Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged the Federal Government to immortalise late Alhaji Aminu Dantata by renaming a public institution after him.
This, the former vice president said, would be in recognition of Dantata’s immeasurable services to humanity and contributions to the economy.
Abubakar described the demise of the Kano State-born billionaire businessman, Dantata, as an earth-shaking loss.
He said the loss was not only for the people of Kano state but also Nigerian business community and Africa at large.
Abubakar in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said that Dantata’s death was a huge loss because of his immeasurable contributions to the national economy and job creation.
He said that he was devastated by the passing of such an astute and veteran businessman, who was a legendary figure in Nigeria and Africa and whose family name instantly rings a bell.
“Dantata was a successful businessman for decades, who had inspired a generation of other younger people to venture into business investment and prosperity.
“It is impossible to talk about business issues in Nigeria without a reference to the Dantata family,” he said.
He noted that Dantata, who died at 94, was a risk taker, one of the qualities of great entrepreneurs and business investors.
“I’m particularly impressed by how the late Dantata transformed the family businesses from traditional buying and selling into modern civil engineering and construction services that had created thousands of jobs for Nigerians,” he said.
Abubakar added that the late Dantata was also imbued with the passion to serve humanity because of his extensive philanthropic activities, which he carried out quietly.
“Dantata was a remarkable person who engaged in philanthropic activities without seeking publicity for his good deeds to humanity.
“To be enormously rich without ostentation is a rare quality that made Aminu Dantata a shining public figure, who was a fountain of inspiration for many people,” he said.
The former vice president also described Dantata as “a decent and uncontroversial public figure who avoided divisive utterances.
“This respectable and humble elder had also involved himself in efforts toward the promotion of peaceful coexistence among Nigerians,” he said.
