Former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was a man with an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill who built bridges of hope, love and understanding among Nigerians, his predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan has said.
Jonathan who was Yar’Adua’s Vice in a special tribute on his Facebook page to commemorate the death of his former boss on Tuesday described the departed as one who lived and died for his country.
It will be recalled that Yar’Adua passed on to the great beyond on May 5, 2010, exactly 10 years ago after a protracted illness, paving way for Jonathan’s presidency.
Jonathan said that his former boss stood out in many ways, further described him as the best President Nigeria has ever had, promising to always mourn him.
He wrote: “It has been a decade since His Excellency President Umar Musa Yar’Adua was snatched by the cold hands of death. On this day, every year, his image fills our consciousness as a mark of his selflessness, typical modesty and exceptional flair.
“He was a President like no other who lived and died for the sake of his country. He stood on the side of the people, toiling day and night to make their lives better.
“President Yar’Adua built strong bridges of hope, love and understanding for which he became a force for national unity and positive change across our blessed land.
“In many ways, he stood out. He had an accommodating spirit and enormous goodwill that secreted a web around our national fault lines to strengthen the bond; thus leaving for his successors the task of reinforcing the band.
“President Yar’Adua no doubt left enduring legacies in his wholehearted devotion to the ideals of democracy, respect for peoples’ rights, freedoms and reason for living as well as a commitment to the rule of law and laws of equity and justice.
“I will continue to remember President Yar’Adua as a colleague and boss who became my brother and friend.”
