Too Much For Turai: Turai’s secret agony
•Yar’Adua’s wife now prisoner in Aso Rock • Dad ill, flown to Egypt • Abandoned by friends and associates

First Lady, Mrs. Turai Yar’Adua, is currently in agony, which is known by only a few people. Although she cuts the image of a toughie and a superwoman, who, through her iron will, has held on doggedly to the reins of power on behalf of her ailing husband, President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, Saturday Sun can exclusively reveal that she is in much more pains than is known to the public.
Sources revealed that the First Lady has many woes, which has left her devastated.

Her father, Alhaji Alkali, suffers a serious illness. Also, her once-upon-a-time close friends and associates have not only shunned her but now hobnob with Acting President Goodluck Jonathan.

Saturday Sun also gathered that Mrs. Yar’Adua has been quarantined in Aso Rock villa, where she’s stuck with a husband in dire need of midwifery and cannot venture out to even see her daughter, who recently gave birth to a baby girl. To compound her problems, it was gathered, many Nigerians are calling her names, describing her as a ‘greedy, power-hungry woman’ who won’t let go despite strident calls for Yar’Adua to step down due to his health constraints.

Impeccable sources at the presidential villa revealed that this catalogue of woes has traumatised the First Lady, to the extent that she has become a shadow of herself and in most cases stays indoors to avoid the scorn of former members of the federal cabinet, especially, before they were sacked by Jonathan on Wednesday.

Saturday Sun learnt that the grandeur and perks of office, which, before the illness of President Yar’Adua, were at their peak, have reduced. At present, it was gathered, governors’ wives, who used to visit her as well as other dignitaries, who do her one favour or another, while in Abuja to see Yar’Adua, no longer do so.

The expansive living room, that used to burst at the seams, prior to last November, is now desolate. The army of sycophants, including those older than her, who called her ‘mama,’ has found other allies in the family of the acting president.

The fragile health of President Yar’Adua has weakened the First Lady as we reliably found. This was made worse, it was gathered, when the National Assembly approved Jonathan as acting president. She complains to the few remaining close associates that the transfer of power to Jonathan has banned her from reckoning. She is said to be greatly pained that Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of the acting president, who she earlier had brushes with, is now the person holding court at the presidential villa and getting all the attention at the villa.

The source said of the agony of the First Lady: “She still can’t believe that people like Prof. Dora Akunyili will turn against the president and his family. Of all the ministers, Dora was the closest. She had access to everywhere in her house, including the kitchen. Every Friday, Madam Turai used to prepare masaran (Hausa delicacy) and send to her. She used to fall over her. But today, she’s calling them names.”
It was gathered that Akunyili is not the only person in the recently dissolved cabinet who has deserted Turai and her ailing husband.

“There are some governors and ministers who made Aso Rock their second home. You will think that these governors live in Abuja, but now you can’t find them. The ministers have turned their back against the president and his family. Madam is shocked at this cruel and insensitive side of human nature,” the source said.

Saturday Sun learnt that even more agonising for the First Lady is her dad’s ill-health, which came about the same time her husband was in critical condition in Saudi. According to sources, Alhaji Alkali (her father) had to be flown to Egypt for urgent medical care, which was supervised by Turai’s personal doctor, Rasheed.

“She has been deeply troubled. Imagine a woman saddled with taking care of an ill husband and father at the same time. Imagine a woman who, because of these two critical events, couldn’t go and take care of her new grand daughter in Kebbi State. That woman is in pains and she is being abused daily and portrayed as a bad woman,” the presidential villa source said.

It was gathered that the dissolution of the federal cabinet devastated the first lady, as it means she has completely lost power. Sources said that until the sack of the Federal Executive Council, she was still getting information on the plans in government from the few ministers, who remained loyal to Yar’Adua. But with the dissolution of the cabinet and the planned constitution of a new one, she fears that she and her husband would not make any input.

The First Lady’s close confidant told Saturday Sun: “Wednesday’s dissolution of the federal cabinet would be the most fatal blow the First Lady got in recent times. She never thought it would happen. She had reckoned that with the presence of her husband in the villa, Jonathan would be cautious in taking some actions. Now with the ministers sacked, she is greatly in agony.”

When Saturday Sun sought answers to why Yar’Adua can’t simply quit over these travails, our sources said: “Madam would want her husband to leave power. She doesn’t believe it’s a do-or-die matter. She is only after protecting the family name and ensuring that they are not humiliated out of office. She doesn’t think it is right to continue to abuse a sick man and heap all kinds of blame on him.”

As the clock ticks in the nation’s volatile political terrain, with all kinds of permutations and gladiators posturing for the plum job, it remains to be seen if Turai’s wish for her ailing husband (not to be humiliated out of power) will be met or not. For now, the waiting game continues as the big woman continues in her agony.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/mar/20/national-20-03-2010-001.htm

For better or worse.

She has acted dishonestly - Whatever bad thing that comes her way is deserved.

I have no sympathy for her - She has in recent weeks tarnished the reputation her husband built over a lifetime.

She is looking for public syympathy but i think the damage is done.

