By Nicholas Ibekwe


A story is told of how prior to the 1991 governorship elections in Nigeria, a group of Umaru Yar’Adua loyalists visited the influential late Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. Their objective was to persuade the retired General to help ensure that his younger brother became the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the elections. It would have been a simple task for the elder Yar’adua who was the de facto leader of the party, and of Katsina, their home state.

“Is it Umaru that wants to be governor or Turai,” the General reportedly asked. None of the lobbyists answered. The younger Yar’Adua didn’t pursue his ambition on that occasion, but the comments by the elder Yar’adua have been cited as evidence that even back then it was clear to those close to Umaru Yar’adua that he had a wife who wanted power and had enough influence on her husband to ensure that were he to get elected into office, she would play a significant role.

The comments attributed to the Senior Yar’adua seem even more insightful when viewed in the context of unfolding events in Nigeria.

However, not much was known about Turai, outside the family circle but all that changed in 1999 when Mr. Yar’Adua was elected the governor of Katsina State long after the death of his brother. As the First Lady, Mrs. Yar’adua is reported to have exercised considerable power, way above what one would expect of a mere consort to a governor. Physically, Mrs. Yar’adua’s has a quiet mien and from her appearance alone one would be hard pressed to imagine her capable of the political manipulations and intrigues that have been credited to her in the past few months.

Easily recognisable by her shawl and make-up, she got married to President Yar’Adua in 1975.

She attended Government Secondary School, Kankia, in present day Katsina State, and Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology. For a while she worked as a teacher before retiring and becoming a full time housewife. Her modest Curriculum Vitae would indicate a woman who didn’t do much prior to becoming the first lady of Katsina State. From then on, she seemed to have steadily risen and become the driving force behind her husband’s government.

Government insiders believe Mrs. Yar’Adua has actually been running the government for sometime as the president has been too ill since assuming office to preside over the affairs of the state effectively. For a handful of those who knew Mrs. Yar’adua way back in Katsina, this apparently comes as no surprise.

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what a wonderful wife ,so all this while our president dey inside bottle,na god no watin him go do that lady