14 years after Umaru Yar’Adua’s death: Nigeria would’ve been much better, says aide

Today is exactly 14 years since the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Born on August 16, 1951, he died on May 5, 2010 at the age of 59.  He would have been 73 now if he were alive.

He was declared the winner of the election held on 21st April, 2007, and served as president for three years.

Yar’adua earlier served as governor of Katsina State between 1999 and 2007, during which he succeeded in executing landmark projects and also turned around the civil service.

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Years after his death, many of his family members, friends, political associates, and some Nigerians, are remembering him with nostalgia.

Some of those who spoke to Daily Trust recollected his personal traits and leadership qualities, and called on present leaders to imbibe such values so that Nigeria can develop.

Basic honesty, Umaru’s distinctive feature – Cousin

His cousin and childhood friend, with whom they grew up together, Engr. Abu Aminu Yar’Adua, said basic honesty was late President Yar’Adua’s distinctive feature.

“We are first cousins. His father, late Matawalli Musa and my father, late Aminu, are of the same father and mother,” he said.

“My father literally brought up late Musa Yar’adua because he is his elder brother. Umar and I were agemates, although I am two years older than him, but as far as the family is concerned, they bunched us together.

“Right from our childhood up to our youthful age, Umaru had that leadership instinct. He had a great sense of humanity and humility. He was a focused person and whatever task Umaru was given, he would carry it out with utmost diligence, dedication and honesty; and that basic honesty is his distinctive feature,” he said.

He said as far as politics is concerned, Umaru was the co-founder of the Katsina Students and Old boys Association, which was the first Katsina province-wide organisation, which short-lived but was later revived by late Umaru, and it served as the springboard for his venture into politics.

He added that the good attitude displayed by late Umaru and many others among the family, was the outcome of the home training they received.

Why present day leaders can’t copy late Yar’Adua – Dr Mustapha Inuwa 

Dr Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa served in different capacities under the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua when he was the governor of Katsina State. He served as the General Manager of Katsina State Transport Authority (KSTA), Chairman Caretaker Committee of Danmusa Local Government Area (LGA), Commissioner of Education, and later the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

Responding to a question on the kind of qualities that the late president possessed which present crop of leaders should emulate, Dr Inuwa said the late president was unique.

“That would be very difficult because, for leaders to wear the shoes of late Umaru Yar’Adua, they must be completely non-materialistic, not self-centered, prudent and incorruptible”, Dr Inuwa, who also served as SSG under Governor Aminu Bello Masari said.

He said these are some traits that are hard to be combined by an individual.

“Umaru didn’t bother about amassing wealth, which is quite different from what is happening in the current leadership. So, it is only when you can combine these personal traits that you will be able to wear his shoes. But when you are looking for wealth, to own houses, to travel abroad, to own this and that, there is no way you can be like Umaru,” he said.

He added that Umaru was a frank and straightforward person when it comes to the issue of governance.

He said Yar’adua was “a focused leader who was always thinking of what to be done and how best to do it; always thinking on how to achieve success even if it was through his political opponent. He would keep politics aside so long as he believes in your capacity to do it.

“He was a leader with high sense of respect; he had self-respect and he respected others. He was a leader who really provided leadership. He could listen to you for an hour and he will appreciate your positions on issues even if they don’t tally with his own positions. He will respect and accept superior arguments on issues. This, I can count many instances, either in politics or in governance.

“Late President Yar’Adua was an incorruptible person. I cannot remember an instance where he did anything for his personal benefit. When I was in the ministry of education, we awarded a lot of contracts, but not a single did late Umaru, as governor, awarded for his personal interest or just for someone to benefit personally.

“He had never directed me to do anything that tilted toward dishonesty. He believed in following due process, following the rules and regulations and with him, you have no problem with EFCC, ICPC or whatever, because all you are doing was in order. He was an honest person and every day I remember him, I believe that Nigeria has really lost a leader who could have turned this country into a better place,” he said.

Asked where Nigeria would have been assuming Yar’adua lived and served for two terms, he said, “Nigeria would have been a completely different country.”

He added, “Another quality of leadership of late Yar’Adua was his ability to identify those who have the capacity to deliver, and he would give them all the encouragement they needed to discharge their responsibilities.

