Umar Musa Yar'adua G.C.F.R an haife shi ne a ranar 16 ga watan Agusta a shekara ta 1951 a cikin birnin Katsina da ke arewacin Najeriya. Mahaifinsa ya kasance tsohon ministan birnin Lagos na farko a jamhuriya ta farko, kuma kafin rasuwar sa shi ne Matawallen Katsina, sarautar da shi marigayin Umaru Musa 'Yar'adua ya gada daga wajen mahaifinsa watau Musa Yar'adua. Akwai dan uwansa (babban yayan sa) watau Shehu Musa Yar'adua, wanda shi ma shahararren dan siyasa ne a kasar Najeriya; kuma shi ya kafa jam'iyyar "PDM" (People's Democratic Movement), Shehu Musa Yar'adua ya rasu a gidan yari a shekarar 1997.. Marigayi Umaru Musa Yar'aduwa ya fara makarantar Firamarensa ne a Rafukka ne a shekara ta 1958, kafin a mayar da shi makarantar sakandare ta kwana da ke karamar hukumar Dutsinma a shekara ta 1962. Ya kuma halarci kwalejin gwamnati da ke Keffi daga shekarata 1965 zuwa shekarata 1969. Sai ya wuce kwalejin Barewa a shekarata 1971, inda ya samu takardar shedar karatunsa ta HSC.