Tinubu Has Surpassed My Expectations, Says Afenifere Leader, Pa Fasoranti

Elder statesman and leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti has lauded President Bola Tinubu for his commendable strides in governance.

Pa Fasoranti stressed that the President has “surpassed” his expectations since assuming office.

The Afenifere leader made the remark on Thursday when the First Lady, Senator Remi Tinubu paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

According to a statement by the media aide of the First Lady, Busola Kukoyi, the 98-year-old elder statesman expressed satisfaction with the direction of the Tinubu administration, offering prayers for the President’s continued guidance and success.

“I am satisfied with what he is doing in Nigeria. Well done,” Pa Fasoranti said, commending both the President and the First Lady for their commitment to national development.

Noting that the visit was informal, Senator Tinubu conveyed warm greetings from the president, acknowledging Pa Fasoranti as a father figure to both herself and Tinubu.

The visit came on the sidelines of Senator Tinubu’s two-day official trip to Ondo State, during which she launched several health and empowerment initiatives under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

Earlier in the day, the first lady met with over 60 traditional rulers in the state, led by the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi who stood in for the Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas.

The monarchs praised the President’s performance and the First Lady’s advocacy on health and social issues.

They also pledged their support for the Renewed Hope Initiative, and declared their support for President Tinubu’s re-election bid.

The First Lady later proceeded to The Dome in Akure, where she officially handed over 10,000 scrubs and 10,000 pairs of crocs to midwives across the South-West geopolitical zone as part of RHI’s healthcare support programme.
She also presented a N50 million grant to the wife of the Ondo State Governor, Mrs Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, for onward disbursement to 1,000 women petty traders under the RHI Small Business Recapitalisation Programme.

Two hundred (200) of the beneficiaries also received bales of fabric to support their businesses.

In her keynote address, Senator Tinubu applauded the dedication of frontline health workers and encouraged them to embrace continuous training.

She said the distribution of professional kits was designed to complement the federal government’s retraining programme for 120,000 health workers, noting that nearly 60,000 had completed the training.

Ondo State Governor, Dr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, expressed appreciation for the federal interventions in the state, including the upgrade of the Adeyemi College of Education to a University of Education and the siting of an Airforce School in Akure.

Since its inception in 2023, the Renewed Hope Initiative has provided interventions across health, education, economic empowerment, agriculture, and social investment, reaching families nationwide.

The South-West was the fifth geopolitical zone to benefit from the midwife kit distribution.

The event reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to inclusive development and support for vulnerable groups.