Salihu Abubakar Tanko

Yakasai OFR
45 Sagir Kumashi Street, Kawaji, Kano. Tel: 08067779280/08097779280. Email
address: styakasai@gmail.com

PERSONAL INFORMATION
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iv.

Date of birth:
Place of birth:
Religion:
Tribe:

5TH December 1926

Kano City
Islam
Hausa

EDUCATION
i.
ii.

1933 1937
Gidan Sarkin Gini Quranic School, Yakasai
1937 1939
Tsangayar Mallam Musa Dankore Quranic School,
Hardawa, Bauchi
iii. 1939 1940
Mallam Idi Quranic School, Tudun Jaba, Yakasai, Kano
iv. 1940 1942
Alhaji Balarabe Kofar Mata Quranic and Islamic Studies
School, Kano
v. 1941 1946
Shahuci Evening School, Shahuci, Kano
vi. 1952 1955
British Council English Tutorial Classes, British Council,
Kano
vii. 1956 Ibadan University, Collage, Extra Mural Department Certificate
Course on Comparative Federalism, Ibadan
viii. 1959 Ibadan University Collage Extra Mural Department Certificate
Course on Problem of Independence and Development, Ibadan
ix. 1963 Wilhem Pieck Youths Higher Institute, Bogansee, German
Democratic Republic, GDR

QUALIFICATIONS
i.

1963 Diploma on Political Economy, Wilhelm Pieck Youths Higher

Institute, German Democratic Republic, GDR

WORK EXPERIENCE
i.
ii.

1954 1960
1966 1967

Hausa Editor, Daily Comet, Kano

Sales Manger AGIP Nigeria Ltd, Kano Area Office

PUBLIC OFFICES HELD

i. 1967 1971
Commissioner for Information Kano State
ii. 1971 1972
Commissioner for Forestry, Community Dev. and
Cooperatives Kano State
iii. 1972 1975
Commissioner for Finance Kano State

iv. 1973 1975

Member Governing Council, Nigerian Institute of
International Affairs
v. 1979 1983
Special Assistant to the President, Federal Republic of
Nigeria on
National
Assembly Liaison

TRADITIONAL TITLES CONFERRED

2013

a. Kauran Ganye conferred by Gangwari Ganye on the recommendation of

Ganye Traditional Council, Adamawa State

2014

b. Odosiobodo of Ogbunike, conferred by HRH Igwe John Umenyiora,

Ezedioramma I, Igwe of Ogbunike, Anambra Satate on the recommen
dation of Ogbunike Traditional Council

POSITIONS HELD IN POLITICAL AND CIVIC ORGANISATIONS

i.
ii.

1952 1955
National Secretary, NEPU Positive Action Wing (PAW)
1954 1955
National Publicity Secretary Northern Elements
Progressive Union, NEPU
iii. 1954 1956
National Chairman, NEPU Youth Association
iv. 1955 1958
National Secretary, Northern Elements Progressive
Union, NEPU
v. 1959 1961
National Chairman, NCNC/NEPU Youth Association
vi. 1961 1962
Secretary General, Sawaba Party of Nigeria
vii. 1961 1964
Deputy National Chairman, Nigerian Youth Congress,
NYC
viii. 1963 1966
Deputy National Secretary, Northern Progressives Front
ix. 1966 _ 1975 Founding member of Board of Governors, Kano Community
Commercial College, KCCC
x. 1970 - 1975 Founding member of Governing Council of Kano State
Education Development Fund (KSEDF)
xi. 1969 1973
Chairman Nigerian Chapter Afro-Asian Peoples
Solidarity Organization (AAPSO)
xii. 1974 1976
National Chairman Nigeria-Soviet Friendship and
Cultural Association (NSFCA)
xiii. 1971 1975
Nigerian Representative on the Executive Committee
World Peace Council
xiv. 1978 1982
Deputy State Chairman, Kano and Member National
Executive Committee, National Party of Nigeria (NPN)
xv. 1974/75 Founder Constitutional Conference Delegates Consultative
Forum
1975/76 National Coordinator Congress for National
Consensus (CNC) an unregistered political association
xvi. 1977 - National Coordinator Northern Patriotic Front
xvii.
2003 to date Founding member and member Board of Trustees
Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF
xviii.
2013/2015 National Chairman Nigeria National Summit Group
xix. 2014 Member National Conference Consensus Building Group

CONFERENCES & MEETINGS ATTENDED WITH DATES

i.

1956 All-Northern Political Parties Conference, which worked

out modalities for a hitch free visit of Her Majesty Queen
Elizabeth's official tour to Northern Nigeria during her state
visit to Nigeria in 1956. The Conference was convened by the
Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello and was
presided over by Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa

ii.

1958 All- Africa Peoples Conference, Accra, Ghana, where

African Freedom Charter for the liberation of Africa from
colonial rule was adopted

iii.

1960

World Assembly of Youths, Tunis, Tunisia

iv.

1960 All-Africa Positive Action Conference against French

Atomic Test in the Sahara, Tunis,Tunisia

v.

1960 Led a six member first ever unofficial Nigerian

delegation to the International Conference for Solidarity with
the Struggles of the Algerian
Peoples for independence
from French Colonial Rule in Peking, Peoples Republic of China

vi.

1967 Delegate to the Northern Leaders of Thought

Conference in Kaduna where Northern Nigeria stand on the
1967 Nigerias constitutional crises was adopted

vii.

1967 Member 16 member Northern Consultative Committee

set up to advise the Military Governor of Northern Region

viii. 1967 Member Northern Nigeria Advisory Committee on the

creation of states in Nigeria
ix.

1969 Leader Nigerian Delegation to the emergency meeting of

Afro- Asian Peoples Solidarity Conference, Khartum, Republic
of Sudan

x.

1970
General Meeting of World Peace Council, Berlin,
German Democratic Republic, GDR

xi.

1994/1995 Nigerian Constitutional Conference

xii.

2014

xiii. 2014

Delegate Nigerian National Conference

Member National Conference Consensus Building Group

SOME SPECIAL CONTRIBUTIONS MADE & RECOGNITIONS RECEIVED

i.
1970 Life Patron Award by the Nigerian Union of Journalists Kano
State
Chapter
ii.
2005
National Award of Officer of the Order of the Federal
Republic, OFR
iii.
2007 NTA Prominence Award for Northern Development &
Integration
iv.
2010
Kano State Government Achievers Award: Most Influential
Personality
of The Year
v.
2013
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs Life Member
Award
vi. 2014
National Conference Award of All Time Democrat

vii.
1962-1966 Due to my passionate interest in promoting
education in Nigeria, I
used my initiative to secure free
scholarships for 12. Nigerians not related to me to undergo degree
courses in various universities in the defunct Soviet Union. Following are
the beneficiaries of the scholarships:
a. Dr. Muhtari Ahmed Kura, Kano
b. Dr. Muhammed Achimalo Garba, Kano
c. Tanko Yaro Mahmud, Plateau
d. Hamza Ahmed, Plateau
e. Garba Dorayi, Kano
f. Muhammad Nasir Ahmed, Sokoto
g. Malam Sidi Kwaru, Kano
h. Bello Sule, Kano
i. Baba Jimeta, Adamawa
j. Ado Gwadabe, Kano
k. Nuhu Muhamed, Niger
l. Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Yakasai, Kano
PUBLICATIONS AND EXTRA CURRICULA ACTIVITIES

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2004/2012 Author: 1004-page two volumes book titled Tanko Yakasai: The
Story of a Humble Life, an Autobiography
Delivered numerous lectures on various topics both at home and abroad on
many national and international topics
Public Affairs commentator for over six decades
Travelled Widely, visited more than 30 Countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and
Americas including United States of America, Russia, United Kingdom,
France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Japan, India, Peoples Republic of China, South
Korea, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Burma, Taiwan,
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Egypt, United Arabs Emirate, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali,
Republic of the Cameron, Benin Republic, Togo and Republic of Niger among
others
Married with 19 children and 57 grandchildren.
Although I am not privileged to receive a formal education, as a self made
person I worked hard to acquire an education for myself.

POLITICAL PERSECUTION SUFFERED

Between 1953 to 1986 I was one of the most persecuted politicians in the
history of
Nigerian political activism, as I was subjected to many arrests
and detentions on eight
different occasions; 3 during colonial era, 3 in the
Fist Republic, and 2 during military regime; one each under the regime of
General Muhammadu Buhari and President
Ibrahim Badamasi
Babangida

HOBBIES:
Learning, astronomy, volley ball, travelling and interacting with people