Posted by By ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina on
Monday, April 23, 2007, will remain unforgettable for Governor Umaru Yar'Adua of Katsina State. The day marked a turning point in the life of the 56-year-old presidential standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally declared him winner of the race for 2007 presidency.
Monday, April 23, 2007, will remain unforgettable for Governor Umaru Yar'Adua of Katsina State. The day marked a turning point in the life of the 56-year-old presidential standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally declared him winner of the race for 2007 presidency.
Born to the highly influential Yar'Adua family, Umar is an astute politician and accomplished intellectual. He began his career as a lecturer at the Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology, KCAST, Zaria in 1976 and moved to Katsina Polytechnic in 1979.
Governor Yar'Adua first showed interest in politics at KCAST when he became an active member and mobilizer for the defunct Peoples' Redemption Party (PRP).
He did not see anything wrong in joining the PRP, which to him, had the potential to drastically improve the lot of the poor and the needy and enhance socio-economic growth of the nation despite the fact that his father, the late Mutawalle Musa Yar'Adua, a former minister was a chieftain of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
In 1988, he was a member of the Constituent Assembly. He was successful in his first public assignment as he represented his people well.
With the return of partisan politics during President Ibrahim Babangida's political transition programme in the early 1990s, Umar Yar'Adua joined the People's Front, a political association under the leadership of his elder brother, the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua.
That association later fused with other political groups to form the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Yar'Adua became the party's secretary in Katsina State . He later emerged the governorship candidate of the party in 1991 but lost to the candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Driven by dream
In 1998, , Umar Yar'adua could not only hold his ground on the political landscape but his antecedent also linked him up with like minded people driven by the dream to better the lot of his people to form K34, a political association, at the inception of Abdulsalami Abubakar's transition programme.
The political association soon fused with other groups to form the PDP and Umar Yar'Adua became the governorship candidate of the party. He was elected governor of the state in 1999 and re-elected in 2003.
A man with rare legacies
Nature has bequeathed Umar Yar'Adua with legacies very rare to find in a single lineage. His father was a minister while his elder brother, the late General Shehu Musa Yar'Adua was the nation's number two citizen during General Olusegun Obasanjo military regime and the presidential candidate to beat before President Ibrahim Babangida banned him and other contestants from the race for 1993 presidency.
Above all, Governor Yar'Adua was born into a family that has made its mark on the political and administrative map of Katsina and indeed the country.
He left the academia in 1983 to assist his family in the administration of their group of companies. Governor Yar'Adua has a wealth of business experience.
His movement to the private sector started at Sambo Farms Limited in Funtua, Katsina State, as its pioneer general manager from 1983 - 1989.
He also served as a director in other companies, including Habib Nigeria Bank Limited, 1995 - 1999; Lodigiani Nigeria Limited, 1983 - 1999; Madara Limited, Vom, Jos, 1987 - 1999.
He was the chairman, Nation House Press Limited, Kaduna from 1995 - 1999.
A man who achieved greatness
Governor Yar'adua has distinguished himself as a transparent and honest leader, an accomplished intellectual, a successful businessman and an astute politician.
The man is fondly remembered as the first governor to publicly declare his asset and has promised to do so again at the end his tenure.
Since 1999 when Governor Yar'Adua sauntered into Government House, Katsina, he has dazzled the state with remarkable performance. The state has gone through an unprecedented development, culminating in profound transformation of the educational, health, agricultural and infrastructural development sectors.
Today, the people of Katsina can boast of a governor with proven record of prudence, accountability and transparency. In appreciation of Governor Yar'Adua's invaluable contributions to the socio-economic development of the state, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammad Kabir Usman, conferred on him, the title of Mutawalle Katsina.
With several honours to his credit and several awards to show that he is a force to reckon with in various lines of human endeavour, the president-elect is still waxing stronger.
A man with visionary initiatives
Governor Yar'Adua has achieved greatness through his unique contributions to mankind although he could have had greatness thrust upon him through the recognition of the family he was born into.
Yar'Adua, according to Alhaji Abdulrrahman Abdallah, a junior colleague of the governor at Government College, Keffi, Nasarawa State, had always exhibited rare leadership qualities that qualifies him for the position of Nigerian president.
Abdallah, who is also the head of Katsina Civil Service said Nigerians have every reason to celebrate the victory of Yar'Adua because of his visionary initiatives and enduring legacies, which are being appreciated by the people of Katsina.
He said he has no doubt that Yar'Adua is a leader destined to take Nigeria to greater heights.
To Alhaji Ali Hussaini Dutsinma, a contemporary of Governor Yar'Adua at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, even as a student and president of Katsina State Students Association at the university, Yar'Adua contributed greatly to the development of the state by mobilizing other students to embark on free and voluntary adult literacy programme and other community development services across the state.
Hussaini, who is currently the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources described Yar'Adua as a man of excellent managerial skill, with great devotion to duty and a transparent leader that will bring these impeccable qualities to bear on his administration and he will bequeath an enviable legacy to Nigerians.
Looking back at Umar's childhood, his mum, Hajia Dada Habi Musa Yar'Adua, who is now in her late 80s, said Governor Yar'Adua was hardworking, humble and brilliant as a youth.
'Their father was a God fearing man, so they all grew up to be God fearing men and women", said Hajia Dada Habi who spoke through her stepdaughter, Saidatu Musa Yar'adua, 44, wife of the former minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sani Zango Daura, at the Yar'adua's palatial residence in Katsina recently.
To the adversaries of Governor Yar'adua, the problem is not Yar'Adua's character or capability, but the election that is bringing him into the presidency.
'The election was not credible, as you must have known. People thought it was going to be free and fair. We are dismayed by the conduct of the election", said Alhaji Sada Dalhatu, opposition party faithful in Katsina.
According to him, electoral irregularities are enthroning the PDP standard bearer as the next president rather than the strength of his character and vision.