Yar’adua Never Wanted To Be President –Widow

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Monday, May 8th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua, the widow of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has talked about her husband’s view concerning Nigerian politics and how destiny decided to make him Nigerian president.

Turai Yar’Adua stated this in a special interview with the BBC Hausa Service on the occasion of the 13th death anniversary of the late president.

The African Examiner recalls that Yar’Adua died on May 5, 2010, about three years into his reign as Nigeria’s 13th president.

Turai said: “All his life, all he ever wanted was to be a teacher, come home from school, sit with his family, and crack jokes till dusk. He wanted no politics or governance but as Allah wills, he joined politics and became the president.”

Speaking on how she has been dealing with the absence of her husband, especially on the anniversaries of his death, she said: “I think about Yar’Adua every day, and it’s the same for me, anniversary or no anniversary – I think about him and miss him every single day”

She added: “But I am happy on such anniversary days because the nation talks about him, and people across the country come together to say good things about him and pray for him. That truly gladdens my heart”.

Speaking on events surrounding his death, Turai said: “After he fell sick, I started fasting every day, and on that faithful May 5, 2010, at about iftar time, I held his hands and told him, I am stepping out for iftar and he nodded.

“A few minutes into my iftaar somewhere close, I was called back and I came back and met him gone. I still think I shouldn’t have gone for that iftaar. I should have stayed.

“But I thank the Almighty Allah for honouring me with Yar’Adua as a husband. It is the biggest privilege of my life and I am forever grateful to have spent a reasonable part of my life with this honourable man.

“Yar’Adua is a very simple man. He is humble and down to earth; he almost doesn’t care about comfort or luxury. Even as a governor, I remember he wore a particular wristwatch for months until the leather of the watch tore up. Yar’Adua is like that.

“He is a very good family man and he treats me and the children like royalties. I remember my first trip after his death. I got to my destination and kept staring at my phone but there was no call from him or anyone to ask how I landed. I cried no end that night.”