Biography of Turai Yar'Adua

Turai Yar'Adua was married to Late President Musa Yar'Adua, she was the first lady of Nigeria from 29 May 2007 until the death of her husband, President Yar'Adua, on May 5, 2010. She was born on July 1957 in Katsina area metropolitan of northern, Nigeria.

She attended Garama Primary School in Katsina and Government Secondary School in Kankia, both in Katsina State.

She later enrolled at Katsina College of Arts, Science and Technology in Zaria, Kaduna State, where she was reportedly named "best student" in 1980. In 1983, She received a bachelor's degree in Language from Ahmadu Bello University.

She got married to Umaru Yar'Adua in 1975, and they have five daughters and two sons. One of their daughters, Zainab, is married to Usman Saidu Nasamu Dakingari, Governor of Kebbi State.

She was rumored to be one of her husband's closest advisors during his tenure as President of Nigeria.^[1] For example, She is believed to have influenced the choice of Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, the former Director-General of the National Action Committee on AIDS, as Nigeria's Minister of Health during her husband's administration.

Biography of Stella Obasanjo

Stella Obasanjo was the first lady of Nigeria, married to former president Olusegun Obasanjo, she was born on 14 November 1945 in Iruekpen, Esan West, Edo State to the family of  Dr. Christopher and Mrs. Theresa Abebe.

She began her education at Our Lady of the Apostles Primary School. She enrolled at St. Theresa's College, where she obtained her West African School Certificate in 1964 with grade one. Two years later she obtained the higher school certificate.

She was admitted to the University of Ife now (Obafemi Awolwo University), Ile-Ife, for a bachelor's degree in English, attending from 1967 to 1969. In 1969 she transferred to the UK to complete her studies, this time round, in insurance, in London and Edinburgh, Scotland, from 1970 to 1974. She completed her education with a certificate as confidential secretary from the Pitman College in 1976.

She returned to Nigeria in 1976 and soon after married General Obasanjo, who had become Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, following the assassination of General Murtala Mohammed.



She became Nigeria's First Lady in 1999, following the election of her husband as president.

As first Lady of Nigeria, she joined the Campaign Against Female Genital Mutilation and on 6 February 2003, she declared the day the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation.


She died a few weeks before her 60th birthday from complications of cosmetic surgery at a private health clinic in Puerto Banús, Marbella, Spain, on 23 October 2005. The surgeon, identified only as "AM" in court, was sentenced to one year of imprisonment in September 2009 on a charge of "causing homicide through negligence", disqualified from medicine for a period of three years and ordered to pay €120,000 (approximately US$176,000) in compensation to Stella Obasanjo's son.