Eleven years after his demise, former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua still has a place in the heart of his then vice president, Goodluck Jonathan.

Yar’Adua died on 5 May 2010 at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa after battling an illness that kept him away from public eyes.

Paying tribute on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of his death, Jonathan wrote: “Today, I celebrate my boss, friend, colleague and brother, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who departed this world 11 years ago.

“As politicians, we shared a common vision of a peaceful, united and just nation. President Yar’Adua kept faith with this vision, channelling his strength and time in pursuit of an egalitarian society, until his last breath.

“Although out of our sight, his legacies live with us and his memory we will continue to cherish.

“We will always remember him as a peacemaker, nation builder and democrat whose timeline was defined by virtues of service, peace, truth and love.

After Yar’Adua’s passing, Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as president and had Mohammed Namadi Sambo as his vice.

Yar’Adua was also a two term governor of Katsina State, (1999-2007).