Chapter 15 of 17
Honouring a Hero - Commemoration
On March 4, 1999, the First National Programme of Commemoration was held in Kaduna to honor Shehu Musa Yar'Adua following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha on June 8, 1998, of mysterious causes. Abacha's successor, General Abdulsalam Abubakar, quickly released political prisoners and permitted new elections. To preserve Yar'Adua's leadership legacy, the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Foundation was launched on April 7, 2000. The groundbreaking ceremony for the Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre was chaired by President Olusegun Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku Abubakar, with former South African President Nelson Mandela attending as the Special Guest of Honour.
