Prince Adewole Adebayo, former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has joined other well-meaning Nigerians in felicitating with an elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, as he turns, describing his new age as rare and majestic
In a congratulatory message on the event, Adebayo said: “Your life has become so deeply interwoven with the political journey of Nigeria that celebrating you is, in truth, celebrating the nation itself.
“Your 100 years summon not just admiration but reverence, for your presence in our national life reminds us of the long road we have travelled, the storms we have weathered, and the promises we must still labour to fulfil.
“Today is not merely a birthday; it is a national moment of reflection. It is the commemoration of a lifetime that stretches across a century of our collective hopes, struggles, triumphs, disappointments and renewed aspirations. It is the celebration of a man whose personal story is etched so deeply into the conscience of Nigeria that to speak of you is, in many ways, to speak of Nigeria’s own soul.
“Whenever I reflect on your life, I am struck by the truth that Nigeria has produced many public figures, but very few have endured with the consistency, clarity, courage and moral steadiness that define your towering legacy.”
He eulogised Yakasai, noting that in spite of the fact that in 1925, when he was born when colonial rule held sway and the idea of an independent Nigeria was a distant horizon, Yakasai still emerged early as someone with a restless and determined spirit.
“You were a young man who believed that freedom, justice and dignity must become the inheritance of all Nigerians, not privileges for the few. From your early activism in Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) under the luminous guidance of Aminu Kano to your pivotal roles in shaping the First and Second Republics, the conviction that Nigeria must work for all her people has guided your entire life. That conviction has remained unsullied, unbent and unbroken.
“Whenever I listen to you or read your reflections on governance and nationhood, I am reminded of the rare blessing Allah has bestowed upon you: the blessing of a mind that refuses to age. At 100, your intellect retains the sharpness of a scholar, the discipline of a statesman and the moral clarity of a patriot who has never, for one day, retired from the obligation of thinking about Nigeria’s progress,” Adebayo stated.
He said every nation needs its moral anchors, noting that Yakasai represents one for Nigeria. He described the elder statesman as a living archive, a grand repository of wisdom shaped not by speculation but by lived experience, frontline service, courage in the face of repression and sacrifices made for the greater good.
“You speak of colonialism, independence, coups, transitions, reconciliation and democratic rebirth not as someone who observed history from the gallery but as one who stood in the arena, feeling its dust and its fire.
“You have seen Nigeria in her brightest dawns and in her darkest nights. You have watched leaders rise with promise and fall through hubris; you have watched institutions flourish with hope and decay under neglect; you have seen policies lift citizens into dignity and others plunge them into despair.
“You have advised presidents, mentored young politicians, challenged those whose paths strayed from justice and comforted those whom the system forgot.
“Through all these shifting seasons, you have remained firm in principle, fearless in speech and unbending in patriotic devotion. “Whenever I consider my interactions with you, I am reminded that leadership is not a performance staged for applause but a sacred responsibility, that patriotism is not a slogan repeated for convenience but a lifelong covenant and that nation-building is not an event but a relay and you have carried your baton with honour for 100 years,” he said.
He described him as a man whose courage deserves its own chapter in Nigeria’s book of heroes, stressing, “You are not the kind of elder statesman who retreats into the comfort of age to offer safe or vague commentary. You speak truth even when truth is costly. You defend unity even when unity is under assault. You insist on justice even when justice is unfashionable. And for these convictions, you endured arrests, detentions and public criticisms; yet you remained unbroken. Your steadfastness is a rebuke to cynicism and a beacon to a generation that must rediscover its moral compass.”
He also described the people of Kano and the wider Northern region as a cultural treasure and a historic pillar, whose contributions helped shape regional identity and civic consciousness.
“Yet you are far greater than a northern icon; you are a national symbol. Throughout your long and distinguished life, you have championed the idea that Nigeria’s diversity is not a burden but a divine blessing, provided we govern with fairness.
“Your friendships and alliances cut across ethnicity, religion, region and ideology. For a man who has witnessed nearly every storm of our national life to still believe so passionately in Nigeria’s potential is a profound testimony to your faith, resilience and patriotism. As you turn 100, my heart overflows with gratitude to Almighty Allah for preserving you,” he stated.
He prayed to God to strengthen him and bless his remaining years with peace, joy and fulfillment, adding that longevity is a gift but purposeful longevity is a miracle.
Continuing, he said: “May God preserve your wisdom for generations yet to come and may He grant that Nigeria, the nation you have served with body, mind and conscience, may one day, fully embody the ideals of justice, unity, compassion and accountable leadership that you have defended all your life.
“Your example calls every Nigerian to honesty in speech, fidelity in service, love for our country even when she stumbles and an unshakeable belief in the dignity of every citizen. If we imitate even a fraction of your courage and moral clarity, Nigeria will, undoubtedly, become a better nation.
“And so, today, we are not merely celebrating a birthday; we are celebrating a century of service, a century of conviction and a century of national memory. Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, you are a rare gift to Nigeria. Your life is a national treasure, a guiding light, a moral compass and a historical archive wrapped in human form.
“On this joyful day, on behalf of my family, my associates and every Nigerian who cherishes the values you embody, I honour you with deep respect, profound affection and sincere admiration. “Happy 100th birthday, Alhaji! Nigeria salutes you. History remembers you. The future will learn from you, and may Allah bless you always. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
