Reuben Fasoranti, the leader of the Yoruba socio-political group Afenifere, has died at the age of 100, according to Channels Television. The outlet reported the death on Tuesday, 20 October 2026. Premium Times Nigeria and Vanguard News also reported his passing at the same age.
Fasoranti was widely described as a long-standing figure in Yoruba political life. Punch Newspapers, in its coverage, characterised him as a disciple of Obafemi Awolowo who later rose to lead Afenifere. The group is one of the most prominent Yoruba socio-political organisations in Nigeria, and its leadership carries weight in national political debate.
Tributes followed the announcement. The Guardian Nigeria News reported that Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun mourned Fasoranti, saying the country had lost a democratic icon. The Guardian's headline rendered the family name as "Fashoranti."
Details of the funeral arrangements and the circumstances of his death were not included in the reporting summarised here. Afenifere had not, as of the reports, announced a successor.
Coverage of Fasoranti's life and legacy is expected to continue across Nigerian outlets, with attention likely to turn to how Afenifere moves forward without the man who led it into his hundredth year.
