President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Yar’Adua family after the passing of their matriarch, Hajiya Aya, affectionately known as Dada. She was the mother of the late former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua.
In a statement released by his spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, President Tinubu praised Hajiya Dada for her legacy of compassion, faith, honesty, and good fellowship. He also extended his sympathies to Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’Adua, the people of Katsina State, and all those whose lives were touched by the late matriarch.
The President mourned her passing and prayed for the repose of her soul, affirming that “the beloved and remarkable matriarch of the Yar’Adua family will always be remembered for the support, peace, joy, and comfort she offered to many.”
Hajiya Dada passed away at the age of 101 on Monday evening at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina State. She was the wife of the late Musa Yar’Adua, a prominent Nigerian administrator who served as the Minister of Lagos Affairs during Nigeria’s First Republic. Her son, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, was a significant figure in Nigeria’s military and political history, serving as the de facto vice president of Nigeria during the military regime from 1976 to 1979.
Another of her sons, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, served as Nigeria’s president from 2007 until his death in 2010. Hajiya Dada’s legacy lives on through the impactful contributions of her family to Nigeria’s history.