A founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum and elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has said that the North has enjoyed power and almost everything there is, but is still one of the worst places to live on earth. The reason he said, is due to some elements of bad luck.
Yakasai made the statement on Thursday at an online conference themed, ‘The 2nd Never Again Conference: 51 years after the Nigerian-Biafran civil war’, which was hosted by Nzuko Umunna, an Igbo Think Tank, in partnership with Ovation International and Njenje Media.
The elder statesman said while the region has suffered so much misfortune for many years, it is however, constantly being vilified by the South simply because it was privileged to be in power.
Speaking in response to comments by Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, and leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, both of whom accused the North of shying away from the compelling need to restructure the country, Yakasai said, “I’m a northerner but we are the most unlucky people in this country.
“Most people blame us for their problems but we are the poorest in the country. I was reading recently the number of billionaires in Nigeria and out of 10, eight were from the South and only two were from the North; Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu of BUA Group.
“We have been in power more than any other ethnic group. The fact is that we held power more than anybody yet we became the poorest.”
He said even though people could disagree during discourse about national issues, people should always create time to attend such events and contribute “because it is our collective contribution that would make the aggregate of the ideas that we want to sell to the country.”
Yakasai added that though the Nigerian Civil War ended over 50 years ago, the mistrust among major sub-regional groups remained a threat to the democratic process.
He said, “We need to learn from the Civil War of 51 years ago and address squarely the fractional tendencies in the country today. Unity, peace, trust, justice, democracy and development must be made to work for Nigeria to keep it stronger.”