“He was also a leader who was focused and he had foresight. He could do things that would benefit people even if it will take years to complete. He would take a decision even if at that moment it sounds unpopular. If he believed it will benefit the people, he will go ahead and execute it, and eventually people will come to realise that it was the best decision.

“In terms of finances, when he took over in 1999, the treasury (of Katsina State) was virtually empty. Also, the state owed contractors, and gratuities were not being paid and so on. But Umaru did not dance to the gallery by just starting to award contracts and so on. He made sure that he generated enough money to settle those debts the state owed, and then he ensured that he had enough money to execute projects.

“For instance, when I left the ministry of education, the person that succeeded me as commissioner inherited in the bank, not on papers, the sum of N1.7 billion. We did not owe any contractor a kobo, and we didn’t borrow a dime. In fact, banks were coming to us to collect deposits. That tells you how prudent Umaru was. Honestly, the foundation he laid, had it been those who came after him had built upon it, Katsina would have been a different place now,” he said.

What Yar’Adua told and taught me – Dr Muttaqha Darma

In his book titled ‘What Yar’Adua told and taught me’, which is being launched today (Sunday) in commemoration of the 14th anniversary of the death of the late president, Dr Muttaqha Rabe Darma, described the late president as a leader with a grounded and compassionate demeanour, consistently prioritising the welfare of the population.

He said he began his 23 years of relationship with late Yar’Adua when he was a student, saying: “As a young and idealistic scholar at that time, I was drawn to Yar’Adua’s calmness and confidence. Yar’Adua’s speeches differed from the standard political rhetoric of the period, focusing on ethical governance and service to the people rather than empty promises.”

Dr Darma said Yar’Adua is commemorated as a forward-thinking leader, whose values and actions profoundly influenced the country, emphasising his commitment to ethical leadership, transparency, and accountability in governance.

He spoke on Yar’Adua’s initiatives aimed at Improving agriculture, education, and economic development, his fight against corruption and efforts to promote clean governance, serving as a source of motivation for future leaders.

How he emerged as president

Late President Yar’adua was sworn-in on May 29, 2007 as the 13th president of Nigeria. This was at the return of democratic rule after years of military dictatorship.

He was elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party of which he was a foundation member.

His late father, Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua, was a Minister for Lagos in the First Republic and also held the chieftaincy title of Matawalle (Custodian of the Royal Treasury) of the Katsina Emirate, a title which the late President Yar’Adua inherited.

His emergence as the PDP presidential candidate was unprecedented as it was also unexpected.

At the primaries held between December 16 and 17, 2006, Yar’Adua was chosen as the presidential candidate for the 2007 election, receiving 3,024 votes from party delegates, while his closest rival, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, received 372 votes.

Late President Yar’Adua’s success in the primary election was attributed to the support of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. As at the time of his nomination, he was a reticent and not-well-known figure on the national stage. He was also described as a ‘puppet’ of Obasanjo, who could not have won the nomination under fair circumstances.

The scenario led to acrimony in the leadership and ranks of the PDP, with a former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, saying that former President Obasanjo “hounded” frontrunners for the party’s ticket, to “anoint” Yar’Adua as the party’s presidential candidate.

Shortly after his nomination, Yar’Adua chose Goodluck Jonathan, who was the governor of Bayelsa State, as his vice-presidential candidate.

In the presidential election held on 21st April, 2007, Yar’Adua won 70 per cent of the votes or 24.6 million votes, according to official results released on 23rd April by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The election was highly controversial, criticised by observers, as well as the two primary opposition candidates, then Muhammadu Buhari of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Atiku Abubakar of the defunct Action Congress (AC).

Umaru, are you dead?

One of the highlights of the 2007 presidential campaign was the health scare of Yar’Adua as the PDP candidate.

At the heat of the campaigns for the election, Yar’Adua had to be flown abroad, to treat a chest infection that resulted from the dust and stress of the campaign. This led to rumours that he had died at a German hospital.

When the rumours became strident, Obasanjo, standing on a campaign podium, put a call to Germany, where the popular “Umaru, are you dead scenario played out. “They say you are dead. Are you dead?”, asked Obasanjo.

