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Tributes and Condolences for Aminu Dantata

Published 5 hours ago5 minute read
Tributes and Condolences for Aminu Dantata

Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, a prominent Nigerian businessman, revered philanthropist, and illustrious statesman, passed away on Friday at the age of 94. His demise, which occurred in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has been widely acknowledged as a significant loss to Kano State, Nigeria, and the global Muslim community. In accordance with his final wishes, Alhaji Dantata was laid to rest on Tuesday in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, following funeral prayers at the Prophet's Mosque and burial at the revered Al-Baqi Cemetery.

Born on May 19, 1931, Aminu was one of the seventeen children of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, the esteemed founder of the Dantata family's vast business dynasty. His formative years included early Islamic education, followed by attendance at Dala Primary School in Kano from 1938 to 1945. He continued his studies at home in a private school established by his father in 1949. Subsequently, he joined the family firm, Alhassan Dantata & Sons, where he played a pivotal role in the procurement of agricultural products, notably contributing to the prominence of the groundnut pyramids in Kano. Upon the passing of their father in 1955, the young Aminu, alongside his elder brother Ahmadu, took the helm of the family enterprise. Guided by the counsel of British colonial officials in the 1940s, the Dantata family embarked on a path of business modernization, a trend continued by successive generations who diversified into sectors such as transport, property, construction, manufacturing, petroleum, agriculture, and banking. Over the decades, the Dantata name became synonymous with pre-eminence in Northern Nigerian business. During the post-civil war indigenization program of the General Yakubu Gowon administration in the early 1970s, the Dantata Group strategically acquired major shares in previously foreign-owned firms, including Mentholatum, SCOA, Funtua Cotton Seed Crushing Company, and Raleigh Industries. Beyond his direct business ventures, Alhaji Dantata was also a pioneer member of the board of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), now known as the Bank of Industry (BoI), in 1964, and participated in a Nigerian business mission that toured the world in 1961.

Beyond his extensive business empire, Alhaji Dantata also dedicated himself to critical political and public service roles. In 1961, he was elected to the Northern House of Assembly. He further served as the Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade and Industry in Kano State from 1968 to 1973, as a member of Police Commissioner Audu Bako’s cabinet. In 1978, he was a member of the Constituent Assembly responsible for ratifying the 1979 Constitution, which ushered in Nigeria's Second Republic.

However, it was his profound commitment to philanthropy that defined the latter part of Alhaji Dantata's life. He transformed into a foremost humanitarian, spending billions of naira over two decades to support a myriad of causes. His beneficiaries included schools, hospitals, orphanages, widows, physically challenged individuals, and mosques, alongside significant contributions to disaster relief efforts. His giving was characterized by altruism, not transactional motives or self-promotion, earning him widespread commendation for supporting worthy causes to foster a better society for all. Many have attested that his life became a testament to how an individual could be of immediate service to the less fortunate, embodying the selfless leadership that Nigeria requires.

Following his demise, prominent figures from across Nigeria paid their respects and offered condolences. President Bola Tinubu, through his representative Vice President Kashim Shettima, visited the Dantata family in Kano. President Tinubu lauded Alhaji Dantata as a "prominent business mogul, patriot, and elder statesman," emphasizing his significant contributions to the nation's growth and development. The President highlighted Dantata's industry, diligence, steadfastness, and unwavering commitment to national unity through his business ventures and philanthropic activities that positively impacted countless Nigerians. Vice President Shettima conveyed President Tinubu's personal message, describing the late patriarch as "a good man, full of the fear of God," who generously assisted many both within Nigeria and internationally. The President characterized Dantata's passing not as a moment of grief but as a "celebration of life and the good works" of the elder statesman, urging his children and family members to maintain peace and cooperation in his honor. Alhaji Munzali Dantata, the deceased's younger brother, expressed the family's gratitude for the President's show of love and reiterated that the burial in Saudi Arabia fulfilled Alhaji Aminu Dantata's long-held wish.

Concurrently, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda also undertook a condolence visit to Kano. Governor Radda first called upon the Dantata family residence in Koki, where he was received by Tajudeen Dantata, the eldest son, and Munzali Dantata, among other family members. The Governor offered special prayers for the repose of Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s soul, seeking divine forgiveness and eternal rest in Aljannatul Firdaus. He subsequently extended his condolences to his Kano State counterpart, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, describing Alhaji Dantata’s death as an immense loss to both Kano State and Nigeria at large. Governor Radda conveyed his heartfelt sympathies on behalf of the people and government of Katsina State. Both Governor Radda and Governor Yusuf later joined Vice President Shettima at Aminu Kano International Airport to bid him farewell after his own condolence visit to the Dantata family. The Vice President’s delegation also included Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, Special Adviser Umar Modibo, former Attorney General Mohammed Adoke, and former Kogi State Governor Idris Wada.

From Zeal News Studio(Terms and Conditions)
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