Umaru Musa Yar’Adua

Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (born Aug. 16, 1951, Katsina, Nigeria—died May 5, 2010, Abuja) was a Nigerian politician who served as president of Nigeria (2007–10). His inauguration marked the first time in the country’s history that an elected civilian head of state had transferred power to another. Yar’Adua was born to an elite Fulani family, and his birthplace was an important centre of Islamic learning. His family was prominent in both traditional and modern politics; his...