Yar’Adua was then heard in the background as more aides drew microphones closer to pick the voice off the telephone that he was alive.

Sources said Obasanjo, despite pressure from many quarters, chose Yar’Adua as successor because of his prudence.

His landmark achievements

The late Yar’Adua was seen as a nationalist, who wanted political stability and economic prosperity for the nation and the citizenry.

On June 28, 2007, late Yar’Adua made history, becoming the first Nigerian President to publicly disclose his assets.

This was in fulfilment of a pre-election promise he made, and he intended to set an example for other Nigerian politicians so as to discourage corruption.

He said he had N856,452,892 in assets, N19 million of which belonged to his wife. He also had N88,793,269.77 in liabilities.

In August 2007, his administration unveiled a popular seven-point agenda to be the focal point of the administration’s solution to developmental challenges. It was also a stated goal of elevating Nigeria to be among the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020.

The agenda are Infrastructure, power and energy; food security, wealth creation, transport, land reforms, security and education.

He also showed commitment to electoral reforms, even publicly admitting that the election which brought him to power was flawed.

This led him to establish an Electoral Reform Committee to look into the legal factors, social and political institutions and security issues that affect the quality and credibility of elections in the country.

The reform committee was headed by a former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais.

Amnesty for Niger Delta militants

Another landmark achievement of his administration was the amnesty programme for Niger Delta militants.

June 25, 2009, late President Yar’Adua granted presidential amnesty to militants who had directly or indirectly participated in the commission of offences associated with economic sabotage in the Niger Delta Region, and who were willing to surrender their weapons and renounce armed struggle within a 60-day ultimatum.

The policy was part of the recommendations of the Niger Delta Technical Committee (NDTC).

The amnesty policy also led to the creation of the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta, and the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) scheme.

Many indigenes of the oil-rich Niger Delta were then engaged in sabotage, oil siphoning rackets and kidnappings by criminal gangs, who say they were fighting to gain the local population a greater share of the country’s oil wealth.

The Yar’Adua government had responded with a two-pronged strategy: while the military launched a major ground, air and sea offensive to flush militants out of their camps in the region, those willing to drop their arms were pardoned and initiated in various educational and vocational skills trainings to enhance their livelihoods.

A story was told of how Yar’Adua achieved this.

“The first thing was that he called all his service chiefs and those that were next to them in ranking for a meeting,” a source told the Daily Trust.

“He then asked them what were there challenges and the amount they needed in order to solve the problems. They gave him a figure and when he looked at it, he did not reduce a penny, but same with a caveat!

“He asked them to give him a timeline for resolving the Niger Delta crisis, failing which he will sack them and replace them with their deputies,” the source said.

Late President Yar’Adua then announced the amnesty deal, including cash and other empowerment incentives. This included freedom for Henry Okah, a suspected leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), one of the then most active militant groups in the Delta Region.

Okah accepted the amnesty offer after treason and gun-running charges against him were dropped, to be followed by another MEND leader in Bayelsa State, Ebikabowei Victor Ben, or Boyloaf, who also accepted the peace deal.

Reduction of fuel pump price

Another major decision which endeared the late President Yar’Adua to many Nigerians was the reduction in the pump price of petrol.

His predecessor, former President Obasanjo had jerked up the fuel pump price on May 27, 2007, from N65 to N75/litre-two days before he handed over to Yar’Adua.

Yar’Adua, a month after taking over, reversed the increment from N75 per litre of petrol to N65 per litre.

The move was welcomed by the Nigerian populace, as it provided some relief from the high cost of transportation and goods, which were directly impacted by the previous hike;

Other actions

Another significant Obasanjo policy reversed by Yar’Adua was the sale of two of Nigeria’s refineries. The Obasanjo administration had completed that deal with Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote. Yar’Adua returned the two refineries to the then Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The issue generated friction between Yar’Adua and his predecessor. According to Obasanjo, Dangote, leading a consortium of investors had paid $750 million for the two refineries as the federal government was unable to manage them at the time.

There was also the controversy over the reversal of the appointment of a permanent secretary for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

Obasanjo had through a former FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in 2005, appointed a permanent secretary for FCT.

