By Charles Pemu 
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, alongside billionaire businessman Femi Otedola, on Tuesday accompanied the remains of Dangote’s late uncle, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, from Abu Dhabi to Madinah, Saudi Arabia, where he was laid to rest.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Sanusi Dantata, the late nonagenarian was buried at the revered Baqiyya Cemetery in Madinah following the Asr (afternoon) prayer. The Janazah (funeral) prayer was observed at the Prophet Mohammed’s Mosque, with Dangote and Otedola seen in the clip alongside Arabian associates and dignitaries attending the solemn ceremony.
Sanusi confirmed the transportation and burial arrangements, noting: “Aliko Dangote personally accompanied the body of his great-uncle, the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, from Abu Dhabi to Madinah. The body arrived in Madinah this morning, and the Janazah prayer was held at the Prophet’s Mosque after the Asr prayer, around 1:30 p.m. Nigerian time. May Allah have mercy on his soul and grant safe travels to family, friends, and well-wishers who attended the funeral in Saudi Arabia.”
Alhaji Aminu Dantata, a revered businessman and philanthropist, passed away in Abu Dhabi on Saturday at the age of 94. His death was confirmed by his Principal Private Secretary, Mustapha Junaid, via a Facebook post. In accordance with his wishes, the elder statesman was buried in Saudi Arabia.
In his honour, Muslim clerics in Kano held funeral prayers in absentia at the Umar bin Khattab Mosque, along Zaria Road in Gyadi-Gyadi.
Dantata, widely recognized for his role in shaping Northern Nigeria’s business landscape, also served in public office, notably as Commissioner for Planning and Development in the old Kano State.
Tributes have poured in from across the country, with President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Northern Governors’ Forum, and other prominent Nigerians mourning his death and celebrating his impactful legacy.