Nigerians are suffering —Yakassai

Special Adviser to former President Shehu Shagari on National Assembly Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, speaks with KOLA OYELERE on issues touching on the economy, security challenges and national unity.

THERE have been talks about recession and economic downturn affecting Nigerians. As an elder statesman, what is your view on the situation?

Take it or leave it, this state of the economy is badly affecting every Nigerian; we are really in a big problem. The Naira has continued to depreciate day in day out. Two years ago, the exchange rate was N197 to one dollar, but today ,the rate has gone to up to N500 to one dollar. The inflation rate in the country has doubled, when compared to what obtained two years ago. The prices of food items have doubled or even tripled, while the purchasing power of an average Nigerian has completely worsened, when compared with two years ago.

The prices of food stuff have gone beyond the reach of the common man. In a nutshell, Nigerians are suffering in every aspect of life. There are no two ways about it; we cannot deceive ourselves, things are hard.

What do you think is the way forward?

I read recently that the acting president, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, set up a committee to look into the high cost of food prices and recommend ways to tackle the hardship facing Nigerians. I pray the measure the Federal Government will adopt will work, but my view is that, economic programmes cannot work with a fire brigade approach. They need a long-term planning and time. Not only that, we need vision and determination, with a proper action to tackle such a situation, because this cannot be solved overnight. Among the many ways we can solve this problem is the adoption of irrigation system for farming. Though it needs proper planning and huge financial investment, through irrigation system, farming activities can take place at least two or three times in a year. But, there is the need for a proper survey of what crops can be cultivated in each state that will do well. This system will solve the food crisis

Southern Kaduna was in the news for the wrong reason recently, with a lot of Nigerians expressing that a sectarian crisis that could engulf the country. What is your take?

It is the media that is blowing what is happening in Southern Kaduna out of proportion. What is happening there is not about religion but ethnicity. And it is not happening all over the country. Is it happening in Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna or Katsina? It is only happening in an isolated area and even when you talk of Southern Zaria, there are Muslims, who have been cohabiting with Christians for a long time there. The people have been living together for a long time without problems. It is just like in Yoruba land, where in every family, there are both Muslims and Christians. In every town in Southern Zaria, there are both Muslims and Christians; even in some families, there are both Muslims and Christians.

However, the pathetic dimension to what is happening is that some disgruntled politicians, who do not have any tangible programme for the people hide, under tribal sentiment, to cause violence in the area. They couch the violence in the garb of religion, in order to curry sympathy from the other side. So, what is happening in Southern Zaria is basically ethnic violence. It has nothing to do with religion. And until politicians do away with cheap publicity of inciting one tribe against another in order to win political favours, this problem will persist.

But, some Nigerians have remained insistent that there is general insecurity in the country, citing the Boko Haram insurgency and Fulani herdsmen’s attacks, among others…

Let us be sincere with ourselves, there is progress in the area of war against Boko Haram. At least, there is a level of achievement recorded in this area. However, it will be wrong for anybody to say that Boko Haram has been wiped off. One thing that is clear is the ability for this sect to move from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad or Niger Republic despite the claim that they had been flushed out from Sambisia Forest. Mark you, there are remnants, who are causing havoc here and there and it will take time before they will be completely wiped off.

On the issue of threats, to national unity, I disagree. There is national unity and there is no conflict in the country. You are a Yoruba man living in Kano; so also are Hausa residing in Ibadan, Ijebu Ode and Ekiti and nobody drives them away from there. Nigerians have been living there peacefully well, nobody attacks each other. So, if you want to make reference to the reported killings by herdsmen, if you tune your radio or television to stations in America, there are killings there.

This issue of herdsmen did not happen before during the time of colonial government and the reason was that an area was demarcated as a route for the herdsmen to rear their cattle. That area was through the forest reserves. Unfortunately, the forest reserves and routes have been taken over by some people. If the routes had been maintained or reintroduced, it will guide against frequent clashes between farmers and Fulani herdsmen. In the past, if herdsmen destroyed farmlands, they were subjected to pay for the farm produces they destroyed while passing, because a certain route was created for them. Let us go back to this idea of creating a route for them to graze their cattle, since they are also bona fide citizens of the country. They should be allowed to do their businesses, but they should not use it to damage other people’s farmlands.