13 Years After, Turai Reveals How Former President Musa Yaradua Died

The wife of former President Musa Yar’Adua, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua has revealed details of the last moment of her husband on earth and how he later died.

According to her, she had been fasting every day since her husband took ill, and on that particular day that her husband died she was about to go and break her fast but as she was about to leave him, she felt like he didn’t want her to leave his side.

She narrated that shortly after she left her husband’s side to break her fast, she was called back and met the former President struggling to breathe.

According to her, she has never forgotten that moment and even blames herself for leaving his side when she did.

Naija News recalls Yaradua is a former Nigerian president who died in office on 5th May, 2010

”I was fasting on that day. In fact, I’ve been fasting nonstop from when he fell ill, even after he died I did not stop. So when it was time for me to break my fast, he was lying down looking at me.

“I felt he does not want me to leave. I told him I was going to break my fast. He then shook his head and I left. I was later called and I met him struggling with his breath. That moment still lingers in my mind. I even queried myself on why I left to break my fast, I should’ve stayed,” Turai stated in an interview on Saturday with BBC Hausa.

On how she felt after what happened, she explained that ” I’m a Muslim. I know life and death are realities. I know Allah gives and takes life. So what can I do ? I can only thank Allah who gave me and had taken away. I can’t be angry with Him for taking his life. Praise be to Allah.”

I Still Miss Him

During the interview, the former first lady revealed that she still misses her husband.

She said, “Praise be to Allah. I don’t feel anything. I’m used to it. I think about him every day. Every day seems like any other day. The only difference is that today; people gathered to pray for him, eulogize him and I’m happy. I thank them.”

He Wasn’t Corrupt

Turai added that all through the life of her husband, he was a very simple man who wasn’t concerned about amassing worldly wealth.

“He was simple. He was not carried away by worldly things. For example, he can be using a wrist watch continously until the strap gets broken into two.

“Unless if I see it, he would continue to use it like that. He was a very simple person who did not attach importance to worldly things. Even leadership, Allah destined he would be but he wasn’t that ambitious about it.”

She explained that they had a close and happy marriage.

On the happy moments with him, she said, “Our marriage was full of happiness. In fact people were saying they had never seen our kind of relationship. I was like a new bride everyday. That was why he always returned home straight, from the office.

“So, even if I travelled, once I reached my destination he would be the first person I would call. That was what I really missed. The first time I travelled and no one called me to say “Turai how was your trip?” That was the first time I cried over his death.”

Life After Office

The former first lady said she wasn’t too much involved in political activities and she only went to the office when there is work to be done.

She said, “Thanks be to Allah. Even while in government, I was not deeply involved. In my life, I value the home front. I was with my children and grand children. If you see me going to the First Lady’s office, then there was work to be done.

“If there’s no work to be done, I can stay home for 3 months without going to the office. I belonged to the home and even after his death, I continued looking after the children and grand children. I thank Allah, they are all very successful. None has gone astray. I thank Allah for that.”

On Goodluck Jonathan And Politics

On her relationship with his political associates particularly during President Jonathan’s administration after her husband’s death, she said, “We thank Allah. We’ve been together. But truly, I’m a woman who does not involve myself in affairs that are not mine. Even after his death, most of my children were in London studying. So most of the time I was there. But if I meet them, we exchange pleasantries as normal. But truly, there’s no problem.”

The former first lady added that she didn’t get herself involved in politics after her husband died.

“No no, I don’t. I knew what’s politics. I was in politics during my school days when my husband was President of Katsina Students Union. I was an executive member. I was in politics since then. But when Umaru died, my politics also died. But the children and grand children, by the will of Allah.”

Be Patient

Asked for her advice for the incoming First Lady, she said, “Thanks be to Allah. My advice for her is that she should be patient and continously be patient. This is because if her husband would be like Umaru, who stood for the right course, she would be the target. That was what happened to me. My husband was not taking alcohol, he does not go after women, he was not corrupt. So the only thing they could do to upset him because he loved his wife, was to attack his wife. “
“So she should be patient and never relent in advising him. She is the only one that will genuinely advise him. Others would only tell him what he wants to hear. The wife is the only one that would give him information and ask him to investigate. She should leave other things to Allah.”