President Umaru Yar’Adua of Nigeria, who died last night after after a long battle with kidney and heart ailments, has been remembered as a man of “decency and integrity”.

President Obama and the new Nigerian leader led the tributes for Mr Yar’Adua, 58, who died at 9pm at the Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja, with his wife Turai by his side.

The late President, a Muslim from the north, will be succeeded by his deputy, Goodluck Jonathan, a Christian from the oil-rich south, who became acting President earlier this year.

Within hours the new President declared seven days of mourning and expressed shock at the death of his predecessor
“Nigeria has lost the jewel on its crown, and even the heavens mourn with our nation tonight,” a spokesman quoted Mr Jonathan as saying.

“As individuals and as a nation we prayed for the recovery of Mr President. But we take solace in the fact that the Almighty is the giver and taker of all life”.

As a mark of respect, Mr Jonathan cancelled all official engagements, including a three-day visit to the Niger Delta, which he had been due to begin today.

In accordance with Muslim custom, Mr Yar’Adua will be buried in his northern home town of Katsina later today, which has been declared a work-free day. During the mourning period, Nigerian flags will be flown at half-mast.

Mr Obama expressed sadness at the death of the Nigerian leader, praising him as a man with a passionate belief in his nation’s future.

“Tonight, we remember and honour President Yar’Adua’s profound personal decency and integrity, his deep commitment to public service, and his passionate belief in the vast potential and bright future of Nigeria’s 150 million people,” Mr Obama said in a statement.

“He was committed to creating lasting peace and prosperity within Nigeria’s own borders, and continuing that work will be an important part of honouring his legacy.

President Boni Yayi of Benin also paid tribute to Mr Yar’Adua.

“With the loss of this great statesman, Benin, my country, loses a great friend and I am very upset,” he said.

Mr Yar’Adua had been absent from the political scene since November, when he left for medical treatment for a heart condition in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Nigeria in February but remained too sick to govern and has not been seen in public since.

Mr Jonathan assumed executive powers in February and has since consolidated his hold on power, appointing a new cabinet and his own team of advisers. But Mr Yar’Adua’s death raises the stakes in the run-up to the next elections.

Mr Jonathan now automatically becomes head of state of one of the world’s leading oil producers, and will complete his predecessor’s term of office, which expires in May 2011.

The acting President has already promised free and fair elections, but has said little about his own political plans.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article7117678.ece