A high-level delegation from Nigeria has arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, to receive the remains of elder statesman and business mogul, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, ahead of his burial in the Islamic holy city.
Dantata, aged 94, passed away in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday after spending his final days there. His death marks the end of an era for one of Nigeria’s most revered philanthropists and industrialists.
The Federal Government’s delegation, which departed Nigeria late Sunday, arrived in Madinah in the early hours of Monday. It is led by the Minister of Defence and former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar.
Also on the delegation are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; and Minister of State for Housing Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata.
Prominent Islamic scholars are also part of the delegation, including Dr Bashir Aliyu Umar, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, and Khalifa Abdullahi Muhammad, the Imam of Dantata Mosque, Abuja. They are joined by officials from the Nigerian Consulate General in Jeddah, led by Ambassador Muazzam Ibrahim Nayaya, who has been overseeing funeral preparations.
According to a statement by Rabiu Ibrahim, Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, the burial is scheduled to take place later on Monday in line with Islamic rites.
Other prominent Nigerians also attending the funeral includes: Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi II; Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Umar Namadi; and former Jigawa Governor, Ali Sa’ad Birnin Kudu, alongside other top dignitaries.
The funeral of Alhaji Aminu Dantata is not only a solemn moment for the Dantata family but also a reflection of the immense respect he commanded across Nigeria and beyond.
