… Says he had accommodating spirit, enormous goodwill
Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday described his late boss, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of the country.
Many believe the former Katsina Governor was best leader of Africa’s most populous nation since the return to multi-party democracy in 1999.
He was the second civilian President under Nigeria’s current constitution. Yar’Adua took office in 2007 and led for 3 years.
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He died at 58 in ten years old and was flown back for burial. His known cause of death was said to be pericarditis – inflammation of a membrane around the heart.
Yar’Adu was succeeded by his then Vice-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Jonathan who completed Yar’Adua’s term and won a substantive term in 2011 was among the first to post a message of remembrance of his former boss on his Facebook page.
He said Yar’Adua built strong bridges of hope, love and understanding for which he became a force for national unity and positive change across the country.
Jonathan’s message reads in part: “It has been a decade since His Excellency President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was snatched by the cold hands of death. On this day, every year, his image fills our consciousness as a mark of his selflessness, typical modesty and exceptional flair.
“He was a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of his country. He stood on the side of the people, toiling day and night to make their lives better.
“In many ways he stood out. He had an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill that secreted a web around our national fault lines to strengthen the bond; thus leaving for his successors the task of reinforcing the band.
“President Yar’Adua no doubt left enduring legacies in his wholehearted devotion to the ideals of democracy, respect for peoples’ rights, freedoms and reason for living as well as commitment to the rule of law and laws of equity and justice.
“I will continue to remember President Yar’Adua as a colleague and boss who became my brother and friend”.
