Turai Yar’Adua recounts her husband’s death after 13 years

Turai Yar’Adua, the wife of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, has spoken about her husband’s death 13 years ago.

Yar’Adua, who served as President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010, was the first elected president to have died while serving due to ill health after spending three years in power.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Turai shared how her husband died moments after she left him to break her fast.

“I was fasting on that day. In fact, I had been fasting non-stop from when he took ill and even after he died, I did not stop,” she said.

“So when it was time for me to break my fast, he was lying down looking at me. I felt he did not want me to leave, so 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 quarrelled with myself on why I left to break my fast, I should have stayed.”

Turai also shared that her late husband led a simple life and was not “carried away by worldly things.”

“My husband was not taking alcohol, he would not go after women and he was not corrupt. He was a very simple person who did not attach importance to worldly things,” she said.

“For example, he could be using a wristwatch continuously until the strap gets broken into two. Unless I see it, he would continue to use it like that.”

Despite her husband’s political career, Turai has no plans to venture into politics herself.

“I lost interest in politics when my husband died,” she said.

“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.”