Remembering Umaru Musa Yar’adua (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010)

9 years ago

Remembering Umaru Musa Yar’adua (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010)

President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (16 August 1951 – 5 May 2010), also known as Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’adua, was the President of Nigeria and the 13th Head of State.

He served as governor of Katsina State in northern Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 28 May 2007.

He was declared the winner of the controversial Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 2007.

He was a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

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Early life
Yar’Adua was born into an aristocratic Fulani family in Katsina; his father, a former Minister for Lagos during the First Republic, held the royal title of Mutawalli (custodian of the treasury) of the Katsina Emirate, a title which Yar’Adua has inherited.

He started his education at Rafukka Primary School in 1958, and moved to Dutsinma Boarding Primary School in 1962.

He attended the Government College at Keffi from 1965 until 1969. In 1971 he received a Higher School Certificate from Barewa College.

He attended Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria from 1972 to 1975, attaining a BSc in Education and Chemistry, and then returned in 1978 to achieve an M.Sc Degree in Analytical Chemistry.

Professional career
Yar’Adua’s first employment was at Holy Child College in Lagos (1975–1976). He later served as a lecturer at the College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, between 1976 and 1979.

In 1979 he began working as a lecturer at College of Art Science, remaining in this position until 1983, when he began working in the corporate sector.

He worked at Sambo Farms Ltd. in Funtua, Katsina State as its pioneer General Manager between 1983 and 1989.

He served as a Board Member, Katsina State Farmers’ Supply Company between 1984 and 1985, Member Governing Council of Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology Zaria and Katsina Polytechnic between 1978 and 1983, Board Chairman of Katsina State Investment and Property Development Company (KIPDECO) between 1994 and 1996.

Yar’Adua served as a director of many companies, including Habib Nigeria Bank Ltd. 1995–1999; Lodigiani Nigeria Ltd. 1987–1999, Hamada Holdings, 1983–1999; and Madara Ltd. Vom, Jos, 1987–1999.

He was Chairman, Nation House Press Ltd., Kaduna, from 1995 to 1999.