Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos state on Sunday expressed sadness over the death of a founding father of the state, Pa Hassan Fasinro.
Ambode, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna, said Fasinro was one of the greatest founding fathers of Lagos, saying that he was one of the main architects of Lagos State.
Fasinro, a Senator in the Second Republic and the first Clerk of Lagos City Council, passed on at 8:29 p.m. on Sunday after a brief illness.
He would have clocked 100 years by September.
“This is a very sad loss, personally for me and for every Lagosian. I was personally looking forward to celebrating Papa at 100 later in September this year, but we cannot question God for calling him at this time.
READ ALSO: Nigerians now 6th most miserable people in the world – Report
“Papa was a hero. He was a father in the true sense of the word. We cannot write the Lagos State story without recourse to the roles that he played from the start and from the bottom of our hearts.
We appreciate the role that he played in building Lagos State to what it is today.
Ambode commiserated with the family of the late elder statesman and urged them to uphold the ideals he stood for.
He said that the nation would continue to draw inspiration from his life and times.
“His demise, just like that of our heroes past, must never be in vain. There can be no better time to unite together to achieve a better and more prosperous Nigeria,” he said.
He said Fasinro paid his dues and had left his footprints on the sands of time.
“On behalf of the government and people of Lagos State, I want to express our heartfelt condolence to the family of Pa Fasinro on this great and irreparable loss.
“He was a pride to our country, our state and we will surely miss him,” Ambode said. (NAN)