Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua was president of Nigeria from 2007, breaking the cycle of civilian rule and military coup which had dogged the country since independence. Yar'Adua was somewhat reclusive in his dealings with the public and press, and his only major political success was dealing with the civil unrest in the oil-rich Niger Delta -- convincing many to give up their arms during a three-month amnesty in 2009.
Date of Birth: 16 August 1951. Katsina, Nigeria
Date of Death: 5 May 2010, Abuja, Nigeria
An Early Life
Umaru Yar'Adua was born to elite Fulani family in Katsina, northern Nigeria -- one of Nigeria's the leading centers of Islamic study. Yar'Adua's father was prominent in both traditional and national politics -- he was the Mutawalli, the custodian of the royal Katsina treasury, and the federal minister for Lagos during the First Republic (1963-66). Yar'Adua's elder brother, Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, was an army general and served as deputy leader to Olusegun Obasanjo's military government of 1976-79.
Umaru Yar'Adua attended schools in central and northern Nigeria -- particularly the government college in Keffi from 1965 to 69, and Barewa College in Kaduna (considered to be the most prestigious school in northern Nigeria) until 1971. Yar'Adua attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Northern Nigeria, between 1972 and 75, where he obtained a BSc in Chemistry. (He went on to gain a masters degree from Ahmadu Bello in 1978.) Whilst at university, he developed a strong interest in Marxism (causing some tension in the family since his brother had Capitalist tendencies). In 1975 he married his first wife Turai.
Between 1975 to 1983 Yar'Adua taught as a chemistry teacher at various colleges and schools in northern Nigeria before becoming a business man: working as a manager (initially for Sambo Farms Ltd in Katsina) and director in several companies, including banks and investment houses.
Starting Out in Politics
Umaru Yar'Adua began his life in politics with the People's Redemption Party, PRP, during Nigeria's Second Republic (1979-83). The country had emerged from Olusegun Obasanjo's military government under the leadership of President Shehy Shagari (National Party of Nigeria). Shagari's rule was largely ineffectual, with widespread corruption. After winning a second term through a questionable election, Shagari was overthrown by Muhammadu Buhari in a military coup in December 1983.
A second military coup followed in 1985, when chief-of-army staff Ibrahim Babangida removed Buhari. Nigerian politics entered a transitional stage, from 1989 to 93, as Babangida began the transfer of government to civilian rule. During this period Umaru Yar'Adua became a founding member of the People's Front, PF, along with his brother Shehu Musa who became the party's leader. Umaru Yar'Adua started looking towards state politics and stood as a candidate for the Katsina gubernatorial (ie state) election. He lost to an ally of Babangida. In 1992 Umaru Yar'Adua married his second wife, Hajiya Hauwa. They were divorced five years later.
Having discovered he enjoyed being in power, Chairman of the Armed Forces Ruling Council Ibrahim Babangida did his best to stymie the transition of power -- annulling the presidential election of 12 June 1993 which he had lost. He was forced to hand over government to an Interim National Council, under Ernest Shonekan in August 1993. Only three months later, another military coup put General Sani Abacha in power. Umaru Yar'Adua and his brother were imprisoned in 1995 (along with Olusegun Obasanjo) during the middle of Sani Abacha's period of military rule (1993 to 98) -- they were accused of plotting a coup. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua died in prison in 1997.
As A State Governor
Olusegun Obasanjo along with Umaru and Shehu Yar'Adua were founding members of the People's Democratic Party, PDP, which became the most 'national' of Nigeria's political groups as Abacha's rule came to an end -- he died from an apparent hert attack on 8 June 1998. He was succeeded by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who released many of Abacha's political prisoners. New elections for state assemblies, governorships, the National Assembly and the presidency were held through 1999. Umaru Yar'Adua once again ran for governor in Katsina state, under the mandate of the PDP. He won (and was re-elected in 2003). Olusegun Obasanjo was elected president in May 1999, creating Nigeria's Fourth Republic.
