Musa Yar'Adua

Musa Yar'Adua (1912–1993) was a Nigerian politician and teacher who served as the Minister of Lagos Affairs during Nigeria's First Republic. Yar'Adua was minister when Lagos Island and the capital territory was designated as the city of Lagos in 1963. Before entering politics, he worked as a school teacher for fourteen years and later held administrative positions in the Katsina Native Authority. From 1953 until his death, he was a member of the Katsina Emirate Council, serving first as Tafida and later as Mutawalle. He was the father of Umaru Musa Yar'adua, Nigeria's 13th president, and Shehu Musa Yar'adua, Chief of Staff of Obasanjo's military government.

Early life and education Musa Yar'Adua was born in 1912 in Katsina, then part of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. His father, Mallam Umaru, held the title of Mutawalle (royal treasurer) of the Katsina Emirate during the reign of Emir Muhammadu Dikko. His mother, Malama Binta, was Fulani from the Sullubawa clan, and a sister of Emir Dikko.

Minister of Lagos Affairs During the years before Nigeria attained independence in 1960 and in the First Republic (1960–1966), the capital city's physical, social and economic environment underwent a period of rapid growth. Yar'Adua's ministry collaborated with the Lagos City Council and executive development board to manage development with the capital.

Personal life Yar'Adua was married to Hajiya Dada (1922–2024). They have had several children, including Shehu, Chief of Staff of Olusegun Obasanjo's military government, Umaru, Nigeria's 13th president, and Abdulaziz, who is a member of the Nigerian Senate.