•How we will battle insecurity
•Why North can by no means communicate with one voice
•Nigeria has made regular progress in 65 years
•By no means once more’ll any half take up arms to divide us
•Civil warfare end result, a lesson to any would-be secessionist
By John Alechenu
Elder statesman and Second Republic Presidential Liaison Officer, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who turns 100 in December 2025, speaks in regards to the secret to his longevity, Nigeria at 65, 2027 elections and different problems with nationwide growth.
You can be clocking 100 years on December 5, 2025. How do you are feeling and what is going to you say is the key of your longevity?
I’m grateful to Almighty God for making it doable for me to reside this lengthy with none everlasting or critical ailment all through my life. All of the well being challenges I’ve had have been momentary. Only a few of my mates have been fortunate to reside so long as I’ve and in good well being. I’m actually grateful to God who has made this doable not solely that, he has additionally blessed us with youngsters and grandchildren. My youngsters at the moment are 19 they had been 23 altogether, 4 died. My grand-children are 60-something and they’re all alive. I actually thank God.
Are there any secrets and techniques or tips on longevity you want to share?
In no way. It has been purely by God’s grace. My father died at over 100, in actual fact, about 105 years outdated or extra, I can’t bear in mind. My mom died on the age of over 90. They each loved regular well being. That they had no critical problem to their well being aside from minor complications and issues like that. It’s all the work of God Almighty.
Nigeria will likely be 65 years as an unbiased nation subsequent week. How has Nigeria fared since independence?
Now we have made regular progress. For the reason that army intervened in our political life as a nation starting from the First Republic within the Nineteen Sixties, that is the primary time we’re having uninterrupted democratic rule for this lengthy time period. I feel it’s a nice expertise for our nation which has suffered for many years underneath army rule, on and off. I pray that it will proceed perpetually in order that these given the chance to preside over our affairs in any respect ranges will present the wanted management to carry progress, growth and prosperity to our nation. Aside from the unlucky civil warfare (1966-1970), we have now made regular progress. The truth that we have now remained as a single nation is worthy of celebration.
Have we realised the imaginative and prescient of our founding fathers?
I’ll once more say, up to now so good. The primary and solely try at dividing us as a nation failed. And I consider by no means once more will any a part of this nice nation take up arms to attempt to forcibly divide Nigeria. The remainder of the nation got here collectively and resisted the secession of our brothers from one other half. It serves as a lesson to any would-be secessionist.
Some commentators have referred to as for a return to regionalism. Is that this what we’d like?
As you might be conscious, I’m nearly 100 years outdated. I used to be born on December 5, 1925. I do know what is feasible and what’s not. I don’t suppose regional authorities is feasible once more in Nigeria. We tried it up to now and everyone knows the way it ended. The nation has moved on since then so we will’t return. How many individuals genuinely are canvassing for a return to the previous on this space (North)? We should transfer with the instances progressively. It’s a part of growth.
Some have argued that our present democratic system isn’t working. Do you agree?
No. Democracy is working for Nigeria. Sure, there are challenges little doubt however which human system is ideal? Allow us to think about the variety of years it has been working in Nigeria. I don’t agree with individuals who suppose in any other case. The democratic system has come to be accepted worldwide due to its participatory nature. The people who find themselves being ruled are given the chance to elect those that govern them. As such, if there are areas that require fine-tuning we should always fine-tune such areas. That’s the reason we have now points like electoral reforms being talked about and carried out now and again. The Individuals who’ve been practising democracy for over 200 years are nonetheless adjusting.
Can the North ever communicate with one voice over politics?
It’s not doable. We’re greater than half of your entire inhabitants of Nigeria. You possibly can’t put this variety of individuals collectively and suppose they are going to suppose alike. There will likely be variations, it’s in human nature. Youngsters and their dad and mom differ in opinions on points. I don’t see this as one thing new. Now we have been experiencing it for a very long time and we’ll overcome it.
Now we have been battling with the issue of corruption, insecurity and the financial system. How will we overcome them?
All of those issues should not unique to Nigeria. They’re common; nearly each nation on the planet is battling with these in a single type or one other. The entire world has been battling these issues, some have been profitable to a sure diploma, others haven’t been so profitable. I consider we’re making progress and we’ll attain an affordable threshold as a result of a majority of Nigerians are dedicated to cope with this.
Some northerners insist that the North is at the moment underneath siege and that it’s behind in nearly each index of growth resulting from President Bola Tinubu’s insurance policies. What’s your take?
I’m a kind of which have been within the forefront in help of continuity in authorities. What we wish is a authorities that won’t solely be capable of full its constitutionally allowed tenure but additionally full its insurance policies and initiatives which it got down to obtain inside set timelines, and handover to whoever the individuals resolve ought to proceed.
We don’t need a scenario the place a authorities’s tenure is minimize quick. Such a scenario breeds instability and instability isn’t good for any nation which needs progress and prosperity. For any nation to get pleasure from progress there ought to be stability within the administration of its affairs, which is without doubt one of the the reason why most international locations of the world at the moment subscribe to the democratic system of presidency.
There could also be variations right here and there however democracy has withstood the check of time and is what I’ll subscribe to as the most effective type of authorities.
On insecurity throughout Nigeria particularly the North…
Safety has been a recurrent problem not solely in Nigeria however throughout the globe. It’s incumbent on each administration to work out methods to cope with it. That’s the reason I’ve all the time advocated for continuity in authorities as a result of typically you’ve gotten one thing that’s working and also you abruptly change it and you are taking us again to the start and the progress made in some situations are reversed.
