There goes a great man of letters, an very prominent Elder Statesman, brilliant Queen’s Counsel, a consummate and dedicated Administrator, a dye in the wool Awoist, An Historian of no mean order, A Senator in the second Republic, a versatile Islamic Scholar, an Author, a great Historian and Poet, a mobile encyclopedia of the rich historical and cultural traditions of Lagos and a very dignified, honored, revered and very proud OMOLUABI EKO etc and BABA OBA OF LAGOS. Alhaji H.A.B Fasinro. Like all mortals, he answered the supreme call in deference to his Creator yesterday evening. Alhaji Fasinro was born a year after the end of the first World War on September 13, 1919 to the late Pa Buraimoh Asani Falana Fasinro one of the first set of Civil Servants after the Amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914 and a man of noble birth and a descendant of the Asunramu Ewuosi, Onisemo, Ologun Agbeje Chieftaincy families and the Oloto Royal family of Lagos while his mother was the late Madam Abeke of the Olowu of Owu Royal family of Abeokuta.
The late HAB attended the Methodist Boys High School Lagos before proceeding to study Law in London in 1942. He was called to the Bar and admitted into the Lincoln Inn in 1951. He returned to Nigeria and became a Crown Counsel in the old Western Region where he became a Queens Counsel ( the equivalent of the present day Senior Advocate of Nigeria) from where he was appointed as the Town Clerk of the then Lagos City Council succeeding late Barrister Mayaki. His tenure as Town Clerk was very remarkable and eventful.
With him as Town Clerk under the Chairmanship of late Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu and other notable Lagosians including late Raufu Williams, Taorid Lawal-Akapo, T.B.Lawal, Ojekunle Pereira, Prince Tajudeen Olusi as Councillors, ensured the laying of the foundation Stone of the Lagos City Hall in 1965 and interestingly, HAB supervised its completion and commissioning in 1968. It is worthy of note that Alhaji Fasinro received the new administration of then Major Mobolaji Johnson following the creation of Lagos State in 1967. HAB’s nine year tenure as the Lagos Town Clerk of the then Lagos City Council not only raised the bar of Local Government Administration in the country but also elevated the status of Lagos to an enviable level. He also had very remarkable stint in politics. He was elected as the Second Assistant General Secretary of the Action Group in 1953 under the leadership of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. He served as an elected Councillor in 1954 as well as in 1976-1979. It is remarkable that Alhaji Fasinro donated all his allowances as Councillor to charitable organisations.
He contested for the Senate in 1983 under the banner of the UPN under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and defeated the late Dr. Wahab Dosunmu of the NPN. He was in the Senate with other prominent Nigerians such as the late Dr. Olushola Saraki, Senators Jonathan Odebiyi, Abraham Adesanya and a host of others. Alhaji Fasinro was also a front line member and leader of the Anwar-Ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria. He was elected President of the movement in 1988. It is instructive to note that he was in the forefront of the establishment of the foremost Ahmadiyya now Anwar- Ul- Islam group of Primary and Secondary Schools. Alhaji Fasinro was also elected President of the Nigerian Muslim Council in 1992 in recognition of his contributions to the development of Islam in the country and was also an Executive member of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. He received several national and international awards including the National Award of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) in 2001.
A great scholar, he also had several publications to his credit including the “Political and Cultural Perspectives of Lagos amongst others. A great lover of sports, Alhaji Fasinro was a front line member of the Barakas Corner in the then Onikan Stadium where he sat with other eminent Nigerians like the late Israel Adebajo, founder of the Stationery Football Club of Lagos, late Molade Okoya Thomas, late Imam Baba Shittu, a member of the Nigerian football team who toured London to play friendly matches with their bare feet, late Lekan Salami and a host of others to watch football matches. In the proud days of the Principal Cup Schools Football Competition. Alhaji Fasinro never forgot to wear the Blazer of the Methodist Boys High School whenever the school’s team was playing at the Onikan Stadium. An incomparable lover of Lagos and an enviable contributor to its development, Alhaji Fasinro will be greatly missed by all.
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He would indeed be missed by His Royal Majesty, Alaiyeluwa ,Oba Riliwanu Osuolale Aremu Akiolu where he usually held court with the Oba. It is also instructive to note that Alhaji Fasinro was the OLORI EBI, ( Head of the Family) of Oloto Royal Family of Oto and Mainland. As he is committed to mother earth this evening, we say adieu to a great man of Letters and History, a very dignified and honoured Statesman and Lagosian. Baba HAB Fasinro is survived by children, amongst whom is Hon. Justice Kudirat Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Barrister Afusat Yetunde Onabule, Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Urban Development, Hon. Habeeb Fasinro, a former member of the House of Representatives and others.
Sun re Baba. Dagba bi nmaye Omo Alagbaa lode Oto. … Omo oniyara, Omo Oyewun. Omo osunmola juwon, Omo a a gbe busun p’ekun
Omo anikan gbologbo sanle
Omo Oloto arokun sa . Omo magbin magbin dodo
Omo a ke nigbo k’eru o ba ara ona
Omo aja nla n’ibore
Omo aja nla senu gbohan gbohan
Omo onide kasa lakobi
Omo agba ti o gbale s’osa lara
Omo esu gboja kale
Omo elegba meta leyin odi
Omo imole a f’eleja
Omo oro nje, oro nmu
Omo mamu mamu loro nke
Omo okoro koro ju iwo lo
Omo Agba bi lawor
Omo Alaworo Oba Ogidi.
Omo Olowu oduru
Omo Ajibosin, Omo are mota, mi ota yi
Omo lagoare, Omoba meso meye
Omo osi lor’oye, o je Omoninu
O he Omo Gbagba o wa j’ oba Alade keta.
