Maryam Babangida, Nigeria's former First Lady and chairperson of the Better Life for Rural Women during her husband's years in office, is dying of ovarian cancer at the UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles.

Mrs. Babaginda's condition worsened about six months ago after she attended the wedding of Umaru Yar'Adua's daughter, Nafisat, who married the 54 -year old governor of Bauchi State.

Sources told Saharareporters that the retired ex-dictator was granted a US visa on compassionate grounds to be at the bedside of his wife, who may be in her last days as her cancer is suspected to have reached an advanced stage.