Allow us to not neglect that the opposite tiers of presidency equally have a duty within the space of safety. They’ve the capability to liaise with conventional establishments and residents to offer correct and well timed details about unusual occurrences of their jurisdictions to related authorities. We should work collectively to carry our safety challenges underneath management. The federal authorities alone can’t do that.With out the help of residents, funds and efforts being put in should not more likely to produce the specified outcomes.
We should additionally all the time keep in mind that governance isn’t solely on the nationwide stage. Every tier of presidency, the state and native governments should even be held to account for the funds which have been made accessible to them. Now we have been made to know that states and native authorities councils now have extra funds than ever earlier than to offer companies for the individuals. Residents should start to ask related questions on how these funds are utilized.
In his memoir, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, your fellow NEPU member mentioned you selected the NPN over the PRP after going through harassment in opposition since you felt NPN was the place “the gravy was,” What occurred?
That isn’t true. NPN was shaped with the help of leaders of all political events, the Northern Peoples Congress, NPC, the United Center Belt Congress, UMBC, and different pan-Northern teams at the moment. We had a typical strategy to nationwide points. We determined that we’ll help nationwide unity and we efficiently did it.
Aliyu Makama Bidda of the NPC who was the Minister of Finance within the First Republic, and the chief of the UMBC, Mr. J. S Tarkar amongst others had been a part of the formation of the NPN. The one one that determined to interrupt away was Mallam Aminu Kano.
A few of us in NEPU, together with the Deputy Secretary who was performing Secretary, Alhaji Yahaya Sabo, and I, as NUPU’s nationwide publicity secretary, met with Aminu Kano earlier than we made the choice.
Mallam who was then representing us on the (1978) constitutional convention invited us to a gathering and briefed us about happenings on the convention as our chief.
He advised us Nigeria was being introduced out from regional cleavages in favour of a nationwide social gathering. Sadly, there have been members of NEPU who weren’t blissful about this growth and so they satisfied him and so they broke away to type the Individuals’s Redemption Celebration, PRP. NEPU was a celebration that revered particular person freedoms and a majority of us voted to go together with the NPN.
Is there a major distinction between the sort of politics performed in Kano in these days and what’s occurring at the moment?
There is no such thing as a distinction. The individuals of Kano are politically literate and independent-minded. For the time being, I can see a scenario whereby the politics performed by Mallam Aminu Kano and a few of us will repeat itself. It has not materialised but however I worry we’re approaching such a scenario the place what occurred throughout the formation of the NPN will repeat itself.
What do you imply?
The historical past books are there for everybody to learn. The unbiased mindedness, stage of political sophistication and the overall welfare of the lots will dominate not simply discussions but additionally will play a number one function within the selections they make. Each Nigerian has a proper to help who he likes to help. We are going to wait and see, Kano could not communicate with one voice.
For the primary time in its historical past, the Kano Emirate is having two Emirs on the identical time. Why have elders not intervened to resolve this dispute?
For the time being, the matter is earlier than the Supreme Courtroom. No person can consider opting out of something. As soon as the court docket takes a choice on the matter everybody should align. Allow us to all wait and see
Has your place on zoning modified?
Not likely. It’s one thing that was first launched to us by the Nationwide Celebration of Nigeria (NPN) within the Eighties and it has been working. It was designed to advertise inclusiveness and provides every a part of the nation a real sense of belonging on account of our experiences as a nation with a multi-cultural and spiritual background. Zoning is one thing I hope will develop into a everlasting function for our nation due to its apparent advantages for nationwide development and sense of inclusion.
You latterly mentioned President Bola Tinubu is in the most effective place to win re-election in 2027. Why do you suppose so?
From my expertise, it’s tough, I didn’t say inconceivable to defeat an incumbent in Nigeria. This isn’t solely in regards to the place of the president, it could possibly be a councillor, native authorities chairman or governor. I haven’t heard anyone making any proposition in regards to the 2027 presidential election from the Arewa Consultative Discussion board as of at the moment.
Many of the issues being mentioned and credited to the ACF and different northern teams are largely particular person opinions. To the most effective of my information and I ought to know, the North as a area is but to take a collective stand on the 2027 election.
If one could ask, who else has what it takes to maneuver into the presidential contest with the sort of stamina and energy to be extra profitable than Tinubu? He hasn’t completed something in opposition to the North, in my understanding, and to be goal, neither the North nor some other a part of Nigeria alone can resolve who the president of this nation turns into.
Whoever will likely be president, will want the help of nearly all of Nigerians from everywhere in the nation to succeed.
President Tinubu at the moment enjoys the benefit of incumbency; his social gathering holds majority seats within the Nationwide Meeting. On high of this, the ruling All Progressives Congress is controlling a majority of states; there are another governors from the opposition events who’re supporting and actively working for him. The disaster and confusion in among the main opposition events additionally makes any critical problem to his re-election bid close to inconceivable.
What’s your tackle defections into the ruling social gathering by members of the opposition?
That is a part of our democratic growth, within the means of time it would cease. With time as our flesh pressers develop into extra mature. Those that are defecting are doing so for therefore many causes. Some are pondering that their former events are now not fashionable or related of their localities and want a extra viable platform all in a determined bid to win the following election. As a politician, to play an element within the resolution to the interior disaster of your political social gathering is an integral a part of your calling in politics. You don’t run away on the slightest signal of disagreement with different social gathering members.
I’ll, nonetheless, advise that our flesh pressers ought to see politics as a dynamic recreation. They need to study to play the sport on the premise of ideology and programmes. Allow them to envision the best way they need for our nation and never simply to be in politics simply to be appointed ministers or search to be governors or president. It’s unlucky that for a few of them, after turning into all these and nothing is finished within the curiosity of the nation, we can’t develop as a rustic like that. We should start to see politics as a way to an finish and never an finish in itself this is essential.
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