15 key facts about late Kano billionaire Aminu Dantata who was ‘waiting’ for death
Alhaji Aminu Dantata, a Kano-based businessman and philanthropist who died early Saturday morning grabbed headlines when he hosted the then Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima, and his entourage in his Koki Quarters mansion in the commercial city’.
Reflecting on his life, Aminu Dantata who through his charitable foundation and personal philanthropy, supported the construction and operation of schools, mosques, health centres, orphanages and social welfare programmes told Shettima and members of his entourage that he is no longer enjoying life, but waiting for when he will depart the earth.
He told the delegation that many of his contemporaries and family members he grew up with have passed on.
“Sadly, of all the people I know, I hardly can call out 10 that are still alive. Among my entire family of brothers and sisters, I’m the only one still alive. And my friends whom we grew up together, I don’t think there are more than three of us. As I am right now, I am just waiting for my time. I no longer enjoy life anymore. I hope I depart this world in good faith”, he said.
Dantata’s wish came to pass early Saturday morning as he passed on at the ripe age of 94. He reportedly died at an hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates late Friday.
Here are 15 quick facts about the late billionaire businessman.
1.He was born in the city of Kano in 1931, to the famous business tycoon Alhaji Alhassan Dantata. His father was one of West Africa’s wealthiest merchants in the early 20th century. Aminu Dantata was the 17th child of the business mogul.
2.Aminu Dantata was educated at Dala Primary School and then finished his education through home studies in a private school built by his father in 1949.
3.He joined the family business, Alhassan Dantata & Sons in 1948 as a produce buyer, the same year he also got married. In 1955, he became the Sokoto district manager of the business. When his father died 1955, the shares in the business were distributed to the children.
4.In 1958, Aminu Dantata became the deputy managing director of the business while his brother Ahmadu, was the MD. When Ahmadu died in 1960, Dantata became the head of the business.
5.By the beginning of the 1960s, Aminu Dantata had a construction firm that that was involved in building part of the Nigeria College of Aviation (NCAT), Zaria, then known as School of Aviation.
6.In 1964, he was among the pioneer board members of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), now Bank of Industry (BoI).
7.In 1968, Dantata was appointed Kano State commissioner for Economic Development, Trade and Industry under the administration of Audu Bako, he was in the position until 1973.
8.During the indigenisation period of the 1970s, the Dantata group bought significant holdings in Mentholatum, SCOA, Funtua Cotton Seed Crushing Company and Raleigh Industries.
9.Aminu Dantata is the founder and co-founder of several companies across various sectors of the economy, famous among which are Express Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd, Jaiz Bank, etc.
10.In 1978, he was a member of the National Movement, an organisation that later transformed to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).
11.Alhaji Aminu Dantata also served as member of the Assembly Drafting Committee for the 1979 constitution which ushered in the second republic.
12.He was a recipient of honourary degrees from many universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Bayero University, Kano, Abia State University, Imo State University, Owerri and Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto.
13.Alhaji Aminu Dantata is the life patron of the Nigeria Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.
14.He was also the patron of Kano State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, the National Council of Farmers and the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industries.
15.He was a recipient of two prestigious national honours – Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and Commander of the National Republic of Niger (CONN)
