Lagos. In 1948, he went abroad to study law and was subsequently called to the bar in 1951.
He was a councilor with Lagos Town Council in the 1950s and was later elected a senator, representing Lagos in Nigeria’s Second Republic. Before he died, he was involved in the leadership of the Nigerian Muslim Council as its national president. He was an Islamic leader and author who was president of the Anwwar-Ul-Islam between 1987 and 1990. He was vice president of the movement under the leadership of Sahifi Edu.
In a condolence message yesterday, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, who represented Lagos East on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999, urged the Lagos State Government to immortalise Pa Fasinro by renaming the Lagos City Hall after him based on his contributions to the development of Lagos.
Ogunlewe said it would be difficult, if not impossible for Lagos to produce another Fasinro who devoted his entire life, even at the ripe age to see a better, greater and well-developed Lagos.
According to him, “We know papa when we were growing up in Lagos and he used to lay emphasis on the type of Lagos he wanted for us and the generation to come. He was a pioneer staff of Lagos City Hall and was elevated to the position of clerk. As a founding member of Lagos State that we all crave today, he did marvelous work in developing what we now call local government and, as a matter of fact, there is no way the history of local government administration and formation would be written in this state and across Nigeria that Pa Fasinro’s name would not be mentioned.”
Speaking on the late elder statesman’s commitment to Lagos, Ogunlewe said, “If any set of Lagosians are championing the agitation for indigeneship today, the truth must be told that Pa Fasinro was part of those who started it and he lived for that course even till he breathed his last.”
In another condolence, former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba, described Pa Fasinro as someone Nigerians and particularly the people of Lagos would miss for his humility and the love he demonstrated for the country.
According to Osoba, “Papa, as he was fondly called by many of us, was a very honest and dedicated technocrat. His quality of life endeared him to be elevated as the first African as the Clerk of Lagos Council.”
Osoba further extoled Fasinro over his deep commitment to religion just as he commended him for living an impeccable moral life, which he always tried to pass unto the next generation while he was alive.
“Fasinro’s wisdom in public life is worth emulating and the legacy he left are clearly seen in the simple life his children are living,” he stated.
The new Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Dr. Olorunimbe Mamora, said despite the fact that he knew Pa Fasinro from a distance, said my interaction with one of his sons, Habib, who was in the House of Representatives while I served as a senator indeed speaks a lot about the quality of training a father embeds in his children.
According to him, “I also knew Pa Fasinro to be a thoroughbred public officer and a gentleman people should emulate. He was never into any controversy from the way he comported himself with dignity and respect as a statesman. I am aware he was once a senator. He lived a good live and a devoted Muslim.”
Also eulogizing Fasinro, Senator Olabiyi Durojaiye, who represented Ogun East Senatorial District (1999-2003), said he was a noble man by every inch of the description.
According to Durojaiye, “He was a very disciplined and patriotic Nigerian. We were neighbours in Adeola Odeku Victoria Island in those days when I was in public service and he was already into politics. We lived like six houses apart but I knew him to be a very honest man.”
Although, the former senator expressed shock that Pa Fasinro lived up to 99 years, saying, “I never knew he was still alive because we lost contact long time ago. It was by the grace of God for him to have lived up to 99. May his sole rest in peace!”
While speaking about her father’s passion for politics, culture and Lagos, her daughter, Special Adviser to the governor of Lagos on Urban Development, Mrs. Yetunde Onabule, said the family was actually planning to launch Pa Fasinro’s biography in September when he would have clocked 100 years.
“That was what we are planning before the Almighty decided to take him away on Sunday.”
Corroborating several testimonies about her father as a disciplined and no nonsense disposition, Mrs. Onabule said, “One of the values of papa was his strict principle, so much so that some people misconstrue it for pride. He also enjoyed dancing most especially the egbe music in Isale-Eko.”
On his life as a politician, Onabule said, “Papa never forced but encouraged us to participate in politics to enable us contribute our quota to the development of the society. And he always emphasized on the need for us to be principled and demonstrate commitment to the people we serve in whatever position we found ourselves.”
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