However, following the scrapping of the defunct Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory, the office of the permanent secretary was scrapped by Yar’Adua with late Deji Omotade as the last permanent secretary then.

Office of Chief of Staff

While former President Obasanjo appointed retired General Abdullahi Mohammed, previously the National Security Adviser (NSA), as the first Chief of Staff to the President, he continued in this role until after the first year of the late Yar’Adua presidency, with his Deputy Gbolade Osinowo, succeeding him.

Yar’Adua, however abolished the office, and instead relied on a group of close advisers.

Following Yar’Adua’s death on the 5th of May, 2010, his then deputy, Goodluck Jonathan assumed office as president.

In a bid to consolidate his nascent presidency, Jonathan appointed his ally Mike Oghiadomhe as Chief of Staff and General Aliyu Gusau as his NSA.

Sale of 102 Unity Schools

Late President Yar’Adua’s administration also halted an initiative of his predecessor to privatise 102 elite public secondary schools across Nigeria.

The 102 schools, known as Unity Schools, were established in 1970, following the end of the country’s civil war. The aim was to foster greater unity among future leaders from different parts of the country.

But Obasanjo’s administration introduced a public-private partnership that would see the private sector manage the schools for profit, enabling the government to end its subsidy of the schools.

The move was opposed by parents and teachers’ unions, who argued that it would put quality education beyond the reach of the poor.

Health controversy and death

In 2007, Yar’Adua, who suffered from a kidney condition, challenged his critics to a game of squash in an endeavour to end speculations about his health.

However, few weeks later, on March 6, 2007, he was flown to Germany for medical reasons, further fomenting rumours about his health.

His spokesperson said this was due to stress and quoted Yar’Adua as saying he was fine and would soon be back to campaigning.

Another report rejected by his spokesperson, claims that Yar’Adua collapsed after suffering a possible heart attack.

Late Yar’Adua left Nigeria on November 23, 2009, and was reported to be receiving treatment for pericarditis at a clinic in Saudi Arabia.

He was not seen in public again, and his absence created a sort of power vacuum.

On January 22, 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had 14 days to decide a resolution on whether Yar’Adua was “incapable of discharging the functions of his office”.

The ruling also stated that the FEC should hear testimony of five doctors, one of whom should be Yar’Adua’s personal physician.

Doctrine of necessity

On February 9, 2010, amidst tension and fear of military takeover, the Senate used the “doctrine of necessity” to transfer presidential powers to Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, and declared him Acting President, with all the accompanying powers, until Yar’Adua returned to full health.

Death and aftermath

On February 24, 2010, late President Yar’Adua returned to Abuja under the cover of darkness.

His state of health was unclear, but there was speculation that he was still on a life support machine from the aircraft (air ambulance) before he was moved to a specially procured State House ambulance to the Presidential Villa.

There was also controversy that Yar’Adua’s security details prevented Jonathan from seeing his boss after his arrival.

Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010 at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, and was buried the following day in his hometown of Katsina.

Then acting President Goodluck Jonathan said “Nigeria has lost the jewel on its crown”.

Remembering Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’adua: A Tribute to a Noble Leader

In the heart’s quiet chambers, Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’adua resides,

A leader, a beacon, in memories that softly glide.

Beyond titles and roles, his essence bright and pure,

Guiding our souls with wisdom, steadfast and sure.

Governor, President, yet greater in depth,

Honored for his integrity, a leader we all kept.

In a land where deceit often holds sway,

He stood tall, truthful, lighting the way.

His gaze spoke truths, emotions unfurled,

Radiant sincerity, a rare, precious world.

Teaching us to rise above ill will’s dark art,

Embracing kindness, a beacon in our heart.

My path crossed his, a humble student in awe,

Captivated by his vision, his every foresaw.

In the depths of the night, discussions rich and deep,

Guided by his wisdom, our spirits would leap.

In history’s tapestry, his name etched in gold,

A legacy of grace, a story retold.

As tears once fell for heroes past,

Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s light forever cast.

Rest in peace, noble soul, in God’s tender embrace,

Your spirit lives on, a symbol of grace.

President and Commander, revered and true,

In our hearts, forever, we honor you.

Dr Tanimu Yakubu Kurfi