Elder statesman and Chairman of the Northern Elders Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, blames existing political parties for the poor state of things in Nigeria. Yakassai also speaks on the need for Northern leaders to bridge the education gap between the region and the South. He spoke with ADELEKE ADESANYA. Excerpts:
Recently, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido II, challenged the North on the need to sit up concerning education in the region, saying the region lagged behind the other zones in the country. But this comment did not go down well with some Northern leaders. As an elder statesman from the North, what is you view on the Emir’s comment?
On my part, I support what the Emir said and I have been advocating for same for a long time. But when you are trying to achieve something, you put all hands on deck. For over some time, I have been advocating that Northern leaders should see the need to help education in this region. For instance, I advocated that mosques should be used in the practices of multi-education in the North. I totally support the Emir and for this, I would advise that five per cent allocation to traditional rulers, which the traditional councils all over the country are receiving from local government allocation, should be given out in support of education in the North. The traditional rulers should share that five per cent and dedicate it to the promotion of education. The fund can be used to prepare primary school leavers for entrance into secondary schools. Likewise, it can be used to enhance good education for secondary school leavers, who are not able to gain admission into tertiary institutions. The money can also be used to train them and prepare them to get the requirements for entering tertiary institutions. With the situation of education in the North, which is in dire need of urgent attention, leaders in this region should rise and ensure that our children’s future is safe. They should find a means to ensure that quality education is given to these children. And one of the best ways to achieve this is to ensure that quality teachers are provided for students at all levels of education. This will help in bridging the gap education is creating with the South.
One of the senators from the North said over-dependence on the Federal Government was the major problem of the north. Do you agree with him?
Well, Nigeria is a country of about 180 million people; God created every individual as an entity with different views and opinions on same issue. So, everybody is entitled to his different opinion. I don’t see anything wrong in the senator’s expression. That was his own view, and that showed his level of knowledge. So, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But my opinion is that Northerners should brace for quality education and for this to be achieved, Northern leaders should rise to the task.
Recent reports said you blamed the country’s woes on the military regimes. Why this?
Of course, I did. And let me tell you, military rule destroyed Nigeria and it is true, because if they did not interfere with the programmes initiated by our founding fathers, this country would have been developed better. Our founding fathers, who truly had the love of this country at heart, would have trained people, who would take over from them if they go, but for the intervention of the military administrators. For instance, the excellent programme in the area of education, health, freedom, governance and others that were initiated by our leaders like Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello, would have been developed by now, and things would have been easier for the politicians that are currently governing the country. What I am saying is that the military destroyed the country by destroying the foundation laid for us, and till today, we have yet to recover from the havoc wreaked by the military in this country.
Nigerians have yet to reap the dividends of democracy since 1999 when the military handed over to elected civilian government. What do you think is responsible for this?
In my own view, political parties do not encourage their elected members to deliver in their various positions in this country. Parties themselves do not have any agenda to help the country. All that matters to them all is their selfish interest, and that is why we don’t have credible leaders. In those days, you had political parties that had plans for the people because the parties were owned by the people, bonded by the people and oriented by the people.
Are you saying the political parties we have today are far from what will promote this country?
I don’t see them helping this country at all. They do not have orientation that will promote this country because they are not even oriented political parties. They lack vision for the country.
In the case of the opposition PDP, the party has been in leadership crisis for some time now and they have yet to resolve it. As an elder statesman, how would you advise them on settling the prolonged crisis?
Though I do not belong to any political party, but if I may tell you, there are contending views among PDP supporters. There are those who think Sheriff is working for the government and he denied it. But in my view, the only thing that can bring solution to PDP’s crisis is the Supreme Court decision on the leadership of the party. Any talk of reconciliation or peace meeting part from this is a waste of time in my own opinion because the party leaders, no matter what, will not want to submit totally to ordinary persons’ solution. But once the court gives the verdict, that will calm the whole thing. As I said, that is my opinion.
PDP members are free to pursue reconciliation meeting as they like. PDP members are rejecting opinions, but I don’t see reconciliation working in the case of PDP again without court the Supreme Court decision.
POLITICAL PARTIES DO NOT ENCOURAGE THEIR ELECTED MEMBERS TO DELIVER IN THEIR VARIOUS POSITIONS IN THIS COUNTRY. PARTIES THEMSELVES DO NOT HAVE ANY AGENDA TO HELP THE COUNTRY. ALL THAT MATTERS TO THEM ALL IS THEIR SELFISH INTEREST, AND THAT IS WHY WE DON’T HAVE CREDIBLE LEADERS
On the part of APC, how would you assess the party’s performance?
I don’t know, but I know that as of now the party (APC) is the reason why we are in trouble in this country. But be that as it may, we have seen that with the leadership of the vice president and the economic recovery plan been announced recently, I pray that things will work for the country. This is two years that they have been in office, and now they are bringing such a programme. I hope the programme will succeed. But for me, they ought to have come up with such a programme since they came to power. I pray that the plans will succeed.
The Senate and the Executive have for some time now been flexing muscles over certain issues, among which is the confirmation of the EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu. What is your view about this, sir?
The senate based their decision on the recommendation of the DSS and this is the procedure. For a person who wants to take a position, you have to send reports on them either from DSS or any other agency. The content of the report determines the Senate’s action. If they report falsely, the President will not go and submit your name and that is the tradition. Senate is only asking the President to follow protocol. The Senate has approved over 200 names in the last two years; now if they didn’t approve only one name, does it amount to not cooperating with the Executive? What of the ones they did before? What about the approval they have been giving all along? That should be enough. So, if they have been doing good things, and now not confirming just Magu, should that be seen as sabotaging this administration? I think the Presidency needs to think twice.
The Igbo people in the country have been agitating for an independent state of Biafra but the FG has not been disposed to this. As an elder statesman, what is your take on this?
On this, I don’t have much to say. I wish them the best of luck.
