The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Muttaqa Rabe-Darma, have paid tribute to late President Umaru Yar’Adua, praising his legacy of “servant leadership,” humility, integrity, and commitment to the rule of law.
NAN reports that Yar’Adua, the 13th President of Nigeria, passed away on May 5, 2010.
Rabe-Darma, paid the tribute at a special lecture organized by the Students Union Government (SUG) of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University Katsina (UMYU) chapter.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture, was organised to commemorate the 16th anniversary of his passing.
The lecture was titled, ‘Celebrating Leadership Excellence in Memory of Late President Yar’Adua’.
The minister tasked Nigerian youths and emerging leaders to embrace integrity, selflessness and prudent use of resources.
He recounted a personal experience during his tenure as Commissioner for Youth and Sports under Yar’Adua when he served as governor of Katsina State.
“I had proposed an official trip to the U.S. alongside key sports officials to observe the World Cup and explore opportunities for sports development and investment.
“He called me and explained that the funds earmarked for that trip could instead be used to build seven blocks of two classrooms each. At the end, we cancelled the trip,” Rabe-Darma said.
The minister noted that the decision reflected the late leader’s commitment to prioritizing the needs of the people over personal or official comforts.
He added that one of Yar’Adua’s enduring legacies was the establishment of the state’s university, which he said has continued to serve as a hub for academic excellence and human capital development.
Earlier, the SUG President, Abubakar Ahmad, said the lecture was organized to reflect on the values that defined the late president’s leadership.
He further stated that, “We welcome you all as we remember the life and legacy of the late president.
“We have come together to remind ourselves of a leader whose life teaches us that true leadership is not measured by power but by integrity, not by position but by service, and not by words but by principles.”
The event drew students, academics, government officials and other stakeholders, who collectively emphasized the need for Nigerian leaders to emulate Yar’Adua’s humility, accountability and people-centred approach to governance. (NAN)
