{"id":8824,"date":"2025-09-23T05:40:41","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T05:40:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/?p=8824"},"modified":"2025-09-23T05:40:50","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T05:40:50","slug":"nigeria-at-65-tanko-yakassai-on-regionalism-democracy-and-the-road-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/2025\/09\/23\/nigeria-at-65-tanko-yakassai-on-regionalism-democracy-and-the-road-ahead\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria at 65: Tanko Yakassai on Regionalism, Democracy, and the Road Ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As Nigeria marked 65 years of independence, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai (nearly 100 years old) reflects on regionalism, the state of democracy, insecurity, and the political dynamics shaping the nation. Below is a synthesis of his key perspectives, drawn from the interview transcript.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Why Nigeria cannot return to regionalism<\/strong><br \/>\nYakassai argues that regional government is not feasible in today\u2019s Nigeria. He points to historical attempts at regional arrangements, noting that the country has moved on and that a return to regionalism would be out of step with current realities. He emphasises the need to \u201cmove with the times progressively\u201d and to recognise the country\u2019s development trajectory since independence.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Democracy in Nigeria: functioning but not flawless<\/strong><br \/>\nOn whether Nigeria\u2019s current democratic system works, Yakassai answers in the affirmative, acknowledging that no system is perfect but highlighting democracy\u2019s participatory nature. He notes the ongoing process of electoral reforms and fine-tuning as evidence of a living, evolving democracy rather than a failed experiment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The North\u2019s voice and unity<\/strong><br \/>\nAddressing the question of whether the North can speak with one voice, he asserts it\u2019s improbable to expect uniformity given Nigeria\u2019s size and diversity. He underscores that differences are natural in any large population and views such pluralism as a normal aspect of political life.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Insecurity, corruption, and the economy: a global challenge<\/strong><br \/>\nYakassai situates Nigeria\u2019s security, corruption, and economic challenges within a worldwide context, arguing that many nations face similar problems. He remains hopeful about progress and stresses the importance of continuity in government to sustain policies that work.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Continuity in government<\/strong><br \/>\nA recurring theme is the importance of continuity in leadership to preserve policies and momentum. He warns against abrupt changes that could reverse gains and calls for a coordinated approach across federal, state, and local levels.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Regional politics and zoning<\/strong><br \/>\nHe defends zoning as a principle designed to promote inclusivity and a sense of belonging across Nigeria\u2019s diverse regions. He views zoning as a potential permanent feature that could contribute to national cohesion.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tinubu&#8217;s presidency and 2027 elections<\/strong><br \/>\nYakassai suggests Tinubu is well-positioned to seek re-election due to incumbency, party control, and the political landscape, while noting that no single region can unilaterally decide the presidency. He emphasises that broad national support is essential for success.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Defections and party dynamics<\/strong><br \/>\nHe views defections as part of democratic development, driven by strategic calculations and party dynamics. He cautions politicians to pursue ideology and programmes over personal gain, advocating for a political culture that serves the country\u2019s interests.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cWe must move with the times progressively. It is part of development.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cDemocracy is working for Nigeria\u2026 the people who are being governed are allowed to elect those who govern them.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cThere will be differences, it is in human nature. We have been experiencing it for a long time, and we will overcome it.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cSecurity has been a recurrent issue not only in Nigeria but across the globe. It is incumbent on every administration to work out strategies to deal with it.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cZoning is something I hope will become a permanent feature for our country because of its obvious benefits for national growth and sense of inclusion.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>What this means for readers today<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>For policymakers: The emphasis on continuity and gradual reform suggests that abrupt policy shifts can be destabilising. A cross-cutting, inclusive approach to governance\u2014across federal, state, and local levels\u2014may yield better security and development outcomes.<\/li>\n<li>For citizens: Understanding that regional differences are natural can foster more constructive national dialogue. Embracing inclusive policies like zoning could enhance national cohesion.<\/li>\n<li>For students and analysts: Yakassai\u2019s perspective provides a historical lens on how Nigeria\u2019s post-independence political architecture evolved and why certain constitutional options (like regionalism) are viewed as impractical today.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>A closer look at the interview highlights<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>65 years of independence: Yakassai touts steady progress since independence, with particular attention to enduring the turbulent post-independence era, including the civil conflict, and maintaining Nigeria\u2019s unity.<\/li>\n<li>Regionalism: He explicitly states that regional government is not feasible anymore and warns against attempts to revive it.<\/li>\n<li>Democracy and reforms: He frames democracy as robust and adaptable, with ongoing electoral reforms to address imperfections.<\/li>\n<li>North\u2019s representation: He acknowledges diverse opinions within the North, reflecting the broader reality of Nigeria\u2019s political landscape.<\/li>\n<li>Security and national governance: He advocates for cooperation across all tiers of government and civil society to combat insecurity effectively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Tanko Yakassai\u2019s reflections underscore a pragmatic approach to Nigeria\u2019s future: preserve inclusive, democratic governance; avoid regressive regionalism; maintain policy continuity; and pursue reforms that broaden participation and national cohesion. His insistence on unity through diversity\u2014while recognising inevitable differences\u2014offers a lens for navigating Nigeria\u2019s ongoing journey toward development and stability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As Nigeria marked 65 years of independence, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai (nearly 100 years old) reflects on regionalism, the state of democracy, insecurity, and the political dynamics shaping the nation. Below is a&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8825,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8824","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8824","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8824"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8824\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8826,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8824\/revisions\/8826"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8825"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8824"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8824"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/beadysword.com.ng\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8824"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}