My Husband Never Wanted To Be President – Yar’Adua’s Wife

Former First Lady and widow of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Hajiya Turai, claimed that her late husband’s election to the office of president was a matter of destiny and revealed that he never felt pressured to run for office.

Speaking to BBC Hausa on the 13th anniversary of his passing, Turai claimed that her late husband was simply an accidental politician because he had no interest in it.

“His life ambition was to be a teacher, come home from school, sit with his family and crack jokes till another day. He never wanted politics or governance but as Allah willed, he joined politics and became president

“Although he was a president, at that time, his lifestyle hadn’t changed. He never borrowed expensive life and remained simple and an easygoing person,” the former First Lady said.

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Speaking about her relationship with him and her missing husband, Turai said, “I think about Yar’adua every day, anniversary or no anniversary. I think about him and miss him every single day.

“But I am happy on such anniversary days because the country 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.”

When asked about the day he passed away, Turai said that she had begun fasting every day when he became ill and on that tragic May 5, 2010, at iftaar time, “I held his hands and told him I was stepping out for iftaar and he nodded. A few minutes later, I was called back and I met him dead.

“I regretted that day. I blamed myself for going iftaar. I still think 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 him,” she said.

Speaking about the incoming administration, Turai advised Remi Tinubu to exercise patience and tolerance because the road ahead is difficult and rocky.

Turai also expressed her belief that Remi Tinubu has what it takes to overcome the difficulties and support her husband in fulfilling his mandate.