As state governor Yar'Adua is credited with a focus on socio-economic development, especially within education and health. He was also, however, accused of nepotism -- several key contracts were given to companies linked to his family's business empire. Charges of corruption, a common thread to Nigeria's post independence history, were not uncommon and Yar'Adua had attempted to preempt these by publicly revealing his assets before the election took place. Katsina state had significant debts, inherited from his predecessors' terms as governor. But Yar'Adua was a prudent state official, and over the next two terms turned the deficit into a $50 million surplus. In 2000 Katsina became the fifth Nigerian state to adopt Sharia Law.
Yar'Adua for President
Yar'Adua was selected by Olusegun Obasanjo as the People's Democratic Party's (PDP) candidate in presidential elections for 2007 -- Obasanjo had served his two terms and could not run again. It was rumored at the time that Obasanjo used both political inducements and the threat of investigation by the state's anti-graft agency to bring the other state governors in line with his choice (rather than run themselves). It is also possible that Obasanjo considered Yar'Adua to be suitable puppet through which he could maintain power -- but in the end Yar'Adua didn't play along.
Yar'Adua ran against several popular military and political leaders, but won a landslide of 70% of the vote in April 2007. The victory, however, was clouded with accusations of vote rigging, voter intimidation, and violence. The election was criticized both nationally, and international observers. On 29 May 2007 Umaru Yar'Adua was inaugurated as Nigeria's 13th president -- this was the first time an elected president was succeeded by an new elected president (ie not a military take over), and Yar'Adua was the first Nigerian president to have a university education. Nigeria had high expectations for its 'new' regime.
Obasanjo had initiated several development programs, and Yar'Adua faced the enormous task of continuing them -- reestablishing peace and instituting reconciliation in the oil-rich Niger Delta, combating corruption (Yar'Adua once again declared his assets as part of the process, and was the first Nigerian president to do so). He also announced that he would improve the electrical power sector in Nigeria, and deal with the flawed electoral system (several state governor elections were, as a result, overturned).
Proving himself to be independent of Obasanjo, Yar'Adua reversed some of Obasanjo's policies, particularly the privatization of state companies. He also dropped key Obasanjo allies in the PDP (such as the head of the anti-corruption agency, Nuhu Ribadu, and the central bank governor, Chikwuma Soludo). Goodluck Jonathan, the governor of Bayelsa State, was selected to be vice-president.
Although Yar'Adua had a reputation for fair play, and being somewhat reclusive in his dealings with the public (and especially the media), he was also known to be a demanding leader who permitted little opposition in his party. Like Obasanjo, he used the threat of anti-corruption investigations to keep people in line. But he was slow to develop policy, and was given the nickname 'Baba-go-slow'.
Declining Health
Rumors of ill health soon surfaced, and he traveled abroad for medical treatment on several occasions (as it was revealed he had before the presidency). After visiting Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in November 2009 for heart and kidney problems, his critics in government called for power to be transferred to vice-president Goodwill Jonathan. They were worried by the increasing power vacuum caused by his absence. In interviews Yar'Adua refused to comment about his health, other than to say he was "in the hands of God."
A Nigerian court ruled, on 29 January 2010, that Yar'Adua was not obliged to transfer power, but his absence from the country became more pressing. On 9 February 2010 the Nigerian National Assembly voted to have Goodwill Jonathan assume full power (despite constitutional questions about his authority to do so) and take over as acting president. Although Yar'Adua returned to Nigeria on 24 February 2010, Jonathan continued in his role as acting president.
Umaru Yar'Adua died on 5 May 2010 at the presidential villa, Aso Rock, in Ajuba, and was buried in Katsina the following day according to Islamic tradition. Acting president Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as president on 6 May 2010 to serve out the remaining presidential term. Yar'Adua was survived by his wives and nine children (having had two sons and five daughters with his first wife Tauria, and two sons with his second wife Hajiya Hauwa).
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