Umaru Musa Yar'Adua

**Umaru Musa Yar'Adua** (16 August 195 - 15 May 2010) na he be a Nigerian politician wey serve as de president of Nigeria from 2007 til ein death insyd May 2010. Na he win de Nigerian presidential election dem hold on 21 April 2007, wey na dem swear am in on 29 May 2007.

Na he previously serve as de governor of Katsina State from 1999 to 2007; wey na he be a member of de Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Insyd 2009, na Yar'Adua lef for Saudi Arabia to receive treatment for pericarditis. He return to Nigeria on 24 February 2010, buh he die on 5 May.

## Early life

### Family
Dem born Yar'adua born insyd Katsina State, Nigeria. Ein poppie, Musa Yar'Adua, be a Minister for Lagos insyd de First Republic den hold de chieftaincy title of *Matawalle* (custodian of de royal treasury) of de Katsina Emirate, a title which de younger Yar'Adua inherited. Ein paternal grandfather, Malam Umaru, dey sana hold de title of *Matawallen Katsina*, while ein paternal grandmother, Binta, be a princess of de Katsina Emirate den a sister of emir Muhammadu Dikko.

Yar'Adua dey marry Turai Yar'Adua of Katsina state insyd 1975; they have seven children (five daughters den two sons) den several grandchildren. Demma daughter, Zainab, dey marry to de former Kebbi state governor, Usman Dakingari.

Anoda daughter, Nafisa, dey marry Isa Yuguda, a former governor of Bauchi state. Her sister Maryam dey marry Ibrahim Shema, Yar'Adua ein successor as Katsina state governor.

Yar'Adua sana be married to Hauwa Umar Radda from 1992 to 1997, den they have two children.

#### Education
Yar'Adua start ein education at Rafukka Primary School insyd 1958, den moved to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School insyd 1962. He attend de Government College at Keffi from 1965 until 1969. Insyd 1971 he receive a Higher School Certificate from Barewa College. He attend Ahmadu Bello University insyd Zaria from 1972 to 1975, where he obtained a bachelor ein degree insyd Education den Chemistry, den then returned insyd 1978 to pursue a master ein degree insyd Analytical Chemistry.

## Pre-presidency
Yar'Adua ein first employment be at Holy Child College insyd Lagos (1975–76). He later serve as a lecturer at de College of Arts, Science, den Technology insydZaria, Kaduna state, between 1976 den 1979. Insyd 1979, he begin working as a lecturer at Katsina College of Arts, Science, den Technology (now Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic), remaining insyd this position until 1983, when he begin working insyd de corporate sector.

Yar'Adua dey work at Sambo Farms Ltd. insyd Funtua, Katsina state, as ein pioneer General Manager, between 1983 den 1989. He serve as a board member of Katsina State Farmers ein Supply Company between 1984 den 1985, Member of de Governing Council of Katsina College of Arts, Science den Technology Zaria den Katsina Polytechnic, between 1978 den 1983, board chairman of Katsina State Investment den Property Development Company between 1994 den 1996.

He sana serve as a director of many companies, wey include Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd, 1995–99; Lodigiani Nigeria Ltd., 1987–99, Hamada Holdings, 1983–99; den Madara Ltd., Vom, Jos, 1987–99. He be Chairman of Nation House Press Ltd., Kaduna, from 1995 to 1999.

#### Party politics
During de Second Republic (1979–83), Yar'Adua be a member of de leftist People ein Redemption Party, while ein poppie be briefly de National Vice Chairman of de National Party of Nigeria. During de transition programme of General Ibrahim Babangida to de Third Republic, Yar'Adua dey be one of de foundation members of de Peoples Front of Nigeria plus oda members such as Atiku Abubakar, Baba Gana Kingibe, Bola Tinubu, Sabo Bakin Zuwo, Wada Abubakar, Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila, Abubakar Koko den Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a political association under de leadership of ein elder brother, de late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. Dat association later form de Social Democratic Party. Yar'Adua be a member of de 1988 Constituent Assembly. He be a member of de party ein National Caucus den de Nigerian Social Democratic Party ein (SDP) State Secretary insyd Katsina. He dey contest for de governorship position insyd de 1991 election, but lost to Saidu Barda, de candidate of de National Republican Convention.

#### Governor of Katsina
Insyd 1999, Yar'Adua dey win de Katsina state governorship election. He be de first governor to publicly declare ein assets. Yar'Adua ein administration dey see various developments insyd de state. Katsina become de fifth northern Nigerian state to adopt sharia, or Islamic law. Education be prioritised den several schools be built insyd local areas. Yar'Adua sana dey deliver on ein promise of running an efficient public administration, plus corruption significantly hampered. Insyd 2003, he be re-elected for a second term insyd office den ein successor be Ibrahim Shema.

#### 2007 presidential election
Between 16 den 17 December 2006, Yar'Adua be chosen as de presidential candidate of de ruling People ein Democratic Party for de April 2007 election, wey receive 3,024 votes from party delegates; ein closest rival, Rochas Okorocha, dey receive 372 votes. Yar'Adua ein success insyd de primary election be attributed to de support of incumbent President Olusegun Obasanjo; At de time of ein nomination, he be an obscure figure on de national stage, den has been described as a "puppet" of Obasanjo, who can not have won de nomination under fair circumstances. Shortly after ein nomination, Yar'Adua dey choose Goodluck Jonathan, governor of Bayelsa state, as ein vice-presidential candidate. Anoda view regarding de support he receive from President Olusegun Obasanjo be dat, he be one of few serving governors plus a spotless record, devoid of any suspicions or charges of corruption. He sana belong to de People ein Democratic Movement (PDM) – a powerful political block, founded by ein late brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who be Obasanjo ein second-in-command during ein military rule.

Insyd de presidential election hold on 21 April 2007, Yar'Adua dey win 70% of de votes (24.6 million votes) according to official results released on 23 April. De election be highly controversial. Strongly criticized by observers, as well as de two primary opposition candidates, Muhammadu Buhari of de All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) den Atiku Abubakar of de Action Congress (AC), de result largely be rejected as having been rigged insyd Yar'Adua ein favour.

## Presidency
After de election, Yar'Adua dey propose a government of national unity. Insyd late June 2007, two opposition parties, de ANPP den de Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), agree to join Yar'Adua ein government.

#### Cabinet members
Yar'Adua ein new cabinet be sworn insyd on 26 July 2007. E dey include 39 ministers, wey include two for de ANPP.

### National agenda
Insyd August 2007, de administration unveiled a seven-point agenda to be de focal point of de administration ein solution to developmental challenges den stated goal of elevating Nigeria to be among de twenty largest economies insyd de world by 2020:

* Infrastructure, power den energy
* Food security
* Wealth creation
* Transport
* Land reforms
* Security
* Education

De administration do not realise dis agenda prior to ein illness den death. De power sector no be adequately funded, infrastructural deficit no be closed down den de troublesome process of reforming land use regulations hampered a reform of de land tenure law.

#### Electoral reforms
Yar'Adua dey establish a presidential electoral reform committee to look into de legal factors, social den political institutions den security issues dat dey affect de quality den credibility of elections insyd de country den sana, to make recommendations on improving de credibility of elections. De reform committee be headed by Mohammed Uwais, a former Chief Justice of de Supreme Court of Nigeria. Among de recommendations of de committee be constitutional measures to make de Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) truly independent, removing some of de activities of INEC plus de creation of an electoral commission den a parties registration agency. E sana dey recommend speedy resolution of legal challenges of elections, presumably before de swearing insyd ceremony of de victor of de seat being challenged.

#### Foreign Policy
During ein tenure as president, Yar'Adua dey try to improve foreign relations plus oda countries to sana help plus social justice den national security. While talking plus President George W. Bush, he dey explained dat he will help fight corruption insyd Nigeria den help grow de economy. Though, dis dey turn out not to be so den instead he weaken foreign relations plus oda countries. For instance, as more Nigerians dey engage insyd trips abroad den consequently increase interactions plus citizens of oda states, issues of maltreatment of Nigerians abroad equally dey escalate insyd equal proportion. Thus, de period between 2007 den 2010 dey seem characterised of an era when globalization heavily impacted Nigeria ein foreign relations rather negatively. What appears to give credence to dis be de fact dat many Nigerians, insyd an attempt to utilize opportunities offered by globalization, become victims of de integration process. During de administration, incidences against Nigerians insyd de course of de country ein foreign relations plus oda states be at a high level. Na e be de same across Africa, Europe, den Asia. For instance, insyd May 2008, South Africans unleashed xenophobic attacks on immigrants den many Nigerians suffered grievous loss den distress insyd de process.

#### National Security

##### Violence insyd de Niger Delta
Under Yar'Adua, Nigeria ein oil-rich Niger Delta become increasingly militarized den insecure. Scores of civilians be murdered by armed gangs den security forces insyd 2007, den de violence further impede de impoverished region ein development. Much of de insecurity dat plague de Delta be directly related to failures of governance at all levels. Despite massive budget increase due to rising oil prices, federal, state, den local governments make no effective effort to address de grinding poverty den environmental degradation dat lay at de heart of political discontent insyd de region. Instead, many regional political figures be directly implicated insyd sponsoring den arming militia groups dat carry out violent abuses. Ein amnesty initiative for militants later bring peace into de Niger Delta.

#### 2009 Boko Haram Uprising
Insyd early 2009, Boko Haram dey launch a military campaign for Islamic rule insyd Nigeria. According to initial media reports, de violence begin on 26 July 2009 when Boko Haram launch an attack on a police station insyd Bauchi State. Clashes between de militants den de Nigeria Police Force dey erupt insyd Kano, Yobe den Borno. Which lead Yar'Adua to order an investigation into de killing of de leader of de radical Islamist sect, which be responsible for violence dat leave more than 700 people dead. Many be devastated den de war dey still go on today.

#### Illness
Yar'Adua leave Nigeria on 23 November 2009, den be reported to be receiving treatment for pericarditis at a clinic insyd Saudi Arabia. He no be seen insyd public again, den ein absence created a power vacuum which be usurped by a cabal. On 22 January 2010, de Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled dat de Federal Executive Council (FEC) have fourteen days to decide a resolution on whether Yar'Adua be "incapable of discharging de functions of ein office". De ruling sana state dat the Federal Executive Council should hear testimony of five doctors, one of whom should be Yar'Adua ein personal physician.

#### Doctrine of necessity
On 9 February 2010, de Senate controversially dey use de "doctrine of necessity" to transfer Presidential Powers to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, den declared him Acting President, plus all de accompanying powers, until Yar'Adua dey return to full health. De power transfer, consider illegal by some, be described as a "coup without de word" by opposition lawyers den lawmakers. However, there be odas who feel de power vacuum will lead to instability den a possible military takeover.

## Ein Personal life

#### Health
Insyd 2007, Yar'Adua, who suffer from a kidney condition, challenged ein critics to a game of squash insyd an endeavor to end speculations about ein health. On 6 March 2007, he be flown to Germany for medical reasons, further fomenting rumors about ein health. Ein spokesperson say dis be due to stress den quoted Yar'Adua as saying he be fine den will soon be back to campaigning. Anoda report, which be rejected by Yar'Adua ein spokesperson, dey claim dat Yar'Adua collapse after suffering a possible heart attack.

#### Wealth
On 28 June 2007, Yar'Adua publicly reveal ein declaration of assets from May (becoming de first Nigerian president to do so), according to which he have ₦856,452,892 (US$5.8 million) insyd assets, ₦19 million ($0.1 million) of which belong to ein wife. He sana have ₦88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) insyd liabilities. Dis disclosure, which fulfill a pre-election promise he make, be intended to set an example for oda Nigerian politicians den discourage corruption.

## Death den aftermath
On 24 February 2010, Yar'Adua dey return to Abuja under de cover of darkness. Ein state of health be unclear, but there be speculation dat he dey still on a life support machine. Various political den religious figures insyd Nigeria have visited him during ein illness saying he will make a recovery. Yar'Adua die on 5 May at de Aso Rock Presidential Villa. An Islamic burial dey take place on 6 May insyd ein hometown insyd Katsina.

De Federal Government of Nigeria declare a seven-day mourning period. Acting President Goodluck Jonathan say "Nigeria has lost de jewel on ein crown den even de heavens mourn plus our nation tonight. As individuals den as a nation we pray for de recovery of Mr President. But we take solace insyd de fact dat de Almighty be de giver den taker of all life."

US President Barack Obama offer condolences, stating: "He be committed to creating lasting peace den prosperity within Nigeria ein own borders, den continuing dat work will be an important part of honoring ein legacy."

## References

## External links

*Umaru Musa Yar'Adua: Vision for the Future
* Latest Music & Entertainment