REMEMBERING THE LATE PRESIDENT YAR'ADUA AUGUST 16, 1951 - MAY 5, 2010

It's hard to believe eight years have rolled by since we lost the most accepted President in our Nations History.
I was going through some unpublished works and came across this one and can't help but share it as we march towards 2019.

THE ARTICLE:

Whenever my income permits, I buy and read Newspapers. In time I have come to see many media personalities as role models, the list is endless; Dr. Reuben Abati, whom I have followed from his days in the then weekend classique, published by MEE (may her gentle soul continue to rest  in peace), Prof. G. G. Darrah the pen militant from the Niger Delta, who is now in the Academics, Edwin Madunagu, Femi Fani Kayode, Segun Adeniyi, Sonala Olumhense, oweilakemefa of Vanguard, levi Obiojiofor to mention but a few, the list indeed is endless.

I love to write but I do not posses the writing skills of my media icons. After reading Msgr. Matthew Hassan Kukah's piece  on Late President Yar’adua and that of Segun Adeniyi am forced to pick my pen and ask a few questions;

1) Did His Excellency the Late President Yar’Adua assess his personal health condition critically before running for the highest office of the land?

Gary Redding recounted the story of Senator Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts. In January, 1984, he announced that he would retire from the U.S Senate and not seek reelection. Tsongas was a rising political star. He was a strong favorite to be reelected, and had even been mentioned as a potential future candidate for the Presidency or Vice Presidency of the United States.

A few weeks before his announcement, Tsongas had learned that he had a form of lymphatic cancer which could not be cured but could be treated. In all likelihood, it would not greatly affect his physical abilities or life expectancy. The illness did not force Tsongas out of the Senate, but as John C. Maxwell puts it in his book “Developing the leader Within You” it did force him to face reality of his own mortality. He would not be able to do everything he might want to do. So what were the things he really wanted to do in the time he had?

He decided that what he wanted most of his life, what he would not give up if he could not have everything he might want, was being with his family and watching his children grow up. He would rather do that than shape the Nations laws or get his name in the History books.
Shortly after his decision was announced, a friend wrote a note to congratulate Tsongas on having his priorities straight. The note read: “Nobody on his death bed ever said ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business”

I say this because from the moment the late president was nominated by the biggest party in Africa his health became a subject of discussion and his health or ill health eventually separated him from his beloved family and Nation. In retrospect would late president Yar’Adua have taken the step taken by Tsongas if he was well advised? If he did, perhaps he may still be with us today, perhaps, perhaps. Have no illusions, We know, life is unpredictable and death is a necessary end.

2) Why did not Segun Adeniyi who was privileged to serve the Great patriot and leader till death address the one issue that turned the good will the late president enjoyed to scorn and disdain from Nigerians? His health!

Nigerians knew at least that the President had some health challenges that have forced him to seek treatment abroad even during the campaigns and all Nigerians wanted to know from the most accepted President that the Nation has ever produced was he was faring in Saudi Arabia, but we were thrown into a circle of hearsay and deceit and wild goose chase as delegation after delegation made fruitless trips to see our beloved President and in that most trying period Mr. Adeniyi kept  mute, perhaps he too was in the dark? Until we were told he had been flown into the country at Night in a darkened Airport.

3) What informed the hide and seek game? Why was he flown in at night and why were the lights at the Airport switched off? Why did his handlers prevented highly placed Nigerians including the then Vice President from seeing him?

I repeat the late Yar’Adua is the most accepted President this country has produced so far and his place in History will always remain a shining light that like Elton John sang was extinguished “like a candle in the wind” we continue to pray that God grant his soul eternal rest and give the family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.