Renowned elder statesman, Mallam Tanko Yakasai, has expressed his belief that the percentage of Nigerians who do not believe in national unity is negligible. Speaking as a guest on an Arise TV program in Lagos, Yakasai emphasized that a vast majority of Nigerians, exceeding 90%, are committed to and support national unity.
He stated, “Now, we can see that largely, more than 90 per cent of Nigerians are now fully committed to the unity of the country and the progress and development of the nation.”
Addressing concerns about increased fragmentation in Nigeria due to ethnic and religious factors playing a role in the 2023 general election, the 97-year-old former Liaison Officer to former President Shehu Shagari noted, “I think as we stand today in Nigeria, those who are preaching (that kind of sentiment) constitute an insignificant minority of the population. And in a democracy where the majority decides the fate of the country, the majority of Nigerians are committed to the unity of Nigeria and they understand that without unity there will be no progress and development in Nigeria.”
Yakasai stressed that the prevailing sentiment among Nigerians is a yearning for progress and development, recognizing that unity and progressive development are essential to overcoming the challenges facing the country.