She has acted dishonestly - Whatever bad thing that comes her way is deserved.

There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

D rich also cry. Its quite unfortunate. She shud encourage her man 2 resign honourably cos goodluck is gettin stronger. One day he might decide throw them out of aso rock.

How can we sympathise with madam turai if she has refused to declare the true state of her husband's health neither has she allowed anyone to see him. she believes she is capable of handling the whole situation on her own while holding on to power. lets see how she does it

Re:There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

So when asked questions what were her answers - Dont make excuses for her.

Nobody could have prevented her from telling the truth herself.

She refused and played along with the debacle.

Please, try and disguise your bias and love for the cabal,

Seun:

There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

rubbish. . . . the crux of the issue is her preventing the populace her husband is president over
know his state of health.

All the hide and seek she and her cohorts were playing exacerbated the situation and betrayed
their illegal ambitions.

Seun:

There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

I am beginning to think that the cabals traced Seun when the heat was on because Nairaland was one of the boiling points otherwise I cannot understand this statement.

I my advice for them is to impeach the f**cking Yara'sick ontime, to be able to settle the conflicts in the country.

Sun of god:

Jonathan or the people of Nigeria should demand she (Turai) supply an HIV/AIDS test as she may be the one responsible for the demise of her husband.

Infecting somebody with HIV is a indictable offence.

Jonathan or the people of Nigeria should demand she (Turai) supply an HIV/AIDS test as she may be the one responsible for the demise of her husband.

Infecting somebody with HIV is a indictable offence.

Yeah, I said it.

Enough is Enough,

Nah true Aso Rock no be Hospital.

Mek dem pack go their papa hose for Katsina.

She lost in the game of chess, make she accept honourably and stop seeking any sympathy
How ruthless can she be if given the chance

Too late in the day for Turai to be shedding crocodile tears of anguish & agony!

She's now looking for public sympathy. She forgot how much cooperation she gave to the cabal in keeping away the details of President Yar'adua's health from the public-the electorate!

While she was reigning as the de facto first lady her words were law & she forgot to "be kind to people on your way up, because you may need their help on your way down/out"

Won't be surprised if Seun turns out to be a politician. And on d kinda politician he is gonna be, ur guess is as good as mine. Power corrupts absolutely.
The problem with our leaders, I ve come to realise, are not the leaders themselves but the army of professional sycophants and asslickers that flock around them.

I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for her in this her state of self pity.

Seun:

There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

Please expatiate!! How do you mean she was not dishonest

Imagine anyone putting in words for these lady who broken every line of the Nigerian constitution and who has displayed enormous disregard for the constitutional institution called d presidency. In d developed world, by now she would facing trial for treasonable felony.

that c0cksuck3r should get the hell out of there b4 I get angry

.puhleeesee!. .r we supp0sD to feel sorry for her?

What's happening to Turai is like being lynched by an rabid, blood-thirsty mob.  It doesn't mean you're guilty.

this is precisely what the compromised writer of the article is envisaging.personally i believe money has changed hands hence the writer of the article is trying to change her public personae and perception of an arrogant,ruthless,machiavelian politician to a grieving woman full of grieve and being unfairly persecued,going by a few comments here it seems to be working.
she didnt just realise her father was sick last couple of weeks yet she was fully participating in the power games.
she didnt just realise the sickness of her husband yet she was taking all the actions and surreptitious moves credited to her in undermining the vp now acting president.
it is simply an issue of having tasted the allures of power,and not willing to give up without a fight she is not the first neither will she be the last,if obasanjo can leave then she is small fry.

Seun:

There's nothing dishonest about not letting political vultures speak to your terminally ill husband.

they are all political vultures including herself the queen vulture,that is the game that brought her to power hence she should be ready to abide by the rules when it isnt favourable to her

Seun:

What's happening to Turai is like being lynched by an rabid, blood-thirsty mob. It doesn't mean you're guilty.

yes it does she is guilty of holding the collective nigerian destiny to ransom because of her own rabid desire for power

Seun:

What's happening to Turai is like being lynched by an rabid, blood-thirsty mob.  It doesn't mean you're guilty.

What the hell placed her as a woman ina position to be lynched?

Did you even read the story and the reason for her agony apart from the sickness of the hussy and papa?

Seun no fall my hand. I guess you just wanna play the devils advocate here.

Interesting. So Madam Turai is sad? Ok oh. When she was busy amassing wealth and coal on her family with reckless abandon, she didn't know she played her final card by bundling the President into the country. All the pity she would have gotten, she changed to hatred. Let her be prepared to face all the shit coming to her. Let others learn from her.

Seun:

What's happening to Turai is like being lynched by an rabid, blood-thirsty mob.  It doesn't mean you're guilty.

You cant seem to articulate the points you are trying to pass across. . . . .
Was she dishonest? Yes
No one said anything about being guilty, The reactions on this thread was the refusal of most peeps to feel pity for her.
If withholding important information that was critically needed by 150Million people through covert means was done  just for the sake of holding on to power at all means was not dishonest I wonder what is?

Like my people say . . . "opon ti sun"

meaning?^^