Yar'Adua, born in the northern city of Katsina on Aug. 16 1951, was a devout Muslim. He came from a distinguished political family. His father was a minister in the first post-independence cabinet and his elder brother was number two in Obasanjo's military government from 1976 to 1979. A chemist by training, he was educated at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria from 1972-1975. He studied there for an MSc from 1978-1980. He married in 1975 and had seven children. __
