Nigeria - Yar'Adua's Family Background.

Back in the simple Yar'Adua home in Katsina, the framed pictures which crowd the walls display the family's political pedigree. Yar'Adua's father was a minister in Nigeria's first post-independence government. Umaru and Habiba are two of 13 children their father had with Fatima, his third of four wives.

For much of his life, Umaru was overshadowed by his older brother, Shehu, who played a leading role in the coup which installed Obasanjo as a military leader during the 1970s. Shehu later died in jail after criticising other military juntas.

His sister Habiha in April 2007 said of the younger brother that, though a blue-blooded political figure, Umaru was not above menial labour. She said: "He worked as the manager of the [family] farm but still he used to work with the labourers as if he was not the general manager".

In the sleepy streets of Katsina, residents seemed generally satisfied with Umaru's work during his eight years as their state governor. They pointed to the large new compound of the State Secretariat, which rises out of the dust surrounded by smooth new roads complete with working street lights.

At the local polytechnic, where Umaru taught chemistry for many years, lecturers said that things had improved since he became governor in 1999 - they had more buildings, more teachers, more books, and they were even paid on time. But others said it had not been enough.

At the opposition Action Congress Party regional headquarters in Katsina, party secretary Abdu Babangida acknowledged that there had been gains under Umaru, though somewhat limited. He said: "Yes, we have a road. But people still don't have fuel to put in their motorbikes. There are new school buildings, but without equipment or good teachers".

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