As Nigeria's elder statesman, Alhaji Salihu Abubakar Tanko Yakasai (OFR), marks his 100th birthday, a compelling argument is being made for his recognition as the nation's true 'Father of the Nation.' Born on December 5, 1925, in Kofar-Mata, Kano, Yakasai stands as the last surviving member of a daring generation of freedom fighters and political prisoners who fiercely battled colonial rule until independence in 1960.
A Century of Struggle and Service
His journey began with early education in Quranic schools in Kano and Hadarwa, present-day Bauchi State, between 1933 and 1942. He later attended Shahuchi Elementary School in Kano but faced scorn and bullying from those opposed to Western education—a menace akin to today's 'Boko Haram' sentiment. He even experienced the 'almajiri' system firsthand. Yakasai later learned tailoring from his father, becoming the master tailor for Kano Middle School from 1944 to 1952, while also working as a groundnut agent.
His political awakening started in 1948 when he joined the Kano Youth Association. This group later merged with others to form the influential Jami'yyar Mutanen Arewa in 1949. In 1951, he became a founding father of the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU), mentored by giants like Mallam Aminu Kano. His defining traits were his unwavering courage and refusal to pander to ethnic, religious, or political sentiments.
His political career was marked by repeated arrests and imprisonment under both colonial and military regimes, a testament to his steadfast activism. He was a man who defended his beliefs even when standing alone.
The Architect of Movements and a Repository of History
Yakasai's influence extended far beyond NEPU. His intellectual curiosity led him to pursue education vigorously outside formal settings. He attended British Council English classes and the University College Ibadan's extra-mural department, earning certificates in comparative federalism and development. In 1963, a scholarship took him to East Germany, where he studied political economy and embraced socialist Lenin-Marxist ideology.
He was instrumental in forming pivotal political groups. He was elected national president of the NEPU/NCNC Youth Association, which later evolved into the Nigerian Youths Congress (NYC) and then the militant Socialist Workers and Farmers Party (SWFP). The NYC's mass demonstration famously forced the federal government to drop the Anglo-Nigerian Defence Pact of 1962.
His activism had an international dimension. He led delegations to China, East Germany, and the Soviet Union. A powerful, revolutionary-like speech he delivered in China just before Nigeria's 1960 independence attracted global media attention and put him under government security watch.
Yakasai is a living archive of Nigeria's history, meticulously documented in his two-volume autobiography, 'TANKO YAKASAI: The Story of a Humble Life,' published in 2012. The over 1,000-page work details Nigeria's democratic journey from colonialism to the present day.
From Commissioner to Kingmaker: A Legacy of Nation-Building
After independence, Yakasai continued to serve the nation in various capacities. He was the pioneer Commissioner for Information in Kano State in 1967 under Governor Audu Bako, later overseeing ministries for cooperatives, community development, and finance until 1975.
As a political strategist, he was involved in think tanks that paved the way for Nigeria's Second, Third, and Fourth Republics. President Shehu Shagari appointed him as Nigeria's first Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters from 1979 to 1983. He played key roles in forming major parties and pressure groups like the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which he co-founded.
He also served as a delegate to the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference and the 2014 National Conference. Although he formally quit partisan politics in 2002, he remains a respected mentor to countless politicians.
For his immense contributions, the Nigerian government conferred on him the prestigious Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in December 2005. Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, a father of 23 children, 64 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren, is celebrated not just for his age, but for a century of patriotic fervor dedicated to Nigeria, Africa, and humanity.
