Dantata buried in Saudi Arabia

From Sani I. Paki, Salim U. Ibrahim (Kano) & Saawua Terzungwe (Abuja)   The remains of billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, have been laid to rest in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. He was laid to rest at Al-Baqi Cemetery, a historic graveyard in Madinah where many of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) […]

From Sani I. Paki, Salim U. Ibrahim (Kano) & Saawua Terzungwe (Abuja)

 

The remains of billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, have been laid to rest in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

He was laid to rest at Al-Baqi Cemetery, a historic graveyard in Madinah where many of the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) are buried. The burial took place around 6:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

Dantata passed away in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, before his body was transported to the holy city for final rites.

Although the burial was initially scheduled for Monday, it was postponed until Tuesday due to the delayed arrival of his body, according to Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris.

According to his family, the late Dantata had expressed a desire in his will to be buried in the holy city of Madinah, a wish honoured by his relatives after obtaining official approval from Saudi authorities.

Ahead of the burial, the Kano State Council of Ulama held a funeral prayer in absentia (Salatul Ga’ib) in his honour.

A high-profile delegation attended the burial in Saudi Arabia, including Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.

Also in attendance were Africa’s richest man and Dantata’s nephew, Aliko Dangote; Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf; Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi; Deputy Governor of Katsina State; Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; and the Emir of Karaye.

Others present included Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin; former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje; Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Aliyu Sani Madaki; and Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada in the House of Representatives.

The 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero; Kano APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas; and many relatives of the deceased were also in attendance.

The delegation also included prominent Islamic clerics such as Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, and Khalifa Abdullahi Muhammad, Imam of the Dantata Mosque in Abuja.

Former governors Ahmad Muazu (Bauchi), Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu (Jigawa), and Saminu Turaki (Jigawa) were also present at the burial.

Dantata, who died at the age of 94, is survived by three wives, 21 children, and 121 grandchildren. He was widely recognised as one of Nigeria’s most philanthropic businessmen.

Among his many acts of generosity was a N1.5 billion donation to victims of the Borno State flood disaster last year.

He was regarded as one of the most influential figures in Kano State, often sought after by politicians for blessings and counsel.

 

Kano, Katsina govs, Sanusi pay last respects

According to Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson to the Kano State Governor, Saudi authorities granted a rare privilege to the governors of Kano and Jigawa states and Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II to view the body of the late Dantata before the funeral prayer.

In an emotional moment, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf offered prayers for the repose of Dantata’s soul and comforted his family, encouraging them to draw strength from the extraordinary legacy left behind by their patriarch.

Emir Sanusi II led special prayers, describing Dantata as a beacon of generosity, faith, and vision whose impact extended well beyond business.

“As the funeral prayer concluded and the body of Aminu Dantata was committed to the earth at Baqi Cemetery-a resting place reserved for the blessed-the atmosphere was filled with heartfelt prayers from dignitaries, relatives, and thousands of mourners who gathered to honour the memory of a man who helped shape modern Nigerian commerce and philanthropy,” Dawakin Tofa said.

 

Significance of Al-Baqi cemetery

Al-Baqi (Jannat al-Baqi) is the largest and oldest cemetery in Madinah, serving as the final resting place for many of the city’s residents since the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Historical accounts suggest that many companions of the Prophet are buried there. The cemetery spans approximately 180,000 square meters and is located adjacent to the southeastern wall of the Prophet’s Mosque.

Following the second expansion of the Prophet’s Mosque under King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Al-Baqi became directly connected to the mosque’s courtyards, with no buildings separating the two.

Al-Baqi contains the graves of many significant figures in Islamic history, including the Prophet’s wives (except Khadijah and Maymunah), his daughters, his son Ibrahim, his uncle Abbas, his aunt Safiyyah, his grandson Hasan, and Caliph Uthman Bin Affan.

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) frequently visited the cemetery to supplicate for its residents, and several hadiths highlight the virtue of those buried there and the merit of praying for them.

 

Senate postpones North-West constitution review hearing to honour Dantata

The Senate has postponed the scheduled North-West zonal public hearing on the constitutional amendment in honour of the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during Tuesday’s plenary, stating that the decision followed consultations with key stakeholders from the North-West region.

“In view of the demise of a very prominent philanthropist and stakeholder, late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, whose burial is taking place in Saudi Arabia, we have resolved to observe a minute of silence in his honour,” Akpabio said.

He added that a new date for the zonal hearing would be determined in collaboration with regional stakeholders and announced in due course.

The Deputy Senate President, who is currently in Saudi Arabia for the funeral, is expected to return before a new date is agreed upon.

Meanwhile, the Senate will proceed with the nationwide zonal public hearings on constitutional amendment proposals in other geo-political zones as scheduled.