- At 91, Dantata expressed he was tired of life and awaiting a peaceful end.
- Dantata emphasised forgiveness, asking for pardon from anyone he may have wronged and offering forgiveness in return.
In the years leading up to his death, prominent Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, spoke candidly about his waning enthusiasm for life and his readiness for a peaceful departure.
Dantata, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 94, had shared these sentiments publicly in 2022 during a visit from then-All Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Presidential candidate Kashim Shettima.
At the time, the elder statesman was 91 and said he felt detached from the pleasures of life.
“At this point, I’m merely waiting for my time to come,” Dantata remarked during the meeting.
“I no longer find joy in life. I pray to depart in peace and goodwill.”
The respected industrialist, who had played a significant role in Nigeria’s economic development for decades, reflected on the passage of time and the loss of peers.
According to him, despite forming bonds across all regions of the country during his younger years, only a handful of his contemporaries remained alive.
“I can barely count ten people from my generation who are still with us,” he noted.
“I am the last surviving member of my immediate family, now living among grandchildren.”
Dantata also took the opportunity to offer a message of forgiveness and reconciliation.
“If I have wronged anyone, I sincerely seek their forgiveness. And to anyone who may have wronged me, I hold no grudges,” he said.
During the visit, which formed part of Shettima’s political consultations ahead of the 2023 general elections, Dantata welcomed the delegation warmly and offered prayers for the country’s future.
“May Nigeria be granted lasting peace and unity. May God not abandon us to our own devices,” he added.
Shettima, accompanied by then-Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and other prominent figures including Musa Gwadabe, General Lawal Jafaru Isah, and Tanko Yakasai, later toured the nearly completed Kano Cancer Centre before departing the city.
Dantata’s passing marks the end of an era for a man widely regarded for his business acumen, philanthropic legacy, and unwavering commitment to national development.
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