Why we can’t return to regionalism — Tanko Yakassai

•How we tin combat insecurity

•Why North tin ne'er talk with 1 voice

•Nigeria has made dependable advancement successful 65 years

•Never again’ll immoderate portion instrumentality up arms to disagreement us

•Civil warfare outcome, a acquisition to immoderate would-be secessionist

By John Alechenu

Elder statesman and Second Republic Presidential Liaison Officer, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who turns 100 successful December 2025, speaks astir the concealed to his longevity, Nigeria astatine 65, 2027 elections and different issues of nationalist development.

You volition beryllium clocking 100 years connected December 5, 2025. How bash you consciousness and what volition you accidental is the concealed of your longevity?

I americium grateful to Almighty God for making it imaginable for maine to unrecorded this agelong without immoderate imperishable oregon superior ailment passim my life. All the wellness challenges I’ve had person been temporary. Very fewer of my mates person been fortunate to unrecorded arsenic agelong arsenic I person and successful bully health. I americium truly grateful to God who has made this imaginable not lone that, helium has besides blessed america with children and grandchildren. My children are present 19 they were 23 altogether, 4 died. My grand-children are 60-something and they are each alive. I truly convey God.

Are determination immoderate secrets oregon tips astir longevity you privation to share?

Not astatine all. It has been purely by God’s grace. My begetter died astatine implicit 100, successful fact, astir 105 years aged oregon more, I can’t remember. My parent died astatine the property of implicit 90. They some enjoyed dependable health. They had nary superior situation to their wellness but for insignificant headaches and things similar that. It is each the enactment of God Almighty.

Nigeria volition beryllium 65 years arsenic an autarkic federation adjacent week. How has Nigeria fared since independence?

We person made dependable progress. Since the subject intervened successful our governmental beingness arsenic a federation opening from the First Republic successful the 1960s, this is the archetypal clip we are having uninterrupted antiauthoritarian regularisation for this agelong play of time. I deliberation it is simply a large acquisition for our state which has suffered for decades nether subject rule, connected and off. I commune that this volition proceed everlastingly truthful that those fixed the accidental to preside implicit our affairs astatine each levels volition supply the needed enactment to bring progress, improvement and prosperity to our country. Apart from the unfortunate civilian warfare (1966-1970), we person made dependable progress. The information that we person remained arsenic a azygous federation is worthy of celebration.

Have we realised the imaginativeness of our founding fathers?

I volition again say, truthful acold truthful good. The archetypal and lone effort astatine dividing america arsenic a federation failed. And I judge ne'er again volition immoderate portion of this large state instrumentality up arms to effort and forcibly disagreement Nigeria. The remainder of the state came unneurotic and resisted the secession of our brothers from different part. It serves arsenic a acquisition to immoderate would-be secessionist.

Some commentators person called for a instrumentality to regionalism. Is this what we need?

As you are aware, I americium astir 100 years old. I was calved connected December 5, 1925. I cognize what is imaginable and what is not. I don’t deliberation determination authorities is imaginable again successful Nigeria. We tried it successful the past and we each cognize however it ended. The state has moved connected since past truthful we can’t spell back. How galore radical genuinely are canvassing for a instrumentality to the past successful this country (North)? We indispensable determination with the times progressively. It is portion of development.

Some person argued that our existent antiauthoritarian strategy is not working. Do you agree?

No. Democracy is moving for Nigeria. Yes, determination are challenges nary uncertainty but which quality strategy is perfect? Let america see the fig of years it has been operating successful Nigeria. I don’t hold with radical who deliberation otherwise. The antiauthoritarian strategy has travel to beryllium accepted worldwide due to the fact that of its participatory nature. The radical who are being governed are fixed the accidental to elite those who govern them. As such, if determination are areas that necessitate fine-tuning we should fine-tune specified areas. That is wherefore we person issues similar electoral reforms being talked ab...