Biography
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (born 16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010) was a Nigerian politician and businessman who served as President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010.
He took office on May 29, 2007 and died on May 5, 2010, before completing his first term.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua also served as Governor of Katsina State from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.
Former President of Nigeria
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua |
|
|---|---|
 Umaru Musa Yar’Adua: History ‧ Bio ‧ Photos |
|
| Wiki Events & About Data | |
| Full name: | Umaru Musa Yar’Adua |
| Stage name: | Yar’Adua |
| Born: | August 16, 1951 (age 58) |
| Deceased: | May 5, 2010, Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja (14 years old) |
| Place of birth: | Katsina, Nigeria |
| State of origin: | Katsina State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Height: | Do not have |
| Parents: | Musa Yar’Adua, Dada Habi Yar’Adua |
| Siblings: | Shehu Musa Yar’Adua |
| Wife • Husband/wife: | Umar Radda (m. 1992–1997), Turai Yar’Adua (m. 1975–2010) |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | Do not have |
| The children: | Zainab Yar’Adua Dakingari, Shehu Yar’adua, Aminu Yar’Adua, Maryam Yar’Adua, Nafisat Yar’Adua Yuguda |
| Job: | Politician • Businessman |
| Net worth: | $6 million – $10 million |
Early life
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was born on August 16, 1951 to Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua.
Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua was the Chief Minister of Lagos during the First Republic and served as the Matawalle (guardian of the royal treasury) of the Emirate of Katsina. His mother was Hajjia Dada Habi Yar’Adua.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s brother is Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who served as Chief of Staff (de facto Vice President) in the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo from 1976 to 1979.
Education
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua attended primary school at Rafukka Primary School and Dutsinma Boarding Primary School.
He is an alumnus of Keffi Government College where he studied from 1965 to 1969. He then studied at Barewa College and obtained his Senior Secondary Certificate in 1971.
He attended Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) from 1972 to 1975 and graduated with a Bachelor of Education and Chemistry. In 1978, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua returned to the university to pursue a Master of Science in Analytical Chemistry.
Career
After completing his first degree in 1975, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua got a job at Holy Child College, Lagos. He worked there from 1975-1976. He was then recruited as a Lecturer at the College of Arts, Science and Technology, Zaria, Kaduna State. He worked there from 1976 to 1979. By 1979, he had joined the College of Science and was a lecturer there for four years.
In 1983, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua moved from the public service to the private sector. He started working in agriculture and was the pioneer General Manager of Sambo Farms Ltd., based in Funtua, Katsina State. He was a farm employee from 1983 to 1989. In addition to his full-time job, he held other leadership positions during the eighties and nineties. He served as a Board Member of Kastina State Agricultural Supply Company (1984-1985), Board Member of Kastina Zaria College of Arts, Science and Technology and Kastina Polytechnic (1978-1983), and Board Chairman of Kastina State Real Estate Development and Investment Company (1994-1996).
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was also a director of several companies. Notable companies include Habibi Nigeria Bank Ltd (1995-1999), Lodigiani Nigeria Ltd (1983-1999) and Madara Ltd (1987 – 1999). He was also the Chairman of Nation House Press Ltd., Kaduna (1995-1999).
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua entered party politics during the Second Republic and was a member of the People’s Redemption Party from 1979-1983. He was a founding member of the People’s Front of Nigeria (PFN), a political group led by his brother, the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Notable members of the group included Atiku Abubakar, Baba Gana Kingibe, Bola Tinubu and Rabiu Kwankwaso. The PFN later merged with other political groups to form the Social Democratic Party.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was a member of the party’s National Caucus and the party’s State Secretary in Kastina. He won the party’s gubernatorial ticket and contested the 1991 Governorship election but lost to Saidu Barda of the National Republic Convention (NRC).
In 1998, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua joined the newly formed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and decided to give his second shot at becoming governor. He won the party’s gubernatorial ticket to contest the 1999 Governorship election and won. He assumed office as Governor on 29 May 1999 and was re-elected for a second term in 2003. He completed his second term on 29 May 2007 and was succeeded by Ibrahim Shema.
During his tenure as Governor, Kastina State experienced a lot of development. He was the first Governor in the country to declare his assets publicly. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua prioritized education in his administration and built many schools in local communities in the state. During his tenure, Kastina State became the fifth northern state to adopt Sharia or Islamic Law.
In December 2006, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua won the PDP presidential primaries and became the ruling party’s presidential candidate in the 2007 elections. He won the presidential elections held on 21 April 2007, gaining 70% of the votes (24.6 million). He was inaugurated as President on 29 May 2007. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar of the Action Congress (AC) were his two main candidates in the election. Upon taking office, he proposed a government of national unity, and the two opposition parties, the ANPP and the PPA (People’s Progressive Alliance), agreed to join his government.
On 26 July 2007, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua swore in his cabinet, which consisted of 39 ministers. His administration also announced the Seven Point Agenda in August 2007. This agenda was designed to help Nigeria become one of the top twenty economies in the world by 2020.
However, the government could not achieve its goal due to his sudden death on 5 May 2010. He died at the presidential villa in Aso Rock. He was buried according to Islamic rites on 6 May 2010 in his hometown of Kastina. After the death of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was announced, the Federal Government headed by Acting President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan declared seven days of mourning.
Personal life
In 1975, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua married Turai Yar’Adua. She was also from Kastina State. The couple had seven children – five daughters and two sons – and several grandchildren.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was also married to Umar Radda from 1992 to 1997 and they had two children together.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Turai Yar’Adua’s daughter, Zainab Yar’Adua Dakingari, is the wife of former Kebbi State Governor Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari. Their other daughter, Nafisat Yar’Adua Yuguda, is one of the wives of former Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda. Their daughter, Maryam Yar’Adua, is married to former Kastina State Governor Ibrahim Shema.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had seven children before his coronation. His children were: Zainab Yar’Adua Dakingari, Shehu Yar’adua, Aminu Yar’Adua, Maryam Yar’Adua, Nafisat Yar’Adua Yuguda.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua passed away at the age of 58. He had been suffering from kidney disease for many years and passed away after a long illness.
He was also the first Nigerian president to publicly declare his assets. He did so on June 28, 2007. At that time, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua had $5.8 million (USD) in assets and $0.5 million (USD) in liabilities.
Net worth
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua amassed a fortune from business investments and his salary as a civil servant.
His net worth is estimated to be between US$6 and US$10 million.
