Shehu Musa Yar'Adua

**Shehu Musa Yar'Adua** (5 March 1943 – 8 December 1997) be a Nigerian general den politician who be de *de facto* vice president of Nigeria as Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters when Nigeria was under military rule from 1976 to 1979. He be a prominent politician during de later transition from military to civilian rule insyd de late 1980s den into de 1990s.

## Early life
Yar'Adua be born insyd Katsina into a titled family. Ein poppie, Musa Yar'Adua, be a teacher who later become de Minister for Lagos Affairs from 1957 to 1966 during Nigeria ein First Republic den hold de chieftaincy title of Tafidan Katsina before he be appointed to de title of  Mutawallin Katsina (*keeper of de treasury*). Yar'Adua ein grandpoppie, Malam Umaru, sana be de Mutawalli, den ein younger brother Umaru Yar'Adua, who later become de president of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010, hold de title as well. Ein paternal grandmommie, Malama Binta, a Fulani from de Sullubawa clan, be a princess of de Katsina Emirate den a sister of Emir Muhammadu Dikko.

Na Yar'Adua attend Katsina Middle School den then Katsina Provincial School (now Government College, Katsina) for ein secondary education; at de provincial school, wer na he be classmates plus former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari. At de urging of ein poppie den ein poppie ein paddie, defence minister Muhammadu Ribadu, Yar'Adua take de entrance exam of de Nigerian Military Training College. Na he pass wey na dem enlist am into de Nigerian Army insyd 1962 as part of de course 5 intake of de Nigerian military training school. Na dem select Yar'Adua for further training at de Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Na dem turban am as de Tafidan Katsina by de Emir of Katsina Muhammadu Kabir Usman.

#### Education
Yar'Adua start ein education at Rafukka Primary School insyd 1958, den move to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School insyd 1962. He dey 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 (ABU) insyd Zaria from 1972 to 1975, where he obtain a bachelor ein degree insyd Education den Chemistry, den then return insyd 1978 to pursue a master ein degree insyd Analytical Chemistry.

#### Career
After graduating from ABU, Yar'Adua begin ein professional career as a teacher at Holy Child College insyd Lagos from 1975 to 1976, as part of ein mandatory National Youth Service Corps service. He then work as a lecturer at de Katsina College of Arts, Science, den Technology from 1976 to 1979 den then at Katsina Polytechnic from 1979 to 1983, when he begin working insyd de private sector.

Yar'Adua work at Sambo Farms Ltd. insyd Funtua, Katsina state, as ein pioneer General Manager, between 1983 and 1989. He sana served 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.

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.

## Political career
During ein time at ABU, Yar'Adua be active insyd de university ein radical circles lead by Marxist historian Yusufu Bala Usman. Insyd de Second Republic (1979–83), he join Usman insyd de leftist People ein Redemption Party, while ein father 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 be one of de foundation members of de Peoples Front of Nigeria, a political association under de leadership of ein elder brother, Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. Dat association later form de Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Yar'Adua be a member of de 1988 Constituent Assembly. He be a member of de SDP ein National Caucus den de party ein 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 win de Katsina state governorship election. He be de first governor to publicly declare ein assets. Yar'Adua ein administration 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 delivered 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, dey receive 3,024 votes from party delegates; ein closest rival, Rochas Okorocha, 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 dey 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 belonged to de People ein Democratic Movement (PDM) – a powerful political block, dey found by ein late brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, who be Obasanjo ein second-in-command during ein military rule.

Insyd de presidential election dey hold on 21 April 2007, Yar'Adua win 70% of de votes (24.6 million votes) according to official results released on 23 April. De election be highly controversial. Strongly dey criticize 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 be largely 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), agreed 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 and 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 hamper a reform of de land tenure law.

#### Electoral reforms
Yar'Adua establish a presidential electoral reform committee to look into de legal factors, social den political institutions den security issues dat affects 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, wey remove some of de activities of INEC plus de creation of an electoral commission den a parties registration agency. E sana 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 explain dat he will help fight corruption insyd Nigeria den help grow de economy. Though, dis turn out no to be so den instead he weakened foreign relations plus oda countries. For instance, as more Nigerians engaged insyd trips abroad den consequently increased interactions plus citizens of oda states, issues of maltreatment of Nigerians abroad equally escalated insyd equal proportion. Thus, de period between 2007 den 2010 seemed 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 offer 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. E be de same across Africa, Europe, den Asia. For instance, insyd May 2008, South Africans unleashed xenophobic attacks on immigrants den many Nigerians suffer 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 impeded de impoverished region ein development. Much of de insecurity dat plagued de Delta be directly related to failures of governance at all levels. Despite massive budget increases 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 dey carry out violent abuses. Ein amnesty initiative for militants later brought peace into de Niger Delta.

#### 2009 Boko Haram Uprising
Insyd early 2009, Boko Haram launch a military campaign for Islamic rule insyd Nigeria. According to initial media reports, de violence begin on 26 July 2009 when Boko Haram launched an attack on a police station insyd Bauchi State. Clashes between de militants den de Nigeria Police Force 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 still be going 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 dey create a power vacuum which be usurped by a cabal. On 22 January 2010, de Supreme Court of Nigeria rule 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 stated dat de 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 use de "doctrine of necessity" to transfer Presidential Powers to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, den declare him Acting President, plus all de accompanying powers, until Yar'Adua 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 life matter
Umaru Yar'Adua marry Turai Yar'Adua insyd 1975; dem get seven kiddies (five daughters den two sons) den several grandchildren. Yar'Adua sana be married to Hauwa Umar Radda, a sister to politician Dikko Umar Radda. Demma marriage last from 1992 to 1997 den had two sons.

Demma daughter, Zainab, be married to de former Kebbi state governor, Usman Dakingari. Anoda daughter, Nafisa, be married to Isa Yuguda, a former governor of Bauchi state. Ein sister Maryam be married to Ibrahim Shema, Yar'Adua ein successor as Katsina state governor.

#### Health
Insyd 2007, Yar'Adua, who suffer from a kidney condition, dey 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 would soon be back to campaigning. Anoda report, which be rejected by Yar'Adua ein spokesperson, claims dat Yar'Adua collapsed 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 belonged to ein wife. He sana have ₦88,793,269.77 ($0.5 million) in liabilities. Dis disclosure, which fulfilled 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 return to Abuja under de cover of darkness. Ein state of health be unclear, but there be speculation dat he be 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 take place on 6 May insyd ein hometown insyd Katsina.

De Federal Government of Nigeria declared 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 prayed 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 insyd Nigeria ein own borders, den continuing dat work will be an important part of honoring ein legacy."

## References



## Read further

* *Shehu Musa Yar'Adua: A Life of Service* (Lynne Rienner Pub., 2004). 
* *Nigeria at Fifty: Contributions to Peace, Democracy & Development* (Edited by Attahiru M. Jega & Jacqueline W. Farris, 2010). 
* *Neither North nor South, East nor West: One Nigeria* (Jacqueline W. Farris illustrated by Mustapha Bulama, 2011). 
## External links

* Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation