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3192730	有图 <p>Refusing to take a “no” for an answer, the Daily Trust Team continued to work round the clock on how to get greater insights into the life of Alhaji Aminu Dantata. The Team reached out to Dr. Munzali Dantata, a cousin of the Sage who graciously obliged.</p> <p>Relationship with Aminu Dantata</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>He is a younger brother to my father. My father died when I was just three years old, so, he became my foster father, and so, he is the father I know. Because I only know my biological father by photograph. Thankfully, in those days pictures were very much around.</p><p>So, I have grown up with Baba. I call him Baba Aminu. He sent me to school together with my brothers and sisters from my father and his children. So, we were a big family. Today, there are about 50 of us still alive apart from a few that have died.</p><p>Baba’s world view</p><p>First of all, in his world outlook, I will say he has a modern approach to life. He is somebody who has both a traditional life and a modern life. He was born 92 years ago during the colonial period that is 1931.</p> Alhassan Dantata’s business dynasty What Aminu Dantata meant to us &#8211; Kano residents<p>He was born into a merchant family and he worked for his father and the company that his father created. So, he has that experience of at least about 10 years or a dozen years of the colonialists. If you take it from when he finished his schooling and became a young man of about 20 years, that is early 50s; which is a good 10 years before independence, you will see that he was very much involved in the colonial economy which was driven by exports.</p><p>He sent us all to school so that shows he is an educationist. I was five years old when I was sent to a boarding school in Kaduna. He sent us to one of the best schools in the country called Capital School Kaduna. There was a colonial school in Lagos; these were two schools in the 60s and early 70s that were discovered as the two best schools. However, there was a consensus that Capital School has the edge. The school was fashioned after schools in England.</p><p>The school was the vision of (Sir Ahmadu Bello) Sardauna (of Sokoto) to build a model school in which other schools could try the LEA schools. Just like Sardauna was a visionary in shaping that school, I would say those who sent their children to the school were also visionaries and they appreciate the fact that we are in a so-called modern world so we have to train the future generations to survive in such a world.</p><p>So, there were 12 of us from the Dantata family in that boarding school and it was very expensive. That was another aspect of him and he continued funding the school that my father established – Dantata School, which was probably the first indigenous private school established in 1955.</p><p>When my father died in 1950, Alhaji Aminu continued – the school is still there and he continued funding the school. Before then, all the schools in Kano province and probably in northern Nigeria belonged to either the government or missionaries-from Lokoja to Kaduna to Kano and to Katsina, all were government schools. But there were few private ones such as Saint Ann’s, Saint Gregory, and Saint John’s, all in Kaduna. So, the Dantata School was the first of the first generation of schools that did not belong to the government or to the missionaries. To me, that shows aspects of him, both in business and in education. He had that world outlook that we have to be competitive. We have to prepare ourselves.</p><p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"></p><p>What kind of upbringing prepared him for that kind of giant lead at such an early age?</p><p>I would say that he is a chip off the old block. His father, Alhassan Dantata settled in Ghana at a very early age and that was in the pre-colonial era. When the British took over Nigeria and established the British colony of Northern Nigeria, before the amalgamation in 1900, his father was in his mid-20s, in business with a retinue of workers and family. They were also settled in Ghana.</p><p>He used to commute between Bebeji, his hometown, a few minutes’ drive from Kano, and also Gwanja, which is near Kumasi (in Ghana) – where his father first settled, before he moved to Accra. So, he was there when the British started invading West Africa. Though, he was from Kano in Nigeria, he was based in Accra. Then, he moved back to Nigeria, when he was attracted by the railway in Kano and other developments.</p><p>So, what I would like to say is that when his father came home, he was English. He knew the principles of accounting and modern business. He incorporated Alhassan Dantata & Sons, which I believe was the first incorporated company in northern Nigeria, and among the first generation of incorporated companies in Nigeria. Before then, all the companies were British, German, and French. So, the companies incorporated in Nigeria from 1900 up to the 20s were all European companies and incorporated in Europe.</p><p>When the company registry started (there was a registry in each of the capitals: in Lagos, Enugu, and in Kaduna), Alhassan Dantata was among the first in Northern Nigeria and probably the first to receive the certificate (of registration). You know, there was no southern indigenous company ahead of Alhassan Dantata & Sons.</p><p>So, how did he arrive at that position so quickly? </p><p>When his father died, he was the deputy managing director of the company. He had an elder brother, Alhaji Ahmadu, who died three years later.</p><p>Eventually, the company broke up; others (in the family) started their own companies. My father continued with Alhassan Dantata & Sons, while others branched out and set up their own companies.</p><p>In the 60s and 70s, the two well-known companies were Sanusi Dantata & Sons which was established by Sanusi Dantata and Alhassan Dantata & Sons. My father never established his own company and neither did Alhaji Aminu. So, by the time the business climate changed, he started incorporating other companies. They were into construction and then went into import because Alhassan Dantata & Sons was more into the export of groundnut and anything exportable, because that was what the colonialists wanted. That was the backbone of the company and it never changed from that up to the time that it went down and other companies came up. So, that is how he came at a young age and became a managing director. Eight years later, he became a commissioner. I am sure that he was 40 years old or less when he became commissioner.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alhaji Aminu Dantata<p>Why did he pull out of politics?</p><p>I thank God that the Dantata family enjoys a lot of goodwill in Northern Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole. I am very happy that the goodwill has extended for about 100 years. So, he came into politics to serve; he inherited my father’s seat. I think to say ‘inherited’ is a wrong word. He vied for the seat and won.</p><p>But my father was drafted, before then Dantata family supported the politicians with donations and they were the highest donors of the NPC, which was led by Sardauna. They were the leading sponsors; it was them and others. But Sardauna invited my father to come and run because they didn’t want Aminu Kano to even come to the parliament in 1957. The first elections were for the regional houses in Western, Eastern, and Northern Nigeria. Sardauna was running, leading the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC), Awolowo led the Action Group, and then Zik led the National Council on Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC). My father was invited to run and he reluctantly ran because he came from the same constituency as Aminu Kano – Kano Municipal. And he stopped Aminu Kano from going to Kaduna. Aminu Kano was the leader of the opposition, but didn’t have a seat in parliament. It was an odd situation. So, I think it was Abubakar Imam, who became the leader of the house. But the party leader was outside because he didn’t win his seat, the Kano Municipal seat, which my father won. When my father died, Alhaji Aminu was encouraged to go for that seat and he also won.</p><p>That was in the by-election?</p><p>No, in the independence election. By that time, independence was around the corner. He won his seat in the early 60s. He won and by that time Aminu Kano had even changed his own outlook; he was vying for a federal seat. So, he didn’t run for the regional seat. He went to Lagos and he was a parliamentarian there.</p><p>Apart from him, Mamuda Dantata also ran. The three of them won seats. As I said, I believe they were encouraged to run because the people trusted them and they demonstrated that they could serve well. When they went there, they were supporting business. So, you would find most of their contributions about empowerment were about entrepreneurship. I did lots of research on both my father and Baba Aminu, most of their contributions were geared towards that.</p><p>How has the Dantata Group sustained the business for so long?</p><p>I think one of the reasons the family has been in business for that long is because they are focused. My grandfather, Alhaji Aminu’s father, never went into politics himself and never took traditional titles. Even when the then Emir of Kano, Abdullahi Bayero invited him to the emirate council, he accepted, but said he would not take a title. He only agreed to be a member of the emirate council.</p><p>Even to date, I believe Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who inherited that seat – a current member, is more like an adviser, especially advising on business matters. So, from what we heard, he refused to take a title. Everybody in the council has a title and some of them are even district heads. He also advised his children to stay focused and that this is the area where we should contribute to society.</p><p>Why is he not disposed to publicity?</p><p>I remember the reactions to an article, the tribute I wrote to Alhaji Aminu; a lot of people were forwarding those reactions on social media…; he didn’t like to talk. This is why you are talking to us – his children- and you may also be talking to some of his friends who know him. But he doesn’t like to grant interviews, because he thinks it is like being boastful.</p><p>He thinks this way because he is known for money and our family is also known for money. So, the very moment you talk, the question will be about business; about how you made the money and what you are doing (with it). And he said his own father never had a book written about him. He never collaborated in any literature and his older brother, like my father, also never collaborated on any book or literature on the family or their father.</p><p>So, when I started approaching him to write a book; he said he would not cooperate. He doesn’t cooperate with journalists. So, most of the interviews you see about him are not real interviews. So, a journalist may sit down and talk to him, but don’t go with a tape recorder. You try to record mentally what you discussed. As long as you don’t misquote him, he will not sue you or say he did not grant the interview. That’s how the few records that you see attributed to him came out.</p><p>Thankfully, I have started changing his mind. Because, if you don’t tell your story somebody will tell it for you and he may distort it, especially after your death.</p><p>So he is finally talking, and hopefully, I’ll soon come up with my book. I initially started writing about Kano and northern Nigeria: the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial business. Because of the amount of information I have, I am tempted to spin off a biography. I decided to write an inspirational book along the same lines as that article you (Daily Trust) published: “The Last Man Standing”. Another reason why he doesn’t like to talk is because he is not even happy with the state of the economy. He thinks we could have done better both as a country, Nigeria, and also as a region-northern Nigeria.</p><p>He has always been supportive on issues of the government of Kano State. They all come to him and now they are even young enough to be his grandchildren. At the federal level too, all those who are in power now are also young enough to be his children. Since he left parliament about 50 years ago, having served for a brief period, he has always been a supporter. He was very much active with the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), but just as a supporter. He supported Shagari to win. I think at certain times he was invited to run for office, but he always turned down such invitations. You will hear in the news people starting a movement to draft him, but he always resisted the temptation and he has always been a supporter. He supported Shagari; I don’t know who he supported in 1999- whether it was Obasanjo-but I know certainly he also supported Buhari and ‘Yar’Adua. So, he has always been in the mainstream parties that have set up governments in Kano and in Abuja.</p><p>Outside the glamour and public affection, back home where nobody sees what happens behind the doors, who is Baba? </p><p>Baba is a very humble person. Today, he is at home with his wives and his children. He likes to see himself surrounded by his children and grandchildren and when he moves (travels), he moves with them. He took about 50 of them and traveled to Saudi Arabia for Umrah. Nowadays, he may even travel about three times. He travels mostly to Saudi Arabia, to Dubai and sometimes to Cairo.</p><p>He likes to sit down and talk and play with them, and that is how we tend to get some of these stories I am sharing. Sometimes I hear a story by him from my son who is his grandson; and sometimes I may follow up and say you told so and so a story.</p><p>He knows I’m writing a book both on Kano and on himself. He is talking to me about the olden days when he was young, when his father married his mother; because I asked him if he ever took her to Ghana and he said no, he married her when he settled in Nigeria. He even talked about his father’s death. So, he likes to talk. Now he spends his time sitting and talking. But he also feels that he owes it to Nigeria and his immediate family to show them the way. That is another reason why he now talks a lot.</p><p>Sometimes he may look like he’s critical because he talks a lot; for example, about the economy, the dollar, rising cost of living, oil subsidy, and everything. Sometimes he talks mostly in private discussions, but he also prefers to talk to them in the state houses. For example, he may ask for an audience with the president, or the president may ask for his opinion. Also, the governor may ask him for an opinion or he may offer it voluntarily, but not in an interview. Like I said, he appreciates the fact that he has reached the last stages of his life, but only God knows, we are hoping he lives to 100.</p><p>Sometime ago, he talked about how life is no longer interesting. Have you bothered to understand his thinking around that statement?</p><p>That statement he made got me my cue to come back to him and ask him about writing his own memoir. I said, ‘Baba, you should not be best remembered for saying you are tired of living. Somebody could innocently and rightly believe that you have a chronic illness; maybe you are dying or that you have cancer’, which he has none, apart from the normal illnesses that come with old age.</p><p>I also told him, “Baba you have to leave a legacy and that legacy should not be talking about death without any message. I said there is no better message than in the business and entrepreneurial world, because that is what you are best known for”. But why did he make that statement? It is a very clear statement; he said most of his age mates have died, and I can even mention the few who are prominent apart from those who were personal friends that he grew up with. He was even close to the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, the Galadima of Kano, General Hassan Usman Katsina, Alhaji Lawal Kaita, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, among others. These are some of the people I saw around him.</p><p>Baba as a quiet philanthropist, and sportsman</p><p>At 92, Baba is very alert. He remembers the discussions you had; he remembers the businesses. He is still in charge of his business; he has not handed over to anybody and he flies around the world in his private jet.</p><p>He is also contributing a lot to religious organisations, but silently. When you talk about Western education I think he is a major benefactor to universities like the Ahmadu Bello University and Bayero University. When you talk about health, in Aminu Kano, they have about six blocks named after him and his father because anytime he builds a block, they name it after somebody in the Dantata family.</p><p>Sometimes I used to ask him: “Baba, have you thought of building your own hospital or have you thought of building your own university or have you thought of building your own religious organization?” But he prefers to be funding them and most times even on condition that he is doing it anonymously.</p><p>The only time he came public was when he was nominated to be chairman of the Kano State Foundation, about 40 years ago. I think either in the ‘80s or early ‘90s and he accepted. He gave the highest donation and then continued as the inaugural chairman until he finished his tenure. The Kano State Foundation is still there. That was one of the few times he came public and donated. Otherwise, it is always silently.</p><p>In Katsina, there is Al Qalam University, which is a private entity. He is not from Katsina State, but they even asked him to be the Chancellor, which he declined, but played a major role in the selection of the chancellor. That is the kind of man he is.</p><p>He was also a polo player. He was a sportsman. As a youngster, he also played football. Up to the 60s and early 70s, he played polo. He had horses and he had two types of horses: racing horses and polo horses. His horses were going to the durbar in Kaduna, Lagos, and to neighboring countries like Chad and Niger. He was very happy when he won cups both for the horse race and also as a polo player.</p><p>He retired by the time he put on weight and age. You can see many parts of him; a sportsman, philanthropist, businessman and politician, and I am hoping to capture all these in his book.</p><p>This material was first published in the Daily Trust on Sunday, 19th of May, 2024.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Insight into Aminu Dantata as a family man, sportsman and silent Philanthropist – Daily Trust	查看 19050	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:39:32 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192729	有图 <p>Sunday, the 19th of May, 2024 marked the 93rd year of the birth of Alhaji Aminu Dantata, a Kano-based businessman and philanthropist who is a scion of the late Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, famously known across Northern Nigeria as Alhassan Dogo, owing to his height.</p><p> 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. In 1978, he was a member of the National Movement, an organisation that later transformed to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).</p> <p> Though the 15th child in a family of seventeen children, Alhaji Aminu nonetheless acquired both Islamic and Western education, owing to a number of factors, key among which were his late father’s wide international sophistication, as well as the stupendous wealth of his family. From 1938 to 1945, he was educated at Dala Primary School and then finished his education through home studies in a private school built by his father in 1949. After his studies, he joined the family business, Alhassan Dantata & Sons in 1948 as a produce buyer and also got married. In 1955, he became the Sokoto district manager of the business. The year 1955 was also when his father died and the shares in the business were subsequently distributed to the children. In 1958, 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.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p> Over the years, Alhaji Aminu expanded the business holdings and his activities into various sectors of the Nigerian economic sphere. By the beginning of the 1960s, Dantata had a construction firm that received patronage from the newly independent government in Nigeria, his firm was given a contract to build part of the Nigeria College of Aviation (NCAT), Zaria, then known as School of Aviation. In 1961, he was among three other businessmen as part of the 23-member economic mission group, the first world-wide mission sent by an independent government in Nigeria. In 1964, he was among the pioneer board members of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), now Bank of Industry (BoI). 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.</p> I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit others — Alhaji Aminu Dantata A tribute to Alhaji Aminu Dantata: Merchant prince who bridged tradition and modernity<p> During the indigenisation period of the 1970s, the Dantata group bought shares and held significant holdings in Mentholatum, SCOA, Funtua Cotton Seed Crushing Company and Raleigh Industries.</p><p> And so, in packaging our maiden edition of the Northern Business Icons, a special periodic compendium through which we profile eminent citizens of the North who have made significant positive impacts on the region’s business landscape, we thought that no personality fits that bill than Alhaji Aminu Dantata.</p><p>Happy reading!</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alhaji Aminu Dantata (first left), late Hajiya Bara Dantata (standing middle), late Alhaji Ahmadu Dantata (first right) and their mother, late Hajiya Umma Zaria (sitting).<p>In the last two years, Alhaji (Dr.) Aminu Alhassan Dantata has seized various opportunities provided by either a political visit or media engagement to reflect on himself, the evening of his life, and his perception of how society is shaping out.</p><p>A media shy person, the billionaire, who has been in business for more than 70 years, spanning trading, construction, property, banking, manufacturing, oil and gas, is not exactly given to publicity, as he has severally turned down requests for press interviews until very recently.</p><p>According to Alhaji Aminu, he brushes aside requests for interviews because neither his father (Alhaji Alhassan Dantata) nor his elder brother (Alhaji Ahmadu Dantata) did that in their lifetime; and so, it would not start with him.</p><p>But he is open to chats, and his guests could extract whatever he says and publish.</p><p>In one of his reflections while hosting the then Vice Presidential Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kashim Shettima, and his entourage in his mansion located in Koki Quarters of the commercial city of Kano, the revered billionaire made a statement that many considered as ‘deeper than it sounds’.</p><p>Addressing vice presidential hopeful, Dantata said he no longer enjoyed life and was only waiting for when he would leave the face of the earth. The statement got Nigerians talking.</p><p>The elder statesman and highly influential figure, who clocks 93 years today, however, added that he believed he had done everything he needed to do and had travelled to every state in the federation. He recalled that many of those he grew up with have passed.</p><p>“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.</p><p>Notwithstanding the current stage of his life, one thing that is strikingly clear about the sage is that his memory is still intact, as he recounts events from the 1950s and beyond with ease.</p><p>As far back as 1956, Dantata said he had done the rounds, visited every major country in the world, including Australia, India, China, Brazil, Yugoslavia, Russia and many others. By 1961, he had finished his round of all the Arab countries and Israel.</p><p>By that time, he recalled, countries like Saudi Arabia and others could not boast of as much wealth as Nigeria. There were only few buildings of note in both Makkah and Madinah.</p><p>“Anytime we travelled to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage in the early 1950s and 1960s, the Saudi authorities would do everything possible to delay our return journey because they wanted us to spend more days in their country.</p><p>“The logic here was that the longer we stayed the more we would spend, and that would add value to their income.</p><p>“They usually withheld our passports and other travel documents for a few more days after the completion of pilgrimage”, he said.</p><p>From his various public reflections, one of the developments that makes Dantata sad is how western economies have grown and how their countries developed from African resources.</p><p>“It is our resources they took to their own countries and developed them. They transported our farm produce, mineral resources and other natural resources to their own countries and developed them.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alhaji Aminu Dantata, Hajiya Rabi Aminu Dantata<p>“When they colonised us, they ensured they placed their manpower above ours and prevented our people from taking appropriate actions that would have developed our countries.</p><p>“Take Kano for instance, before the coming of the white men, the people of Kano had a strong business and religious relationship with some Arab countries like Morocco, Tunisia and Sudan.</p><p>“So, when the white men came, they found us practicing Islam as our religion and engaged in many crafts and other businesses as ways of earning our living.</p><p>“It is not because I am from Kano, but at that time, in the whole of Nigeria, Kano was the most civilised city in the country, courtesy of our interactions with the Arabs”, he said.</p><p>Dantata does not consider himself a politician, but he once had a brush with politics. He was a one-time member of the House of Assembly in Kaduna during the First Republic.</p><p>After the government was overthrown by the military, he returned to Kano and the late Audu Bako, governor of Kano during the General Yakubu Gowon military administration, appointed him a commissioner in his cabinet.</p><p>He spoke proudly of the “laudable projects” they oversaw during their time in government, but after that, he felt he had had enough.</p><p>In the run-up to the Second Republic, which produced the late Alhaji Shehu Shagari as president, Dantata recalled being approached by some notable people to contest for the position of president.</p><p>Other people, like the late Malam Aminu Kano, also appealed to him to contest for the governorship of Kano State. “My reason for rejecting these offers was simple.</p><p>“As a businessman with huge responsibilities, I believed Allah had already chosen a career for me, through which I would play my role in the progress of my state, country and humanity in gene“So, there was no point for me to join politics”, he said.</p><p>As someone who has seen several generations and how times and people have changed, Alhaji Aminu Dantata is concerned by the morality level in today’s society.</p><p>According to the nonagenarian, the culture of respecting the elders by the young is fast eroding, and unless this is addressed, it could lead the younger generation to serious problems in the future.</p><p>In their youth, he said, they respected the elderly, irrespective of where they came from.</p><p>“I stand to be corrected; things are not moving as expected in our society because of the decline in honesty and sincerity among the Nigerian youth.</p><p>“And if things continue the way they are now, only God knows what the future of the unborn generation would be.</p><p>“The situation is getting worse on a daily basis,” he said.</p><p>The erosion of honesty bothers the billionaire as he had fond memories of his travels in the 1950s when he was a manager in Sokoto and had to travel to all the towns and villages in the province.</p><p>“Anytime I encountered such problems (vehicle breakdown) I would just inform the traditional ruler in the area that my car had developed a problem and I had money inside it.</p><p>“And the traditional ruler would assign someone to guard the car pending when a mechanic would come and repair it.</p><p>“I can confidently tell you that even if that car would spend three days or more, not a dime would miss from the money in it.</p><p>“The situation is not the same now,” he said.</p><p>Alhaji Aminu is concerned that the level of decadence and decline in moral values has reached a level that would leave those trying to fix things confused as they would not know where to start from.</p><p>With a special focus on the North, Dantata said a holistic approach of a combination of Islamic and western education should be considered.</p><p>Fighting decadence is a responsibility of all, especially the government, Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, the business class and community leaders, who he advised to come on board to salvage the country before it is too late.</p><p>“It has to start from our homes, schools, places of work and markets.</p><p>“It is quite unfortunate that good virtues are gradually going extinct, especially among our youth.</p><p>“And until we address this, we will never produce qualitative future leaders, and we will never get it right in our quest to cleanse our mess.</p><p>“Media organisations have a greater role to play in restoring good virtues among the younger generation in the country”, he emphasised.</p><p>One of the things that bother the tycoon is the collapse of industries, not only in Kano State, but in northern Nigeria as a whole.</p><p>He lamented the closure of hundreds of industries between Kano and Kaduna, which has caused hundreds of job losses.</p><p>He attributed the situation to the nonchalance of business owners.</p><p>He confirmed that he had shares in virtually all the industries that operated in the country, and every company that has been operating in Kano or Kaduna over the last 20 years.</p><p>While most people his age would be thinking of resting on their laurels, Dantata said he had designs to reopen Fine Text Textile Company in Kaduna State, where he owned 87 per cent shares.</p><p>He also has plans to invest in farming.</p><p>He said he was planning to cultivate his farm in Kura area, which covers over 5,000 hectares.</p><p>He is considering planting rice and maize to boost production of the crops in the state, in order to feed and provide jobs for many people.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Alh. Aminu Alhassan Dantata: Profile of the North’s Century-Long Legendary Entrepreneur, Philanthropist – Daily Trust	查看 12994	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:44:05 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192728	有图 <p>Alhassan Dantata Haemodialysis Centre</p><p>Despite being a successful businessman, the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata contributed immensely toward ensuring an effective and reliable health sector. One such intervention is the establishment of the Alhassan Dantata Haemodialysis Centre, a facility located at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, equipped with 22 dialysis machines.</p> <p>The centre was donated by Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, who also contributed significantly to the hospital’s pediatric wing and other projects. The Kidney Care and Transplant Foundation Trust, which was partly funded by Dantata, has also supported dialysis centres in Kano and Jigawa states through donations of consumables.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>He donated funds and a dialysis machine to increase the capacity of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) for dialysis patients. The foundation, with his seed grant and donations from other sources, provides quarterly donations of consumables and buildings, including a ward and an Intensive Care Unit complex to the hospital.</p><p>Specifically, he purchased a mammogram machine and sponsored consultants for training in renal transplantation. Furthermore, he insisted that the hospital should not charge too much for services related to his donations, ensuring they remain affordable for the public.</p> Aminu Dantata: His life and legacy What Aminu Dantata meant to us &#8211; Kano residents<p>Donation of ward, ICU complex to Murtala Specialist Hospital</p><p>The philanthropist, also during his lifetime, donated a ward and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) complex to Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in Kano. This donation was part of his work aimed at improving healthcare facilities in the region. The ICU complex was a modern, fully equipped complex.</p><p>Contributions to education</p><p>The late Aminu Dantata’s foundation and personal donations in the educational sector were instrumental in the construction and support of numerous schools across Northern Nigeria. In this regard, he donated N50 million, 10 blocks of toilets and 5 boreholes to Girls Secondary School, Dala, to enhance girl child education in the state.</p><p>Funding educational institutions</p><p>The late Aminu Dantata’s foundation and personal donations have been instrumental to the construction and support of numerous schools across Northern Nigeria.</p><p>Scholarships awards</p><p>He provided academic scholarships to numerous less privileged students, enabling them to pursue their education at different levels.</p><p>University leadership</p><p>His contribution to educational development earned him the opportunity to serve as the first chancellor of Al-Qalam University, Katsina, showcasing his dedication to the promotion of higher education.</p><p>Mentorship</p><p>However, it is apparent that beyond financial support, the late Dantata was a mentor to many, guiding and inspiring generations of entrepreneurs and leaders, including those involved in educational pursuits. Without doubt, his commitment to education, along with his contributions to commerce and humanitarian causes, has left a lasting legacy not only in the northern part of the country but in Nigeria as a whole.</p><p></p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Dantata’s contributions to many sectors – Daily Trust	查看 3739	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:46:17 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192727	有图 <p>In this interview with Weekend Trust, elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, 99, reflects on his decades-long friendship with the Late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, describing him as unmatched in generosity and commitment to national unity. Excerpts</p> <p>What are your memories of the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata?</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>We have known each other for a very long time. There was a difference of about five or six years between us, but that never affected our closeness. We were friends and close associates for decades.</p><p>In our early political years, we shared similar views. At one point, our sympathy was for the main opposition party then known as NEPU. But later on, due to circumstances beyond his control, pressure was mounted on Aminu by his friends and family to join the Northern People’s Congress (NPC). It wasn’t his first choice, but he eventually joined, and our friendship continued regardless up till this moment when he is no more.</p><p>Looks like you were in government together?</p><p>Yes, we both served in government at the same time in the government of Alhaji Audu Bako, the first military governor of old Kano state. He was Commissioner for Trade and Industry, and I was Commissioner for Information. We maintained a strong friendship during and after our time in office. We never had any quarrel throughout our relationship.</p> Tinubu, Buhari, Shettima, Atiku, govs, Barau, others mourn Dantata Aminu Dantata: His life and legacy<p>In fact, our families also became close. Our children inherited that friendship and are now nurturing it even further—perhaps they will pass it down to their own children as well.</p><p>How do you receive the news of his passing?</p><p>Alhaji Aminu is a great loss, not just to his family, but to the people of Kano, Northern Nigeria, and the entire country. He was a very good friend to many people. Highly generous. At all times, he was committed to national interest and unity. That commitment remained throughout his life.</p><p>What would you say was his greatest legacy?</p><p>There are a lot of things but above all else, his generosity stands out. He was very generous and friendly. I can’t think of anyone I know who can be compared to him in that regard. He was extremely kind-hearted. His wealth never created distance between him and his friends, no matter their status or economic condition.</p><p>Is there anything you pray Allah (SWT) forgives him for?</p><p>Honestly, I can’t point to anything. Only God knows. I just continue to pray that Allah forgives any mistakes he may have made and rewards all his good deeds. But personally, I am not aware of anything wrong he did during his lifetime.</p><p>Finally, you and the late Alhaji Aminu are among the last ones in your generation. What lessons do you think young people can learn from his life?</p><p>Well, I doubt that most young people today know him well enough to form a full and objective opinion about him. But his friends and those who were close to him will remember him for his humility, warmth, and, above all, his unmatched generosity. He cannot be compared with anyone I know in terms of generosity.</p><p>His generosity cut across all divides—family, friends, religion, ethnicity. He was simply extraordinary. And we just pray that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) forgives his shortcomings and reward his good deeds.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Dantata’s generosity second to none – Yakasai – Daily Trust	查看 3885	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:47:45 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192726	有图 <p>Today, we bid farewell to one of Nigeria’s most remarkable sons, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who passed away on June 28, 2025, at the age of 94. His death marks the end of an extraordinary chapter in Nigerian business history and the conclusion of a life that spanned nearly a century of transformative change in our beloved nation.</p><p>Born into the illustrious Dantata merchant dynasty on May 19, 1931, in Kano, Aminu was destined for greatness. As the son of the legendary Alhassan Dantata, one of West Africa’s wealthiest men, he inherited not just material wealth, but a profound understanding of commerce, integrity, and service to humanity. Yet what makes his story truly remarkable is how he took this inheritance and multiplied it beyond imagination, creating a business empire that would span multiple generations and sectors.</p> <p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>The Visionary Builder</p><p>When Aminu assumed leadership of the family business at just 29 years old following his brother’s death in 1960, few could have predicted the extraordinary transformation that would follow. Under his stewardship, what began as a traditional trading company evolved into the modern Dantata Organization—a sprawling conglomerate that touched every aspect of Nigerian economic life.</p><p>His vision extended far beyond profit margins. Through Alhassan Dantata and Sons Group, he helped build the physical infrastructure of our nation—from the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna to extensions at Ahmadu Bello University. His companies didn’t just construct buildings; they constructed the foundation of modern Nigeria.</p> What Aminu Dantata meant to us &#8211; Kano residents I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit others — Alhaji Aminu Dantata<p>Aminu Dantata was never content to simply keep the status quo. As a pioneer in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector through Express Petroleum & Gas Company Ltd, he demonstrated the foresight to position his business at the heart of Nigeria’s emerging petroleum economy. His role in establishing Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first Islamic bank, showed his commitment to creating financial institutions that reflected our cultural values while serving modern economic needs.</p><p>His international perspective, gained through extensive travels that took him to every corner of the world by the 1950s and 1960s, gave him unique insights into global business practices. Yet he never lost sight of his Nigerian roots or his responsibility to contribute to his homeland’s development.</p><p>The Quiet Philanthropist</p><p>Perhaps most remarkably, Aminu Dantata’s greatest legacy lies not in the businesses he built, but in the lives he quietly transformed through his philanthropy. Without fanfare or publicity, he funded schools, hospitals, mosques, and countless social welfare programs across Northern Nigeria and beyond.</p><p>His ₦50 million donation to Girls Secondary School in Dala, complete with toilets and boreholes, exemplified his practical approach to giving—addressing real needs with tangible solutions. The Alhassan Dantata Haemodialysis Center at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital stands as a testament to his commitment to healthcare, saving countless lives for generations to come.</p><p>Even in his final years, his generosity never wavered. His ₦1.5 billion donation for Maiduguri flood victims in 2025 showed that his compassionate heart beat strong until the very end.</p><p>In his later years, Aminu Dantata evolved from businessman to philosopher, sharing wisdom gained from nine decades of life. His concerns about moral decline among Nigerian youth and his advocacy for combining Islamic and Western education reflected a deep understanding of the challenges facing our society.</p><p>His philosophical reflections on life, morality, and Nigeria’s development revealed a man who had not only witnessed history but had learned profound lessons from it. His observations about Western economic development using African resources showed his sophisticated understanding of global economic dynamics and his desire for true African economic independence.</p><p>A Durable Bridge Between Worlds</p><p>Aminu Dantata’s life represented a remarkable bridge between Nigeria’s traditional past and its modern future. He kept deep Islamic values while embracing global perspectives. He honored traditional merchant customs while pioneering modern corporate practices. He respected the wisdom of elders while nurturing the ambitions of the young.</p><p>His role as uncle to Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, symbolizes how his influence extended beyond his own enterprises to shape an entire generation of Nigerian business leaders. The Dantata name became synonymous not just with wealth, but with integrity, vision, and service.</p><p>Until his departure, Aminu Dantata remained focused on building a great future for Nigeria. His plans to reopen Fine Text Textile Company and cultivate thousands of hectares for agricultural production showed a man who never stopped believing in Nigeria’s potential. His optimism was infectious, inspiring all who knew him to see possibilities where others saw only challenges.</p><p>As we mourn the passing of this giant among men, we celebrate a life extraordinarily well-lived. Aminu Dantata leaves behind more than just a business empire—he leaves a blueprint for how to live with purpose, integrity, and unwavering commitment to the betterment of society.</p><p>He showed us that true wealth is not measured merely in material terms, but in the positive impact one has on others. He showed that business success and moral integrity are not contradictory but complementary. He proved that one person, guided by strong values and unlimited vision, can indeed change the world.</p><p>To his beloved family, especially his children and grandchildren who carry forward the Dantata legacy, we offer our deepest condolences. Your patriarch’s life was a masterclass in excellence, and his memory will forever inspire future generations of Nigerians to dream big, work hard, and give generously.</p><p>As Alhaji Aminu Dantata joins his ancestors, we pray that Allah grants him eternal rest in Aljannah Firdaus. His 94 years on earth were a gift to Nigeria and to humanity. Though his physical presence is no more, his spirit lives on in every school he built, every hospital he funded, every business he nurtured, and every life he touched.</p><p>Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un – “Truly we belong to Allah, and truly to Him we shall return.”</p><p>Rest in perfect peace, Alhaji Aminu Dantata. Your legacy is eternal, your impact immeasurable, and your memory forever blessed.</p> Jani, mni, is the President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.<p>This tribute was culled from everyday.ng</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> A tribute to Alhaji Aminu Dantata: Merchant prince who bridged tradition and modernity – Daily Trust	查看 7333	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:49:27 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192725	有图 <p>There is only one word to describe Alhaji AMINU ALHASSAN DANTATA: colossus, in height, age and the stupendous wealth he has garnered, as well as experiences, lands and other properties, over the years. He has been doing business for more than 70 years—trading, construction, property, banking, manufacturing, oil and gas etc. In this interview, he spoke on his experiences, including how he successfully combined business and politics.</p> <p>You are the first person I have interviewed who went to a family school set up by his father, how do you feel about this? </p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>The school was established by our father based on what he learnt outside the country. Our father, a Nigerian who was born in a town called Bebeji, did not acquire Western education. When the British came to Nigeria, they tried to dilute or suppress Islamic education, but by the grace of God, he and his brothers and sisters were brought up purely Islamically and partly in business.</p><p>Was Alhassan Dantata a businessman in Nigeria before he travelled to Ghana? </p><p>His mother was in business because she was from a business family from part of Niger and Nigeria. It was then one country before the Europeans divided us.</p><p>What was he doing in Ghana; what kind of business? </p><p>When his father died, I think she (his mother) travelled to Ghana with him. She had some ulama in Ghana, so she took him there and stayed for long before he came back to Nigeria.</p> Alhassan Dantata’s business dynasty Tinubu, Buhari, Shettima, Atiku, govs, Barau, others mourn Dantata<p>How long did he stay in Ghana?</p><p>He told us he stayed long because he married there. In fact, he used to come to Nigeria and go back to Ghana by sea because there was no road, there was no aircraft, so they used to go by canoes.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Late Alh Aminu Dantata and Ali Dangote<p>Did his experience in Ghana lead to the school he established for his children like you? </p><p>No; it was not a family school. The school we were doing at that time was a normal traditional school, that is “makarantar allo,” with his children, his staff’s children and neighbours in the area.</p><p>You didn’t spend too many years in the school as you went straight into business as a very young person, why?</p><p>All the family got into school – Arabic school, then western school. They went to primary school here. The school is still in existence, just about two miles from this house. They used to walk by foot to go and come back.</p><p>At what point did you go into business; was it straight after primary school? </p><p>During holidays, our father used to teach us how to trade. During those days, trucks were not available in the country. Groundnuts, cotton, hides and skin were brought, sometimes by cattle, sometimes by camels and even by donkeys.</p><p>So you were using donkeys to travel to sell? </p><p>Yes. In fact, you will be surprised to hear that sometimes the trucks would take more than five days to reach their destinations. There were certain areas you would reach and you would have to evacuate the goods and put on the donkeys. That is why we are used to walking or riding donkeys, camels or bicycles, whatever was possible.</p><p>At one point you were representing the family business in Sokoto Province? </p><p>Yes, but before then I took over the station from my senior brother, Ahmadu Dantata in Bichi in1947.</p><p>You were still very young at this point? </p><p>At that time I was 17. In our family people started business young. At seven/eight, our father used to show us how we could make money. He would say, “Look, you see the people bringing groundnuts here, they have donkeys, camels and cows, so try and do something to earn money. Get a calabash, put water in it, put salt, the camel will drink, and on each donkey you get one tenth of the penny, (anini) and cattle two pence, the camel half a penny.”</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Alhaji Aminu Dantata<p>Did the family business stop with the death of your father and elder brothers went on their own? </p><p>No; before our father died, he established a company called Al Hassan Dantata & Sons. He called the two brothers, the most senior at that time, Alhaji Ahmadu and Alhaji Sanusi and told them, “You see, this illness is going to take me.”</p><p>How old was he then? </p><p>It was around 1953 or 1954.</p><p>Was he very old at that time? </p><p>He was old, but not as old as I am now. I think he died at seventy plus. He told them that he wanted the company to continue. Before they said anything he added, “But I think some may not agree with my suggestion.”</p><p>Some of the sons? </p><p>That was what he told the two most senior sons. I saw him a day before he died. I went to greet him and when he saw me he said, “Aminu is here …”</p><p>He suggested you should be the managing director? </p><p>No, Alaji. Ahmadu is the most senior; he was the managing director; and there was joint ownership.</p><p>When our father died, they gathered us and said, “Baba said we should continue with this company, what is your opinion?”</p><p>Those he pointed out (the same two) said they wanted to go on their own. The first one was already grown up, he gave me about five years.</p><p>Older than you? </p><p>Yes, but the other one was older by about a year and half. So they said, “We have to take your money to the authorities until you are mature at 18. That was how it was done.</p><p>So the inheritance wasn’t divided so that everybody got his own? </p><p>It was divided, but it was kept as he wished. Only two wanted to get their money. One was given his own and the other one was taken to the authorities.</p><p>Also, Alhaji Sanusi wanted to get his own line of business. That’s why the company was divided into two, Al Hassan Dantata & Sons and Sanusi Dantata & Sons.</p><p>And there was competition between the two? </p><p>There was no competition, or it was a healthy competition. We continued like that.</p><p>Then Alhaji Ahmadu also passed away and they decided to get Alhaji Garba Maisikeli to have more say in the company.</p><p>But you were the managing director, right?</p><p>No, Maisikeli was the managing director; I was his deputy.</p><p>So ADS continued as a trading company? </p><p>Yes.</p><p>Did you pull out at some point to set up your own? </p><p>I didn’t pull out. As time went, some of Alhaji Ahmadu’s children wanted to know what was happening and so on. So Maisikeli and myself decided to open accounts for their own properties to collect rent and dividends.</p><p>Was that the beginning of you being on your own? </p><p>When we were growing, I tried to emulate my father on buying lands.</p><p>He had been telling us all, “If you want to make money, invest in land.” He said land was good business.</p><p>Not in buildings and other properties? </p><p>Just land because in building you must first buy land. This area we are sitting now is part of the land of our father. He owned land in this country, in the areas where railways passed through.</p><p>In Kano here? </p><p>Not only in Kano but the whole country.</p><p>Everywhere?</p><p>The first train was Lagos to Kano. The second one was Lagos to Maiduguri, and thirdly, Lagos to Gusau; everywhere the railway passed because we were stocking groundnuts before shipping.</p><p>The irony is that at that time a land they are now calling in millions or billions was something you could buy at maybe 500 pounds.</p><p>Would you say the foundation of your own wealth is also land because you copied your father and started buying lands?</p><p>I copied him, so did most people in the family.</p><p>How much do you own? In what places do you have land? </p><p>I don’t think I would be able to tell you what land I have now, all over the world, not only in Nigeria. In Nigeria, there is nowhere I don’t have lands. Also, in areas where people don’t have the opportunity, I have lands. I have in Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Egypt. I have a land in the United Kingdom and Germany.</p><p>What of America? </p><p>Yes, in America, where I sent some of the children to school. I bought a house in Florida.</p><p>I know you have a private aircraft; do you have the chance to visit these places where you have lands or other properties? </p><p>The reason I first bought my aircraft is to be able to go to certain areas where there are no big aircraft, or where there are no good roads. I bought my first aircraft at the end of 1966.</p><p>The year of the coup? </p><p>Before the Sardauna was killed, the president of Niger, at one time came to complain. He told Sardauna that they had a factory in Niger, in a town called Malbaza, but they were not able to sell the cement. So Sardauna said, “Aminu you should go and see if you can help them.” And I said we could it.</p><p>I went to Niger by road because at that time I hadn’t bought the plane. They managed to get us to the company and we agreed to buy all their produce.</p><p>But unfortunately, the business community in Niger was agitated, asking why somebody from Nigeria would come and buy their produce.</p><p>When I came back I told Sardauna what happened.</p><p>Before Sardauna died, there was a factory in Sokoto, known as Sokoto Cement, which was established between the Northern Nigeria Government and the business community and Sokoto Province. I bought 10 per cent share at that time because Sardauna said anybody could buy. Sardauna was so magnanimous that he allowed people to own things legitimately.</p><p>I have not seen politicians who are as honest as near 10 per cent of what our people were before.</p><p>But Sardauna favoured you and gave you a lot of contracts and access to him; is that true? </p><p>Not only me; as far as Sardauna was concerned, any capable businessman, anybody who could do anything, either a civil servant, politician or businessman, he would allow him to do it.</p><p>But I think you were one of the people who supported or financed political parties in northern Nigeria? </p><p>I was not supporting political parties, I was part of them. Sardauna established the Northern Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC) to finance government business and individuals in the business community. As a Muslim, they did not ask us to give money before we were helped.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dantata during his visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, where he donated N1.5bn to victims of flooding last year<p>Before getting contracts? </p><p>Not just contracts.</p><p>Or loans? </p><p>Even loans. At one time, Sardauna told the companies operating in Nigeria, such as UAC, GBO, FCO, those big companies, to reduce their buying capacities to allow Nigerians take over.</p><p>Sardauna told the then minister of economic planning, Sarkin Daura, Alhaji Bashar, who also headed the marketing board, to tell them to allow Nigerians to be part of it and share the total allocation so that they would take half.</p><p>Most people may not know that from 1960 you were a member of the House of Representatives. So you were an established businessman at one side and a politician on the other; how did you manage that? </p><p>Yes. When the British wanted to give independence to Nigeria, they wanted to make sure that northerners participated fully because they felt we were more honest and forthright. When the politics started, I was not in the Northern People’s Congress (NPC), I was in the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU). I met Mallam Aminu when he was in Bauchi. Then it was called Northern Element Progressive Association (NEPA).</p><p>When Mallam Aminu Kano came into the NEPA, along the line, they decided to change the name from to NEPU. Once that happened, they wanted me to be the youth leader because I used to go on my motorcycle, chasing some traders for 1pound, 10 shillings.</p><p>Collecting money? </p><p>Collecting money and giving it to the party, so they felt that I should be their youth leader. I remembered that my brother was in the NPC.</p><p>Alhaji Ahmadu? </p><p>And I remember that my father was in the emirate. I know when he used to go there; and I know a lot of chiefs coming to his house from the palace. I slept in the emir’s palace when I was about eight years because the senior wife in Abdullahi Bayero’s house was my mother’s friend.</p><p>So this link with the establishment prevented you from being the NEPU youth leader? </p><p>Exactly. My father would not take it kindly to see his son fighting the system.</p><p>In which party did you become a member of the House in 1961? </p><p>My brother was in the NPC while I was in NEPU. In 1953 there was election for the federal seat in Lagos. The NPC got Mahmud Dantata (WAPA) into the party. Aminu Kano was supposed to get that seat, so they got them to fight for it. They contested and Mahmud Dantata won.</p><p>The following year, there was going to be a seat from the North and they also wanted to beat Aminu Kano again, so they got the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero to contest.</p><p>He was the Wakilin Doka (chief of local police) at that time? </p><p>Exactly; but he didn’t want to. He was NEPU in mind.</p><p>Were you in NEPU together? </p><p>He was not open like me to attend meetings because he was called Wakilin Doka. He got the seat in 1955. During those years, my relationship with Aminu Kano was very tight. I was not restricted in going to his house and he was not restricted from coming to my house. So I would do whatever I could to see that he was in a good position.</p><p>After the death of Alhaji Ahmadu in 1960 you became a member of the House of Reps? </p><p>Yes.</p><p>Was it a good experience for you to be directly involved in politics? </p><p>It was a good experience because at that time, people were honest, not like today’s politics. That is why what I am seeing in politics now is pathetic. We are no longer honest; people are distorting the truth and supporting mischief. It is not good.</p><p>One other area of your career, which is fairly unusual for a businessman, is that you served in the government of Kano State as a commissioner for many years (1967-1973). Why did you leave your flourishing business to go into government? </p><p>I knew Audu Bako in Kano before he became the military governor. He was a police commissioner that time. But when he was appointed governor, we didn’t meet. One day, during the evening news, I heard the names of commissioners Bako appointed and my name was among.</p><p>How did you react? </p><p>After the announcement, few days or so, he called us—Tanko Yakasai, Inuwa Dutse and myself. We knew one another long before that time.</p><p>Did you enjoy being in government or it was strange for you as a businessman? </p><p>I enjoyed it. I still remember those days – the way we worked and how we challenged the governor.</p><p>Even as his commissioners? </p><p>Yes, it is not the way it is happening today. I am sure that if anybody challenges his governor the way we did, he would be sacked. Anything that was brought to the cabinet, if we felt it was not reasonable, we would say it out.</p><p>And he didn’t sack you? </p><p>He didn’t sack us because maybe the head of state, Gowon, was showing his part of honesty of duty. The governor was showing a reasonable honesty.</p><p>You said recently in a public forum that as an elder statesman there were many occasions you advised leaders, including former President Muhammadu Buhari, even the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; why didn’t they listen to you?</p><p>I cannot answer that because I don’t know their minds. I am really disgusted. As Muslims, God tells us that goodness is open and badness is open, it is up to us to choose what we want. If we choose good, Allah will help us, and if we take the negative we will see negativity. It is really pathetic to see what is happening today.</p><p>Whose fault is it? You are part of the elite who have set up businesses, including Masaka Textiles, one of the first indigenous manufacturing companies; what happened to it? </p><p>When it started nearly 70 years ago, people were honest and money was more respected, religion was more accepted and better practised. Everything was better at that time. After the days of our father, we found out that his share in that company was 10 per cent. I think it was 30pounds or less than that. Not many people had 30 pounds in this country.</p><p>But the company has gone? </p><p>It has gone but not completely. Some people took it over and were exploiting the original concept. It was about weaving, producing and selling army and police uniforms. At the end it had to be shut and auctioned.</p><p>You are 92, are you still involved in your businesses or you have given them up? </p><p>I am not active in business now, but I am in business. I am in business in the sense that I do what I really feel is good for me and it is honest. Each time I pray, I ask Allah to guide and stop me from doing anything that is not good.</p><p>Everybody knows that you are a very wealthy man; how do you cope with the pressure to donate money? </p><p>I am not very wealthy, but I thank God that I am rich enough to take care of myself. I believe in God’s words that if you give, Allah will reward you. Anybody who gives for Allah’s sake, Allah will give him at least 10 or 70 times. I believe in that.</p><p>Everybody around you probably wants money and you are one of the few who have it? How much giving do you do? </p><p>I don’t have to give everybody. Whoever you see me give, Allah had already destined that I would give him. And as I am giving him, Allah is giving me back, more than what I give.</p><p>But you give big amounts to universities, charity organisations, hospitals and schools, is that correct?</p><p>Yes, why not, I am giving it for the sake of Allah.</p><p>How much time do you have to enjoy your wealth? You have houses in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, England; do you have time to go round, stay and enjoy these blessings? </p><p>Anywhere you find me, I have a house. And I am not enjoying it alone, I enjoy it with my family and friends. I enjoy it with my country people. The more you give others to enjoy, the more you enjoy.</p><p>Do you still have a private aircraft you use in going around? </p><p>Yes. I told you that I bought my first aircraft in 1967 at 10,000 pounds, which was about $15,000. When I sold it after a year or so, I bought a jet; the first one was a propeller type. I bought the jet about two and half million dollars. After four years, the value increased because the value of the currency was dwindling, so I sold it about four and half million dollars.</p><p>I bought the one I am using now 15 years ago about $38million; today, if I want to sell it I may hardly get $15 million because it is dwindling.</p><p>I maintain my aircraft now for obvious reasons. Now that I am old, you hardly see me walking, so for me to be struggling to get into the aircraft is something hard. So I maintain it, at least to be more comfortable for the rest of my life.</p><p>How much travelling do you do? </p><p>Now, if you see me travelling, maybe I go to Saudi Arabia, Medina, Jeddah, from there I go to Dubai and Egypt, that’s all. For nearly 20 years now, I have not gone to Europe.</p><p>Have you cut off from Europeans? </p><p>I don’t have much to do there; and it is very expensive now.</p><p>Even for you? </p><p>Yes, of course, for anybody now. I still have my children who school. And to maintain hospital services now is very expensive. There was a time I was spending about $4m a year to check the health of the family.</p><p>Was that on insurance? </p><p>Yes.</p><p>From a fairly young age, you have always had a large family; you have always married many wives; did it have something to do with being a successful businessman? </p><p>That’s what Allah arranged. Allah said you could marry up to four if you could afford it. It is legal. But you should not marry more than one if you cannot sustain it. That is the mistake we are making now. Anybody you brought to the world here, the responsibility is yours, not the mother.</p><p>I heard that you actually take care of your children, even when they are grown up. You go on holidays with them; is that true? </p><p>It is because my father did that to us when we were kids. He took us to his home town, built places for us to share with his other relatives. We did not grow as an isolated family; that is what I enjoy most.</p><p>Even with married daughters? </p><p>Yes, anything I can afford. Allah has said that if you can afford something that is legitimate, you should know how to do it. That is why I am doing it. I am praying that Allah should not give me something that other human beings would not benefit from. I believe in what Allah said, that the more you give, the more you get.</p><p>How does it feel to be 92? Is it a burden? </p><p>Of course it is a burden on the body and my physical health. It is also a burden because the atmosphere in the world today is horrible.</p><p>What is it that you don’t like about the atmosphere? </p><p>There is nothing I like now. Sadly, there is nothing much to like. We are not using the opportunities in the right way. If human beings were using the opportunities Allah has given in the right way, the world would be fantastic.</p><p>Do you have the hope that things would improve with time? </p><p>Allah said we should not give up.</p><p>This material was first published in Daily Trust on Sunday, 22nd October, 2023</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit others — Alhaji Aminu Dantata – Daily Trust	查看 22120	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 07:57:17 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192724	有图 <p>President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, former President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, northern governors and other eminent Nigerians have mourned the passing of Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, an elder statesman, business mogul and philanthropist. </p><p>They described his death as a national loss and prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings and reward his lifetime of service with Aljannatul Firdaus.</p> <p>Dantata, who passed away at 94 in the early hours of Saturday, was a renowned and accomplished businessman.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>Dantata’s death a monumental national loss — Tinubu </p><p>President Tinubu described Dantata’s death as a monumental national loss because of his sterling contributions to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.</p> I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit others — Alhaji Aminu Dantata A tribute to Alhaji Aminu Dantata: Merchant prince who bridged tradition and modernity<p>Tinubu, in a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, eulogised Dantata for his public-spirited philanthropy, which touched lives, especially in education and healthcare delivery.</p><p>The president recalled his relationship with the late mogul, describing his wise counsel and support as “deeply encouraging and beneficial.</p><p>“With the death of Alhaji Dantata today, we lost a prominent business mogul, patriot, and elder statesman who contributed significantly to the growth and development of our nation.</p><p>“Alhaji Dantata will be remembered for his industry, diligence, steadfastness, and great commitment to national unity through his many business ventures and philanthropic activities that touched countless lives of Nigerians,” the president said.</p><p>President Tinubu commiserated with the Dantata family, the Government, and the people of Kano State on the death of Nigeria’s illustrious son.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Former President Muhammadu Buhari with Dantata<p>His legacy reshaped lives, businesses — Buhari </p><p>Former President Muhammadu Buhari said Dantata would be remembered for his “monumental legacy in philanthropy and entrepreneurship that reshaped the lives of people and business settings in the country and beyond.</p><p>Buhari, in a statement by is spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said Dantata’s contributions to Islamic education, health, business and rural development would continue to inspire many people, both within and outside the country.</p><p>“The late billionaire, yet humble businessman, will be credited with providing a long, stable leadership to one of the oldest and respected business families in the country.</p><p>“He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of leadership in business and philanthropy and an unmatched record in mentoring and nurturing generations of entrepreneurs, who themselves are today mentoring others and taking to philanthropy.</p><p>“His philanthropic contributions impacted millions of people across West Africa.</p><p>“I will always cherish my interactions with him,” said the former president.</p><p>Nigeria lost irreplaceable institution — Shettima </p><p>Vice President Kashim Shettima has expressed deep grief over the passing of Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata, saying that the country has lost an irreplaceable institution.</p><p>Shettima, in a condolence message by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, praised the late businessman for his lifetime of service, describing him as “a living bridge that connected us to our past.</p><p>“We have not just lost a leader; we have lost an irreplaceable institution,” Senator Shettima said, describing Dantata as “one of the greatest titans in Nigeria’s philosophical history” whose departure marks the end of a vital chapter in the country’s economic and democratic evolution.</p><p>“In African tradition, when such an elderly person transitions, a vital chapter of our history departs with them. He was indeed among the great titans, a living bridge that connected us to our past,” Shettima added.</p><p>The vice president extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, expressing hopes that they would “find the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” even as he prayed that Almighty Allah would grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vice President Kashim Shettima with Dantata<p>Atiku urges FG to immortalise Dantata </p><p>Former Vice president of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar has described the demise of billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, as a loss not only for the people of Kano State, but also Nigerian business community and Africa at large.</p><p>Atiku in a statement by Mr Paul Ibe, his spokesman, said Dantata’s immeasurable contributions to the national economy and job creation stand tall and called for him to be immortalised.</p><p>Atiku said 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.</p><p>“Aminu Dantata was a successful businessman for decades who had inspired a generation of other younger people to venture into business investment and prosperity,” Atiku said adding that “it’s impossible to talk about business issues in Nigeria without a reference to the Dantata family.”</p><p>“I’m particularly impressed by how the late Aminu 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.</p><p>Atiku 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.</p><p>“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.</p><p>The former Vice President also described Dantata as “a decent and uncontroversial public figure who avoided divisive utterances.”</p><p>He urged the federal government to immortalise Aminu Dantata by renaming a public institution after him in recognition of his immeasurable services to humanity and contributions to the economy.</p><p>He made indelible marks in business, religion, philanthropy — Speaker Abbas </p><p>The Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, has expressed sadness over the demise of billionaire businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, describing him as one of the most successful Nigerians.</p><p>In his condolence message issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, he said late Dantata made indelible marks in business, religion, and philanthropy.</p><p>He said Dantata was a trailblazer in the private sector, who ventured into various businesses across sub-sectors of the economy, including construction, manufacturing, banking, agriculture, and oil and gas.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar with Dantata<p>The speaker specifically hailed Dantata for sustaining his success in different spheres of life for several decades despite economic realities.</p><p>He said, “Indeed, we have lost a father and one of the most patriotic Nigerians, who was not just a businessman of repute but also an employer of labour.</p><p>“Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s story is that of resilience, tenacity, diligence, consistency, and kindness. During his lifetime, he served as a beacon of hope for many. The fact that his business empire has existed for many decades is a testament to his steadfastness.</p><p>“Nigeria and Nigerians will not forget in a hurry, Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s enterprising nature and his invaluable contributions to the growth and development of the Nigerian society.</p><p>“I am pained that such an illustrious and industrious personality has left us. But I am consoled by his achievements characterized by humility and modesty. The Dantata story will remain with us for decades to come. He will be sorely missed, and his achievements will inspire generations to come”.</p><p>He was a symbol of integrity—Barau</p><p>The Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau, in a statement by his spokesman, Ismail Mudashir, extolled Dantata’s virtues, saying he was a symbol of integrity.</p><p>He said contributed immensely to the overall development of Kano State, the northern part, and indeed the entire country.</p><p>“I mourn the passing of our father, an elder statesman, industrialist, business mogul and philanthropist, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who died on Saturday. He spent his life worshipping Allah SWT and in the service of humanity.</p><p>“Indeed, we have lost a father whose role in the development of our state and, indeed, the country cannot be overemphasised.</p><p>“For decades, he was a leading figure in various business spheres: trading, construction, property, banking, manufacturing, oil and gas, etc. His highly cherished business acumen, exemplary philanthropy and interventions will continue to inspire us.”</p><p>Dantata’s death end of a remarkable era — Northern govs</p><p>The chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forumand governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, in a condolence message on behalf of his colleagues, described the death of the Kano-born industrialist as a monumental national loss and the end of a remarkable era.</p><p>“It is with profound sorrow and a deep sense of national loss that I, on behalf of the Government and people of Gombe State as well as the Northern States Governors’ Forum, mourn the passing of elder statesman and one of Africa’s most accomplished businessmen and philanthropists, Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata.</p><p>“His demise marks the end of a remarkable era, an era defined by visionary enterprise, uncommon generosity, rare humility and integrity,” he said.</p><p>Governor Yahaya remarked that Aminu Dantata was a towering figure in the economic history of Nigeria who belonged to a class of visionary leaders committed to enterprise, development and uplifting humanity.</p><p>“Alhaji Aminu Dantata’s contributions to the socio-economic transformation of Northern Nigeria and the country at large are both monumental and enduring.</p><p>“We have indeed lost a pillar of support, a source of wisdom, and a true elder statesman,” Governor Yahaya added.</p><p>Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, hailed Dantata as a towering figure whose lifetime of enterprise, philanthropy, and leadership helped shape the economic and social fabric of the state.</p><p>In a condolence message issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Governor Yusuf said “Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata was not just a successful businessman but a father figure and a beacon of hope for generations. His unwavering commitment to the growth and development of Kano State and his tireless support for countless charitable causes will forever remain in our hearts.”</p><p>Governor Yusuf extended heartfelt condolences to the Dantata family, the Kano Emirate and the wider Nigerian business community, urging them to take solace in the indelible legacy the late icon leaves behind.</p><p>Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State described Alhaji Aminu Dantata as a pillar of compassion, integrity, and generosity, who devoted his life to nation-building, economic growth, and uplifting the less privileged.</p><p>“His wisdom, simplicity, and unflinching faith inspired generations; he was not only a successful entrepreneur but a moral compass and elder whose voice carried weight in moments of national reflection,” the governor said.</p><p>Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, in a condolence massage, said Nigeria lost a hero but Borno State has lost a dependable father.</p><p>“Alhaji Dantata’s life was a testament to an unwavering dedication to philanthropy and community development.</p><p>“His remarkable gesture during last year’s devastating flood, where he extended significant support to the affected communities in Borno State, exemplifies his genuine compassion and commitment to humanity.</p><p>“Such acts of kindness and solidarity will always be remembered and cherished,” Zulum said.</p><p>Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, in a condolence message, described the late business mogul as a giant whose footprints in commerce, industry, and humanitarian service stretched across Northern Nigeria and beyond.</p><p>The governor noted that the deceased’s business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit served as inspiration to countless young people across the North, while his philanthropic endeavours touched lives in ways that will be remembered for generations.</p><p>“The nation has lost a bridge-builder, a mentor, and a patriarch whose wisdom guided many through the complexities of business and life,” he said.</p><p>The speaker of Kano State House of Assembly, Jibril Ismail Falgore, said the assembly is deeply saddened by the loss of such an irreplaceable and iconic figure.</p><p>Falgore described the late Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata as an exceptional personality, and a business magnate who impacted countless lives. He was widely admired for his humility and celebrated for his immense contributions to trade, commerce, and community development across Nigeria.</p><p>“Dantata was an extraordinary figure whose legacy of kindness and service will forever be remembered in Kano and across the nation,” he said.</p><p>Similarly, Dan Darman Sokoto Alhaji Mustapha Garba, a businessman and adopted son of the late businessman mogul said the void left by the death of Alhaji Aminu Dantata could not be filled.</p><p>He described him as unmatched wealthy philanthropist whose preoccupation with supporting worthy causes knows no bounds.</p><p>Garba said the gates of the late Dantata were always open to the poor and the rich as well as the powerful who seek his wise counsel.</p><p>Nigeria has lost a towering statesman – CNG</p><p>The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has expressed sorrow over the passing of Alhaji Aminu Alhassan Dantata.</p><p>In a statement, the National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, described the Kano billionaire as a pioneer whose contributions to Nigeria’s economic and social development were both foundational and transformative.</p><p>He said: “Through decades of pioneering investments in construction, banking, manufacturing, agriculture, oil and gas, and more, he laid the foundations for the economic growth of Northern Nigeria, creating thousands of jobs and fostering prosperity across the region.</p><p>“Beyond business, his generosity and unwavering commitment to humanitarian causes touched countless lives. From supporting education, healthcare, and community infrastructure to championing peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony, Alhaji Dantata embodied the highest ideals of public service and philanthropy.</p><p>“Nigeria has lost a towering statesman whose life was defined by service to humanity with humility, wisdom, and devotion to the collective good, and will remain a guiding light for generations.”</p><p>Contributions from Baba Martins, Balarabe Alkassim, Ahmad Datti & Salim Umar Ibrahim (Kano), Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe), Ali Rabi’u Ali (Dutse), Hamisu Kabir Matazu (Maiduguri) & Tijjani Ibrahim (Katsina)</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Tinubu, Buhari, Shettima, Atiku, govs, Barau, others mourn Dantata – Daily Trust	查看 16070	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 08:03:05 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192723	有图 <p>Indeed, the late Aminu Alhassan Dantata’s death will surely leave a huge gap not only in the lives of his family members but also for many other people. His philanthropic activities knew no boundary as several institutions, individuals and groups have benefited from his many magnanimous gestures directly or indirectly.</p><p>Here, some individuals who have either directly or indirectly benefited from the late Dantata’s good gesture told the Daily Trust how the death of the business mogul impacts them.</p> <p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>He was an instrument of peace – Malam Shehu Bala Tudun Wada</p><p>I never met the late Aminu Dantata in my life, but I will never forget what he did for my family to resolve an age-long land dispute in the family. Our father died and left behind a house. Then a dispute erupted between us, the seven heirs, and what started like a joke took us years to resolve, and at last, it was agreed that the house should be sold.</p><p>In the process, the agents took the issue of selling the house to Aminu Dantata; they wanted him to buy the house. Therefore, when he inquired about the issues surrounding the sale of the house, and he was told what had happened, the late Aminu got land and built seven houses for each and every heir. The interesting part of it is that he didn’t take the house; he allowed us to sell it and share the money.</p> Alhassan Dantata’s business dynasty I pray Allah not to give me what would not benefit others — Alhaji Aminu Dantata<p>That was how he was able to reunite our family by ensuring peace reigned among us. We tried to see him just to say thank you, but we couldn’t. His message was that we should unite.</p><p>No doubt we have lost a rare gem; we have lost a man who over the years stood firmly on fairness and justice. He was a man of peace. Though we never met him in person, we always pray for him God’s guidance. He is late now; we will continue to pray for him and his family. May the peace he fought for be with him and his family. May his soul rest in peace. Amin.</p><p>A philanthropist like no other – Musa Shehu</p><p>I am a mechanic operating in the Zoo Road business area. I have been occupying this 100 by 100 feet land for many years and the land, I was made to believe, belongs to the late Aminu Dantata. For all these years, no one had ever approached me to pay rent or something like that. I only pay usual taxes; this is something only the Dantatas can do for you</p><p>There are many places like this where people are earning their living without paying anything to Dantata. He has such a personality that encourages self-reliance and discourages idleness.</p><p>We have never met him, and yet we have benefited from his wealth immensely and without his encouragement, many of us would have been somewhere by now. His death is surely a great loss that will take time in the minds of many people. We will continue to pray for his soul. He is indeed a philanthropist like no other; I have never seen someone like him who spreads his wealth for everybody to benefit from.</p><p>A mentor to business community – Auduwa Goro</p><p>Many of us in the business sector are being encouraged by the late Dantata’s business travails. We were told that he once said, “I am not afraid of anyone earning a salary, no matter the amount, but I am afraid of a common roadside trader, as he has chances to grow.” This statement, credited to the late Aminu Dantata, has been a driving force behind many successful businessmen.</p><p>The Dantata business dynasty’s history and the manner the family has maintained the trend are also worth emulating. However, during his last days, the late Dantata had been at the forefront of empowering so many business entities.</p><p>He was such a personality that liked doing good things in secret, and I want to state here that he revived many businesses secretly with his wealth and wisdom.</p><p>His Koki residence was heaven on earth to many businessmen who ran to him for assistance and mentorship. It is apparent that he didn’t like blowing his trumpet, but posterity and time will surely reveal his excellent and lifesaving gestures that he extended to many business empires.</p><p>He died with a dream of a better Nigeria – Othman Baffa</p><p>As a politician and an advocate of a better Nigeria, I can recall vividly when late Aminu Dantata received the Northern Elders Forum, who paid him a condolence visit on the death of Sani Dangote in 2022, with Othman Bashir Tofa among other prominent Kano people at his Koki residence. The late Aminu didn’t mince words in telling the visitors that it is not too late to get Nigeria as a nation working again.</p><p>The late Dantata explained to them that there is a need for the elders to team up with other Nigerians of like mind to bring an end to the disturbing multiple problems facing the country.</p><p>He also said that for Nigeria to work properly, there is a need for a shift from the presidential system of governance to the parliamentary system. His words, “You will agree with me that the presidential system of government presently in operation has failed the nation. What we need now is to adopt the parliamentary system, which is less expensive.”</p><p>Now that he is no more, his ideologies and beliefs on Nigeria shouldn’t be allowed to waste. He had strived to ensure a peaceful Nigeria, though not an active politician, but his wisdom and vast exposure had assisted several governments at various levels to succeed.</p><p>Indeed, not only the business sector, the humanitarian sector and other sectors would miss the business guru; the political sector will also miss a guide and a mentor. May his gentle soul rest in peace. Amin.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> What Aminu Dantata meant to us – Kano residents – Daily Trust	查看 6226	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 08:06:33 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192722	有图 <p>Alhassan Dantata is the father of the late Aminu Dantata and the founder of the Dantata business dynasty. He is also the great-grandfather of Aliko Dangote.</p><p>The late Alhassan was a philanthropist and the richest businessman in Kano in the 1920s. In 1929, when the Bank of British West Africa opened a branch in Kano, Dantata placed 20 camel-loads of silver coins in it; becoming its first customer and that singular gesture earned him to have special regard from the colonial masters, who also instituted much trust in him.</p> <p>History has shown that he started as a trader from Northern Nigeria who traded mainly in kola nuts and groundnuts. His distribution pool extended far into Europe and at the time of his death, he was the richest man in West Africa.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>It is on record that although Dantata was one of the wealthiest men in the British West African colonies, his philosophy of simple life was one of his greatest qualities, which endeared him to many people. He dressed simple and ate simple foods just like any other.</p> What Aminu Dantata meant to us &#8211; Kano residents Insight into Aminu Dantata as a family man, sportsman and silent Philanthropist<p>Though wealthy, Alhassan Dantata was known to detest extravagant way of life. He moved about among his workers, joking with them, encouraging and occasionally giving them a helping hand.</p><p>Born in Bebeji of Kano Emirate in 1877, his father, Malam Abdullahi, is said to be a wealthy trader from the Agalawa clan – a hereditary group of long-distance traders in the Hausa Empire. Upon the death of his father in Bebeji around 1885, and being too young to manage their father’s considerable wealth, each child was given their portion of his wealth according to Islamic law.</p><p>His mother was a trader and wealthy in her own right. After her husband’s death, she decided to leave Bebeji for Accra in the then Gold Coast, present Ghana, where she had commercial interests.</p><p>The journey to Accra, which was to last for several weeks, forced her to leave her children behind, in the care of an old slave woman named Tata.</p><p>The young Alhassan became known as Alhassan Dantata because of Tata’s role and influence in his life as his “mother”. Dantata attended Qur’anic school in Bebeji, as was the tradition for young Agalawa. He succeeded at the insistence of Tata in saving the little he was getting in a clay bank purchased by Tata.</p><img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hajia Mariya Dantata<p>Dantata was still a teenager when the great upheavals occurred in the Kano Emirate from 1893 to 1895. There were two claimants to the Kano Emirate when Emir Muhammad Bello died in 1893. In the moments of the war, Yusufu forces, one of the claimants, were victorious over Tukur, son of Emir Bello, claiming the title of emir. Because of the Agalawa support of Tukur, Dantata and the other Agalawa had their property confiscated, and many were captured while others were forced to go into exile.</p><p>Dantata and his brothers were held for ransom, under the threat of slavery. Through hard work and perseverance, they were able to pay off their debt, and Dantata returned to the trading business without his family lands around Kano.</p><p>Probably, after being freed from slavery around 1894, Dantata joined a Gonja-bound caravan to see his mother in Ghana. He purchased some items in Bebeji, sold half of them on the way and the rest in Accra. He might have hoped his wealthy mother would allow him to live with her and find him work among the Gold Coast Agalawa community. However, that did not happen because after a rest of only one day, she took him to a Malam and asked Dantata to stay there until he was ready to return to Bebeji.</p><p>Dantata worked harder in Accra than he did in Bebeji. After the usual learning of the Qur’an, he had to go and beg for food. He worked for money on Thursdays and Fridays. As was the tradition, the bulk of his earnings went to his Malam.</p><p>At some point, he returned to Bebeji for his religious studies and work. There, Tata continued to insist that he must save something every day. Dantata decided to engage in long-distance trading, but he remained in Bebeji until matters had settled down.</p><p>Like his father, he preferred the Nupe and Gonja routes. He used the new trade routes to Ibadan and Lagos to develop his network of trading associates. He specialised in the exchange of Kano dyed cloth, cattle, slave trade and so on.</p><p>According to Penglobal, instead of bringing kola nuts on pack animals, he used steamships to transport them between Accra, Kumasi, Sekondi, in Ghana and Lagos. He was the first to develop this route. This innovation and contact with Europeans helped him establish his wealth and future business dynasty. He supplied large British trading companies with raw materials and also had business interests in the Gold Coast.</p><p>In 1906, he began broadening his interests by trading in beads, necklaces, European clothing, and trade goods. Around 1908, his mother, who had never remarried, died in Accra. After her death, he focused his attention on new opportunities in Lagos and Kano. For example, he built up his trade in kola nuts and eventually the whole “kola trains” to Northern Nigeria were filled with his kola nuts.</p><p>Dantata maintained a house in Bebeji but had no property in the larger trading town of Kano. He did not own a house there, but was satisfied with the accommodation given to him by his landlord. When the British deposed the successor of Yusufu in 1903, they appointed Abbas as the Emir of Kano. As part of a recompilation, Abbas returned the confiscated lands around Kano to the Agalawa families. Dantata built his first house in the then-empty Sarari area, which is an extension of Koki in Kano. He married Umma Zaria, and, as was the tradition, she conducted business for him with women of Kano.</p><p>According to some written history, Dantata had been known to be a hardworking, frugal and unpretentious individual in his personal habits. He was also a good financial manager. He had the good sense to employ Alhaji Babba Na Alhassan, who served as his chief accountant, and Alhaji Garba Maisikeli as his financial controller for 38 years. Dantata did not manage from behind a desk but involved himself with his workers.</p><p>In 1912, when the Europeans started to show an interest in the export of groundnuts, they contacted the already established Kano merchants through Emir Abbas and their chief agent, Adamu Jakada. Some established merchants of Kano, like Umaru Sharubutu, Maikano Agogo, accepted their offer.</p><p>Dantata was already familiar with the manner by which traders could make fortunes by buying cocoa for Europeans in the Gold Coast. He had several advantages over other Kano businessmen: language, wealth and age. He could speak some English and already had direct dealings with Europeans in Lagos and Accra. And besides, he had substantial capital. Unlike other established Kano merchants, he was in his mid-thirties, with a small family and retinue to support.</p><p>Despite the famine in Kano of 1914, he quickly dominated the groundnut purchasing business through promotions, loans and contacts.</p><p>In 1918, the UK-based Royal Niger Company later became the United Africa Company (UAC). It searched for an agent to purchase groundnuts for it, and Dantata responded to the offer. Unconfirmed accounts say that he used to purchase about half of all the nuts bought by the United Africa Company in northern Nigeria.</p><p>By 1922, Dantata had become the richest businessman in Kano, surpassing other merchant traders. In 1929, when the Bank of British West Africa opened a branch in Kano, Dantata placed 20 camel-loads of silver coins in it, becoming its first customer. However, for religious reasons, his money collected no interest. Shortly before his death, he pointed to 60 groundnut pyramids in Kano and said, “These are all mine”.</p><p>Dantata applied for a license to purchase and export groundnuts in 1940, on the same level as the United Africa Company. However, it was not granted because of worldwide military and economic conditions. In 1953–54, he became a licensed buying agent, which allowed him to sell directly to the Nigerian Groundnut Marketing Board instead of another firm.</p><p>Dantata was also famous for undertaking the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah by boat in the 1920s. He financed the pilgrimages of other Muslims to Makkah; a tradition that has continued among his descendants.</p><p>His son, Alhaji Aminu Dantata and his grandchildren, such as Hajiya Mariya Sunusi Dantata, as well as his great-grandchildren; like Aliko Dangote, still finance the Hajj of other Muslims to Makkah every year.</p><p>In 1955, Dantata fell ill, and because of the seriousness of his condition, he summoned his chief financial controller, Garba Maisikeli and his children. He told them that his days were approaching their end and advised them to live together. He founded the Dantata business dynasty, which the family has maintained for decades.</p><p>Records have shown that even while on his sick bed, he was particularly concerned about the company he had established – Alhassan Dantata & Sons. He told his heirs not to allow the company to collapse. Three days later, he died in his sleep, on Wednesday, August 17, 1955. He was buried in his house in the Sarari ward.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Alhassan Dantata’s business dynasty – Daily Trust	查看 9993	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 08:09:01 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192721	有图 <p>The Presidency has denied reports making the rounds that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has been replaced.</p><p>In messages circulating on social media, Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, was named as Akume’s replacement.</p> <p>But debunking the report late Saturday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said “there has been no change in the status of His Excellency, Senator George Akume, as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.”</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>Onanuga added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is currently in Saint Lucia, has not made any new appointments.</p> Alhassan Dantata’s business dynasty A tribute to Alhaji Aminu Dantata: Merchant prince who bridged tradition and modernity<p>“The information circulating about Akume’s replacement is untrue. Agents of mischief fabricated it.”</p><p>He advised Nigerians to disregard the fake news.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> ‘Akume remains SGF’, Presidency shoots down rumour – Daily Trust	查看 1512	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 12:26:26 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192720	有图 <p>Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has noted that one key areas that the House of Representatives Speaker, Rt Honourable Tajudeen Abbas, has excelled beyond measure, is constituency service.</p><p>The Governor pointed out that the House Speaker not only represents his people well, but also ‘’attracts major interventions to his constituency and expends his personal resources to put smiles on the faces of the people.’’</p> <p>Governor Uba Sani made the commendations in his closing remarks at an event organised to celebrate the Speaker’s two years of remarkable representation at Federal University of Education, Zaria, on Saturday.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>‘’In consultation and close collaboration with me, Mr. Speaker has extended development interventions beyond his constituency. He has intervened to support the government in providing vehicles to traditional rulers, and is bringing development projects to all the 23 Local Governments Areas in the State,’’ he disclosed.</p> Uba Sani turned Kaduna from toxic zone to hub of progress – Tinubu Kaduna Peaceful Under Uba Sani &#8211; Ex Envoy<p>The Governor maintained that his administration has ‘’ramped up our Rural Transformation Programme. We are extending infrastructure to all parts of Kaduna State. No part of Kaduna State will be left behind.</p><p>‘’We have recorded massive achievements in our health, educational and agricultural revitalization programmes. We have stabilized the security situation in many communities.</p><p>‘’Our ongoing social investment programmes have lifted many of our citizens out of poverty. We shall continue to create, innovate and effectively execute policies and programmes to make Kaduna State a model of development in Nigeria,’’ he added.</p><p>Governor Uba Sani noted that Speaker Abbas has remained a stabilizing force in the House of Representatives, with his inclusive and participatory approach to leadership.</p><p>According to him, members are focused on people-centred bills to address our economic and developmental challenges ‘’instead of the proverbial “banana peels.’’</p><p>Before giving his remarks, the Governor had asked the gathering to observe a minute silence in honour of the late Alhaji Aminu Dantata, who died in the early hours of Saturday at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, at 94 years.</p><p>Presenting his scorecard, Speaker Abbas said that in the last 14 years, ‘’I sponsored more bills than any other legislator in Nigeria’s history. In the 9th Assembly, I sponsored 74 bills, 21 of which received the president’s assent. This is the highest number recorded for any legislator since Nigeria’s independence.’’</p><p>As Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas said that he has done everything within his power to justify the trust placed on him by his peers in the last two years.</p><p>‘’Here in Zaria, we have established new institutions for agriculture, veterinary science, technical education, and disability inclusion. We have expanded secondary two education, launched a N5 billion scholarship scheme for over ten thousand students, and commenced construction of an N80 billion Education Village hosting university, nursing, teaching, and legal studies campuses.</p><p>‘’We have improved teacher welfare in rural areas, renovated schools, empowered women and youth through vocational centres, upgraded tertiary infrastructure, delivered vital community projects such as boreholes, solar lighting, and maternity care, and honoured our traditional institutions with vehicles to support their unifying role,’’ he added.</p><p>To mark his two years anniversary, the House Speaker flagged-off the distribution of fertiliser and motorcycles, as well as commissioned the Barewa Junction to Agoro Underpass along with Governor Uba Sani.</p><p>Other projects that were commissioned include the road from Kofar Doka to Agoro and the breaking ground for a Technology Incubation Centre at BATC Nagoyi, as well as the commencement of the construction of Primary and Secondary Schools for Children With Special Needs at ABUTH Child Hospital.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Speaker Abbas Is An Excellent Representative – Uba Sani – Daily Trust	查看 4596	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 12:58:03 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192719	有图 <p>If there is one Nigerian content creator whose work I deeply admire, it is Akinyemi Oluwaseun Omotayo, popularly known as Asherkine. At a time when people do all manner of questionable things, defaming others, spreading falsehoods—just to get likes, views, and comments in the name of “content creation,” Asherkine stands out for the way he puts genuine smiles on people’s faces.</p><p>This young man has touched countless lives, in markets, on the streets, in schools, and beyond—to the point that he has become part of some people’s prayer points. I can bet there are people who, whenever they’re stepping out, silently pray to God for an encounter with Asherkine’s generosity. He doesn’t give in half measures; he transforms lives completely. Every time I watch one of his videos, I find myself wondering why this young man hasn’t yet received a national honour for his kindness, and I have vowed to make a case for him one day.</p> <p>In an interview with Punch Newspaper, Asherkine revealed that in a bid to empower people, he would often go to places where there are lots of underprivileged people in order to give them hope. He said, “There are times when I go to universities, because I know how things were hard when I was a student. When I go to those schools, my aim is to find random students that are living on the bills of their parents or guardians. I try to give them experiences they wouldn’t have had on a regular day.”</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>Asherkine has endeared himself to a lot of Nigerians, especially women, for a specific type of content where he would take a random girl out on a life-changing experience of luxury and fun for a few days. As such, whenever you see his name trending on social media, know that it is probably due to a viral video of his philanthropic outreach. This time around, it was a young lady named Rebecca, a student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who became the latest beneficiary. She met Asherkine when he visited UNN, and he decided to take her out for a treat, a kind of one-day date that involved travelling with her to Lagos. When asked if she had a boyfriend or had ever been in a relationship, she firmly denied it—meaning, in Asherkine’s mind, the coast was clear. Additionally, she also had to get permission from her parents before she could be allowed to go on the trip with Asherkine.</p><p>They went shopping in Enugu, and when they arrived in Lagos, Rebecca realised that the Enugu shopping spree was just a teaser of the incredible experience ahead. She was introduced to a lifestyle she had never imagined and, given her background, might struggle to sustain on her own.</p><p>But trouble started for Rebecca after Asherkine posted the video online. A certain Kennedy surfaced, claiming he had been in a relationship with her for two years. Others even corroborated his story, alleging that he had been paying her school fees. Trust Nigerians and our mob mentality—nobody paused to hear Rebecca’s side of the story. She was called all sorts of unprintable names, a betrayer, a gold digger, an untrustworthy girl who denied her boyfriend for one day with Asherkine. One comment read, “Hustle o, make your babe no deny you because of Asherkine.” Kennedy even posted a picture of them together, along with a WhatsApp chat where Rebecca allegedly told him she was going to see her mother.</p><p>Little did people know that the so-called “evidence” was AI-generated and heavily edited. Even the aforementioned WhatsApp chat was fabricated. Rebecca didn’t even know Kennedy from Adam. She only managed to clarify this when the situation became overwhelming. One can only imagine how traumatising it was for her, watching what was supposed to be the best experience of her life turn into a nightmare, all thanks to fake news and a society that rarely asks questions before casting stones.</p><p>Kennedy’s AI-generated photo confirms my fears, and the concerns of many, about the chaos artificial intelligence can cause if left unchecked. AI was meant to complement human intelligence, but it is fast becoming a dangerous weapon in the hands of those determined to sow confusion and cause harm. Imagine the number of people who saw that fake photo and instantly believed Kennedy’s story. How do you explain to the average person, whether in a village or even a city, that a photo they see with their own eyes isn’t real?</p><p>Globally, there have been many examples of AI being used to peddle lies. Politicians’ voices have been cloned to spread fake audio clips; celebrities’ faces have been swapped into explicit videos; deepfake scams have cost companies millions of dollars. Experts warn that as AI technology gets better, it will become harder for ordinary people to tell real from fake, and our courts, media, and security agencies will be tested like never before.</p><p>If Rebecca’s parents had seen that picture, she might have received two hot slaps before she even had the chance to explain that it was AI-generated. And God help her if they don’t know what AI means or how it works, she for explain tire.</p><p>This is why, as we embrace technological advancements, we must also educate ourselves and create safeguards. Without this, AI will keep being weaponised by people like Kennedy, and innocent people like Rebecca will continue to pay the price.</p><p>The advent of AI has widened the scope of fake news. It has made lies look more believable and truth harder to defend. If we do not learn to question what we see and demand proof beyond images or screenshots, more innocent people will be destroyed by falsehoods dressed up as facts.</p><p>In this age of artificial intelligence, our best defence is digital literacy, critical thinking, and laws that punish those who use technology to destroy lives. Otherwise, Rebecca’s story will be just one of many.</p><p>Given how volatile our country is, and how fake news can spread like wildfire, we simply cannot afford to treat this threat lightly. We all remember how rumours have fuelled violence, religious crises, and even near civil war situations in the past. Imagine what will happen if AI-generated lies are added to our already fragile mix.</p><p>This is why I strongly urge the National Assembly to urgently enact clear, robust laws to regulate the misuse of artificial intelligence in Nigeria. Such laws should criminalise the creation and sharing of deepfakes, manipulated images, and other AI-generated falsehoods intended to defame, blackmail, or incite unrest. We must also empower our law enforcement agencies with the training and technology to detect AI forgeries, while ensuring that innocent citizens are protected from false accusations.</p><p>Nigeria must not wait until AI-fuelled fake news plunges us into avoidable conflict. A stitch in time will truly save nine, and, in this case, it may even save our nation.</p><p>So, before you like, share, or comment, pause and verify. In a world where AI can fake almost anything, asking questions and demanding evidence is no longer optional, it’s our only protection.</p><p>Zayd Ibn Isah can be reached at [emailprotected].</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Asherkine, Rebecca, and the Dangers of AI – Daily Trust	查看 7652	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 13:18:44 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192718	有图 <p>By Umar Ardo, Ph.D</p><p>Dear Opposition Coalition Leaders,</p> <p>Permit me to offer what I believe is my final counsel on a critical matter that will shape our path to the 2027 general elections. I have engaged many of you personally and through the media to make the case for a more strategic approach. With a decision date now set between fusing into an existing party, the ADC, or adopting to proceed with the registration of a new one, the ADA, I most respectfully make this appeal in favour of the latter. With all due humility, I dire say both approaches are mutually exclusive; they cannot be pursued together as people cannot be in two political parties at the same time!</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>2. Opting to decamp into the ADC, or any minor existing party, is in my view a wrong strategic move. Its proponents have not articulated any convincing electoral advantage beyond the platform itself. Rather, they rely on vague rhetoric about a “new political era,” without addressing the actual political terrain and electoral calculus of 2027.</p><p>3. ⁠By contrast, advocates of registering the ADA have grounded their case in logic, strategy, voter psychology and institutional renewal – arguments submitted in their formal reports, presented in coalition meetings and consistently articulated in the public domain. This is the path that aligns with both reason and reality.</p><p>4. ⁠The ADC carries institutional baggage and credibility issues. Its underwhelming history – highlighted by its misadventures in the 2019 and 2023 election cycles underscores its limited appeal. Fusing into such a party imports its weaknesses and dangers, not strengths nor certainties. New faces cannot erase its political liabilities.</p><p>5. ⁠Forming a new party like ADA offers a clean slate to shape a credible, compelling identity, untainted by legacy failures. It enables the coalition to define its values, vision and leadership on its own terms. In politics, perception is power – Nigerians are more likely to embrace a fresh beginning than a rebranded relic. As per the account of the proponents of fusing, the only reason they don’t want to go the new party root is that the Electoral Commission is believed to be compromised and so would not register the desired party. If that is the only reason, and assuming it is correct, then how can fusing into an existing party safe them from the axe of the commission seeing that it is the same commission that will conduct the general elections they will be contesting, assuming it allowed them to reach general elections stage. For me, therefore, this is no argument at all.</p><p>6. ⁠On the other hand, creating a new platform carries the novelty of psychological and symbolic power, especially among youths. We have seen this as a proven political asset. From Macron’s En Marche in France, to Buhari’s APC in Nigeria to Faye’s PASTEF in Senegal, new platforms have sparked real change. The Nigerian youths, disillusioned by older structures, will seek a movement they can believe in.</p><p>7. ⁠That over 8.92 million Nigerians engaged positively with ADA’s INEC filing in less than 72 hours – more than the votes that elected the current president – reveals public appetite for something new. Reversing course now to embrace a recycled platform risks demoralizing the electorate and losing momentum. Remember, don’t count on bad governance as automatically translating into opposition victory. It doesn’t, as 2019 showed.</p><p>8. ⁠A new beginning is aimed to reflect this generational desire for change – prioritizing digital engagement, meritocracy, gender balance and inclusivity. These are elements the ADC has had decades to implement and failed to do; and fusing into it would not either. Why repackage a failed product when a new brand promises real impact?</p><p>9. ⁠Coalition unity thrives on fairness and equal ownership. Fusing into ADC would establish hierarchies of “old” and “new” members, breeding factionalism and resentment. It would also deter new entrants who view it as already captured. At this moment, the opposition must be open, inclusive and transparent to gain trust.</p><p>10. ⁠A new party allows all partners to co-author the constitution, co-own the structure and shape the manifesto – ensuring legitimacy, coherence and collective identity. The government’s hasty move to hijack ADA’s name underscores its strategic value (but thanks to swift action), our ADA filing was first.</p><p>11. ⁠Electoral victory demands more than mergers; it requires strategic repositioning. ADA can mount a fresh, targeted national rollout appealing to disillusioned and angry voters. ADC, on the other hand, remains hamstrung by past failures, weak branding and limited reach. Believing that recycled actors can achieve different results through the same vehicle is possible but not likely.</p><p>12. ⁠INEC’s response since the filing of ADA’s application has been remarkably fair and encouraging. Within five days, it listed all applicants and affirmed its impartiality. Acknowledgment and processing followed swiftly. The outcome now depends on us. Success requires two things: full legal compliance and unified, credible membership capable of winning elections. And unity is key.</p><p>13. ⁠In conclusion, let me with all respects, reiterate my position that fusing into an existing party may offer the illusion of quick comfort, but it lacks strategic clarity and electoral viability. Other than it opens wide flanks to outside influence, manipulation and mischief, it also would dash public expectations and weaken the opposition’s moral standing. To me, and I could well be wrong, registering ADA, on the other hand, is not just a tactic, it is a principled, forward-looking strategy rooted in sound logic, public appeal and national renewal. It is a logically sound, electorally winnable and morally upright path to building unstoppable momentum, winning elections and preserving Nigeria’s democracy.</p><p>14. ⁠But ultimately, the choice lies with the coalition leadership. May God guide us all to make the right decisions for our country.</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Registering a New Party is Strategically Superior to Fusing into an Existing One – Daily Trust	查看 6630	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 13:21:35 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192717	有图 <p>The suspended governor of Rivers, Siminalayi Fubara, says there is no sacrifice too big for the peace, stability, and progress of the state.</p><p>Fubara, who said this while addressing his supporters in Port Harcourt on Saturday, reassured them that every step he has taken, including the recent reconciliation with his predecessor and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, was done with their collective interest in mind.</p> <p>While acknowledging the anxiety and disappointment felt by many of his loyalists following the peace deal, the governor insisted that difficult times require difficult decisions.</p><p>SPONSOR AD</p> <p>He admitted that the new political realities may be hard to accept, especially for those who have stood by him through the crisis, but said the ultimate goal is peace and stability in the state.</p><p>Fubara said the political crisis has delayed several development projects across Rivers state but expressed optimism that the reconciliation would accelerate project implementation.</p><p>He said: “We have fought. I think, in my own assessment and in the assessment of anyone here who is genuine in this struggle, you will know that we have done what we need to do. At this point, if you want to be truthful to yourself, the only solution is peace. I did say that there’s no price that is too big for peace — I meant it, and I’m still ready to follow it to the end.</p><p>“Nobody can take away the role the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, played — that’s the truth. Yes, we might have our differences, but nobody here will say he doesn’t know the role he played. Nobody can wish away the risk he took. Yes, at a point we had our differences and if today there’s need for us to settle, please, anyone who genuinely believes in me should understand that it’s the right thing to do.</p><p>“So, my dear fathers, brothers and sisters, no matter the level of peace that a mediator will arrange, the true peace is the one where both of you are sitting down together to say, “Yes, this is what we want.”</p><p>“It’s not even about me as a person — it’s about the overall interest of the state. In the midst of this crisis between me and the FCT Minister, look at the projects we’ve initiated. Many have been abandoned. We know the progress we would have recorded and the areas that would have been developed. So, there’s need for this peace — that’s the truth.</p><p>“I can’t abandon you people — that’s one thing I need to say here. This is the time for me to prove to you that I care for you, and I make my commitment here that whichever way it goes, I will not abandon anybody. But the sacrifice that we are going to make for us to achieve this total peace is going to be heavy, and I want everybody to prepare for it.”</p><p> <small>Sponsored</small><p>Thousands of companies are sacking their workers due to AI (artificial intelligence), no industry is spared, business owners are in panic mode due to its rapid change. The solution is to earn in US Dollars(up to $55,000) while living in Nigeria or Diaspora.</p> </p><p><u>Click here</u> to start</p> </p><p> <p> <img src="data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns=" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.</p> </p> Be prepared to pay heavy sacrifice for peace, Fubara tells supporters – Daily Trust	查看 3297	《每日信托报》	2025-06-29 13:41:11 2025-06-29 15:52:23	word
3192716	无图 <p>Bij asfalteringswerkzaamheden op een weg bij Born in Limburg is gisteren een wegwerker om het leven gekomen. Als gevolg daarvan heeft Rijkswaterstaat besloten om de voor dit weekeinde geplande werkzaamheden op de snelweg A2 niet door te laten gaan.</p><p>Het ongeluk met de wegwerker gebeurde gisterochtend rond 9.10 uur op de N276 bij Born, meldt L1 Nieuws.</p><p>Volgens nog onbevestigde berichten reed een vrachtwagen achteruit en zag de bestuurder de wegwerker over het hoofd. De Arbeidsinspectie stelt een onderzoek in.</p><p>Vandaag werd bekend dat Rijkswaterstaat het voor dit weekeinde geplande groot onderhoud aan de A2 tussen knooppunt Leenderheide en Grathem heeft uitgesteld. Volgens de planning zou de ploeg van de omgekomen wegwerker daarvoor worden ingezet. Ze zouden vannacht al aan het werk gaan. </p><p>De werkzaamheden zullen op een ander moment opnieuw worden ingepland, laat Rijkswaterstaat weten.</p> Wegwerker komt om bij ongeluk, groot onderhoud A2 gaat niet door	查看 925	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 17:42:36 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192715	无图 <p>Voedingsmiddelenbedrijf PepsiCo roept meerdere soorten van de chips Bugles en Wokkels terug. In de chips is olie gevonden, die niet geschikt is voor consumptie. De olie is tijdens het maken van het product in de chips terechtgekomen, schrijft PepsiCo in een persbericht.</p><p>Het gaat om minerale oliën die volgens de NVWA in levensmiddelen terecht kunnen komen via bijvoorbeeld smeermiddelen die worden gebruikt voor machines. Het is niet duidelijk of dat bij de chips ook het geval is.</p><p>Het gaat om Wokkels van de varianten paprika en naturel en om Bugles met de smaken naturel en nacho cheese, van verschillende formaten en met de houdbaarheidsdata 20 en 27 september 2025.</p><p>In de loop van de middag voegde PepsiCo daar nog een flink aantal zakken aan toe, met houdbaarheidsdata van augustus, september en oktober. Bekijk hier de volledige lijst met producten die het Amerikaanse bedrijf terugroept. De chipszakken liggen in de schappen bij veel Nederlandse supermarkten.</p>Laag voedselveiligheidsrisico<p>PepsiCo benadrukt dat er geen "directe zorg" is voor degenen die de chips al hebben opgegeten, "aangezien het voedselveiligheidsrisico laag is".</p><p>Volgens het bedrijf is er enkel een gezondheidsrisico als mensen langdurig en regelmatig de bewuste chips eten. Mensen die de chips hebben gekocht, kunnen hun geld terugkrijgen door contact op te nemen met de fabrikant.</p> Terugroepactie voor zakken Bugles en Wokkels, olie aangetroffen in chips	查看 1398	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 18:18:52 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192714	无图 <p>Artikelen op de websites van de Belgische magazines Elle, Marie-Claire, Forbes en Psychologies zijn gemaakt met kunstmatige intelligentie (AI), zonder dat dit duidelijk was voor lezers. Dat blijkt uit onderzoek van VRT Nieuws.</p><p>Boven de artikelen van de Belgische Elle stonden namen van niet-bestaande journalisten: Sophie Vermeulen en Marta Peeters. Zij hadden ook een profiel op de website met een foto die zeer waarschijnlijk was gegenereerd met AI.</p><p>Nadat VRT Nieuws het magazine had geconfronteerd met de bevindingen, werden de namen verwijderd. Boven de artikelen staat nu "Elle België", en onderaan: "Deze inhoud werd gegenereerd met behulp van AI".</p><p>Uitgever van de magazines Ventures Media zegt over de AI-artikelen tegen VRT Nieuws: "Er loopt een test vanuit het tech-team. We genereren artikels die volledig door AI zijn gemaakt en niet redactioneel zijn nagelezen. Binnen het kader van de test zijn aliassen gebruikt. Het blijft wel beperkt en het staat los van de redactie."</p>Meer nepjournalisten<p>Ook op de Belgische websites van Marie-Claire, Forbes en Psychologies stonden eerst namen van niet-bestaande journalisten. Zo zou bij Marie-Claire een Claire De Wilde werken, bij Forbes een Elise Van den Berg en bij Psychologies een Femke zonder achternaam.</p><p>Net als Elle België hebben deze magazines de nepnamen weggehaald. Ze zijn veranderd in Marieclaire België, Forbes België en Psychologies België. Bij Marie-Claire en Forbes is de naam van de niet-bestaande persoon nog wel zichtbaar in de url.</p><p>In de papieren versies van de tijdschriften vond VRT Nieuws geen verzonnen namen.</p>"Niet bij Nederlandse Elle"<p>Op de website van de Nederlandse Elle staan geen artikelen die zijn gemaakt met AI, zegt managing editor digital Gigi van der Zwaan in een reactie tegen de NOS. Ze legt uit dat Elle Nederland valt onder een andere uitgever, het Amerikaanse Hearst. "Zij hebben heel strenge regels als het gaat om AI. We mogen het alleen gebruiken om een woordje te vertalen."</p><p>Ook de Amerikaanse, Engelse, Spaanse en Italiaanse Elle vallen onder Hearst. Deze edities van Elle mogen artikelen van elkaar gebruiken, maar het vertalen gebeurt volgens Van der Zwaan handmatig.</p><p>Ze vindt het goed dat Hearst streng is over het gebruik van AI: "We weten dat ChatGPT hallucineert: als hij iets niet weet, verzint hij het. Dus het is onbetrouwbaar."</p> Belgische Elle werkte stiekem met AI: boven artikelen stonden nepjournalisten	查看 2397	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 18:28:56 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192713	无图 <p>Twee kinderen van 6 en 9 jaar oud die in Italië onder erbarmelijke omstandigheden werden gevonden in een afgelegen boerderij, werden daar gehouden omdat hun vader bang was voor virussen. De vader, een 54-jarige Nederlandse beeldhouwer, raakte door de coronapandemie geobsedeerd door ziektes, meldt de krant la Repubblica.</p><p>Nadat hij drie jaar geleden in Italië was aangekomen, zouden hij en zijn vrouw de kinderen niet meer naar school hebben gestuurd. De man zei dat de kinderen thuisonderwijs kregen, maar daarvoor is geen bewijs gevonden. De kinderen zijn bij hun ouders weggehaald.</p><p>Gisteren werd bekend dat de kinderen in de omgeving van de Italiaanse stad Turijn waren aangetroffen in een verlaten boerderij. Ze werden ongeveer anderhalve maand geleden ontdekt door carabinieri die naar de boerderij waren gegaan om een uitzettingsbevel te overhandigen. Het huis moest worden ontruimd na een zware overstroming.</p><p>Toen de autoriteiten aankwamen troffen ze daar de kinderen onder erbarmelijke hygiënische omstandigheden aan, schrijven Italiaanse media. Ze droegen allebei nog luiers, konden nauwelijks spreken, lezen of schrijven en waren volledig van de buitenwereld afgesloten.</p>Adoptieprocedure<p>Tijdens de lockdown had de man "een virusmanie" ontwikkeld, schrijft de krant la Repubblica. Hij vreesde dat er in een laboratorium nieuwe virussen werden gecreëerd om "de wereld te besmetten". Daarom besloot hij zijn kinderen thuis te houden. De moeder van de kinderen, een 38-jarige Nederlandse vrouw, woonde ook in de boerderij.</p><p>De kinderen van 9 en 6 jaar zijn geboren en geregistreerd in Duitsland, maar in Italië stonden ze niet ingeschreven bij het bevolkingsregister.</p><p>In afwachting van een pleeggezin verblijven ze in een tehuis voor minderjarigen. Italiaanse media melden dat het jeugdparket in Turijn een adoptieprocedure in gang heeft gezet.</p> Nederlandse vader verwaarloosde kinderen in Italië 'uit angst voor virussen'	查看 1892	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 19:10:15 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192712	无图 <p>Bij een zelfmoordaanslag in Pakistan zijn zeker acht militairen omgekomen, zeggen internationale persbureaus. Het gebeurde in het noordwesten van Pakistan, in het district Noord-Waziristan bij de grens met Afghanistan.</p><p>Een auto beladen met explosieven ramde een Pakistaans militair voertuig. Het voertuig vloog in brand en explodeerde. De dodelijke slachtoffers zaten in het legervoertuig. De autoriteiten gaan er niet vanuit dat de bestuurder van de met explosieven beladen auto de crash heeft overleefd.</p><p>Het gebeurde in een dorp. Tientallen mensen, onder wie kinderen, raakten gewond door de explosie. </p><p>De verantwoordelijkheid is nog iet opgeëist. In het land zijn verschillende gewapende groeperingen actief, waaronder de Taliban.</p> Soldaten gedood bij aanslag in Pakistan	查看 758	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 19:24:55 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192711	无图 <p>Op het Malieveld in Den Haag wordt de jaarlijkse Nederlandse Veteranendag gehouden. Koning Willem-Alexander en premier Schoof zijn aanwezig. Er is dit keer geen defilé omdat er door de NAVO-top eerder deze week niet genoeg politie beschikbaar is.</p><p>Sinds 2005 vindt op de laatste zaterdag van juni Veteranendag plaats, opgezet als nationaal evenement waar Nederland zijn meer dan 100.000 veteranen bedankt voor hun inzet.</p><p>Normaal is het defilé altijd het hoogtepunt. Zo"n 4000 veteranen en militairen lopen dan rond de Hofvijver, gevolgd door historische legervoertuigen. Traditiegetrouw neemt koning Willem-Alexander het defilé af op de Kneuterdijk.</p><p>Nu er geen defilé is, stond de koning in de Koninklijke Schouwburg, om de hoek bij het Malieveld. Daar ging hij in gesprek met verschillende veteranen.</p><p>Een van de verhalen die de koning misschien heeft gehoord is dat van Dave van Kollenburg (36) uit Boxtel.</p><p>Van Kollenburg was 21, toen hij 4,5 maand in Afghanistan werd ingezet. "Het is heel heftig om daar als kind heen te gaan", vertelt hij nu bij Omroep Brabant.</p><p>Eén gebeurtenis raakte Van Kollenburg diep. Dat was toen hij na een aanval van de Taliban een crèche binnenliep. "Dat was heel heftig. Er lag een baby van tien maanden, in brand. Het gekrijs..."</p>Een mensje<p>Hij nam het kind mee, maar moest toezien hoe het stierf. Van een tolk hoorde hij dat haar vader zei: "Het was toch maar een meisje".... "Meisjes stellen daar niet veel voor en dat deed me veel", zegt Van Kollenburg geëmotioneerd. "Hallo! het is wél een mensje!"</p><p>Een paar jaar later verliet hij defensie. Van Kollenburg hoopte het leven weer op te pakken, maar de oorlogservaringen achtervolgden hem. "Ik kreeg flashbacks, nachtmerries, werd paranoia. Zelfs bij de sportschool dacht ik dat een vuilniszak een bom kon zijn."</p><p>De diagnose PTSS volgde. Van Kollenburg kreeg gedragstherapie. "Ik heb ermee leren omgaan, maar ik ben er nog steeds niet", zegt hij. "Ik ga met de dood naar bed en word ermee wakker."</p><p>Het is een van de vele verhalen op deze Veteranendag. Inmiddels zijn er in het hele land ook plekken gecreëerd, van buurthuizen tot cafés, waar veteranen elkaar kunnen ontmoeten en hun verhalen uitwisselen.</p><p>Dat wil niet zeggen dat de zorg voor veteranen nu goed geregeld is, zegt de Gelderse gedeputeerde Peter Drenth. Hij wijst er bij Omroep Gelderland op dat gemeenten in Nederland een zorgplicht hebben voor veteranen, maar die vaak niet of nauwelijks invullen. Vaak weten ze niet eens wie veteraan zijn en welke hulp ze eventueel nodig hebben.</p><p>"Veel gemeenten zijn zich er niet van bewust welke rol ze hebben bij de uitvoering van de Veteranenwet. Breed in Nederland vind ik dat we meer stil mogen staan bij de mensen die voor vrede en veiligheid gegeven hebben wat ze konden geven", aldus Drenth. "Daar mogen we iets zorgvuldiger mee omspringen."</p>Aandacht voor partner<p>Ingewikkeld hoeft een goede "nazorg" voor veteranen niet te zijn, zegt Stefan Hop van de Bond van Defensiepersoneel. "Regel vrij voor een kind, om zo zijn of haar militaire ouder te verwelkomen bij terugkomst van een missie", aldus Hop. "Denk dan ook aan aangepaste vakanties."</p><p>Hop raadt ook aan om meer aandacht te besteden aan de partner en kinderen van veteranen en de spanningen die er thuis kunnen zijn. Juist omdat die net zo goed moeten leren omgaan met wat de militairen hebben meegemaakt.</p><p>Veteraan Van Kollenburg uit Boxtel heeft zich die raad alvast ter harte genomen. Samen met zijn vrouw heeft hij een bedrijf opgezet dat ornamenten en urnen maakt voor veteranen en anderen. "Ik besloot rouw niet langer als een donkere rand te zien", schrijft hij op zijn website. "Ik wil mensen helpen om op een stijlvolle, warme manier stil te staan bij afscheid."</p><p>"Nu beleef ik het op een andere manier", aldus Van Kollenburg. "En probeer ik andere veteranen ervan te overtuigen dat het oké is om hulp te zoeken bij PTSS."</p> Veteranendag: 'We moeten meer stilstaan bij wat mensen hebben gegeven'	查看 3975	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 19:34:04 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192710	无图 <p>De Pride-mars in Boedapest, die door het Hongaarse parlement en de politie was verboden, is ten einde einde gelopen. Volgens het Amerikaanse persbureau AP waren er ruim 100.000 mensen op de been. De organisatie schat zelf dat er 180.000 tot 200.000 deelnemers waren.</p><p>De mars verliep relatief rustig. Ondanks het verbod greep de politie niet in. Wel waren er vlak na de start kleine groepen extreemrechtse tegendemonstranten die de optocht probeerden te verstoren. De politie hield hen weg van de mars.</p><p>Het verbod op de Pride-mars leidde eerder tot boze reacties uit de rest van Europa. Demonstranten, hoogwaardigheidsbekleders, vertegenwoordigers van ambassades en zeventig Europarlementariërs besloten toen om juist mee te doen.</p>Standvastigheid<p>Onder anderen de Amsterdamse burgemeester Halsema liep in de mars samen op met burgemeester Karácsony van Boedapest. "Ik heb hem verteld dat hij en de internationale queergemeenschap Amsterdam aan hun zijde vinden bij de strijd voor vrijheid, voor kunnen zijn wie je bent, voor houden van wie je wilt. Zijn standvastigheid onder hoge druk is indrukwekkend", liet Halsema weten aan persbureau ANP.</p><p>Ook Tweede Kamerleden van de VVD, GroenLinks/PvdA, D66 en Volt liepen mee, net als de Nederlandse ambassadeur in Hongarije. Zij kreeg hiervoor toestemming van demissionair minister Veldkamp van Buitenlandse Zaken.</p><p>Er waren daarnaast vertegenwoordigers van de Amsterdamse Pride en mensen van Amnesty International aanwezig. Een woordvoerder van Amnesty International noemde de manifestatie "fantastisch feestelijk".</p><p>Zo zag dat eruit:</p><p>Demissionair staatssecretaris Paul (VVD, Emancipatie) was ook naar Boedapest gereisd en woonde daar gisteren andere Pride-evenementen bij, maar besloot vanwege het verbod toch niet mee te lopen. Ze aarzelde al en maakte vanochtend bekend definitief af te zien van deelname aan de tocht, ondanks een oproep daartoe van de Tweede Kamer.</p><p>Ze noemde de situatie rond de mars te onduidelijk voor haar "als vertegenwoordiger van het Nederlandse kabinet". Haar besluit had er volgens haar mee te maken dat deelnemers de kans liepen opgepakt te worden.</p><p>Meer beelden van de mars:</p><p>Dat het evenement verboden was, heeft te maken met nieuwe wetgeving die onder de Hongaarse premier Orbán is doorgevoerd. Deze perkt de rechten van lhbti"ers verder in. Eerder werden boeken, films en reclames met lhbti-personages al verboden. Ook worden in Hongarije huwelijken tussen twee mensen van hetzelfde geslacht niet erkend.</p>Europese waarden<p>Ondanks het verbod op de mars besloot de progressieve burgemeester van Boedapest om de mars door te laten gaan. Burgemeester Karácsony stelde dat hij het evenement organiseert namens de gemeente en dus niet kan worden vervolgd.</p><p>"Als ze in één land Pride kunnen verbannen, dan kunnen ze het in een ander land ook doen", zegt Karácsony tegen de NOS. "We moeten opkomen voor onze Europese waarden, dat is in ieders belang. Het is onze gemeenschappelijke Europese zaak."</p> Massale opkomst bij verboden Pride-mars in Boedapest, ook Nederlandse politici aanwezig	查看 3038	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 22:30:14 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192709	无图 <p>In zijn woonplaats Vlaardingen is vanochtend Dries van der Velden (76) overleden. De voormalige zeeman, beter bekend als Dolle Dries, kreeg een cultstatus door zijn optredens en het vertellen van sterke verhalen in het humoristische tv-programma Man bijt hond.</p><p>De doorbraak van Van der Velden kwam in 2013, meldt regionale omroep Rijnmond. De man uit Vlaardingen had er toen al meer dan veertig jaar varen over de wereldzeeën op zitten.</p><p>Na een ongeluk moest hij noodgedwongen aan de wal blijven in zijn huis, vol met modelschepen, reddingsboeien en scheepslampen.</p><p>Een aantal vrienden gaf hem in het geniep op voor het destijds razend populaire tv-programma Man bijt hond van de NCRV. Het eerste fragment met hem werd meteen een hit. Hij liet de tatoeages op zijn billen zien: twee ogen, ieder op een bilhelft. In korte tijd werd dat filmpje zo"n drie miljoen keer bekeken.</p>Schunnig en schuin<p>Al snel kreeg hij de bijnaam Dolle Dries. Niet veel later kreeg hij een eigen rubriek in het programma met stoere, sterke, schunnige en schuine zeemansverhalen.</p><p>Van der Velden vertelt in 2014 bij Rijnmond over zijn doorbraak in Man bijt hond:</p><p>Inspiratie had hij genoeg. Van der Velden had al die jaren op zee gewerkt als "runner". Dat is een soort van freelance zeeman die niet aanmonstert, maar wordt ingehuurd om een schip, dok of baggermolen van de ene haven naar de andere te vervoeren. Om dan weer op zoek te gaan naar een nieuwe klus.</p><p>Tientallen avonturen beleefde Van der Velden naar eigen zeggen. Natuurlijk was er "in ieder stadje een ander schatje" en moest Dolle Dries menig maal het vege lijf redden.</p><p>"De streken heb ik van mijn opa, die werd ook al Dolle Dries genoemd", zei hij zelf. "Mijn voorbeeld was mijn oom die 83 dagen op zee op een vlot heeft overleefd nadat hij in de oorlog getorpedeerd was."</p>Wedden voor doos bier<p>Of de verhalen allemaal waar waren, is de vraag, maar de kijkers hingen aan zijn lippen. "Kijk, ik heb altijd rare dingen gedaan", zei hij destijds. "Vrienden zeiden vaak: dat durf jij niet. Wedden voor een doos bier van wel?"</p><p>KRO-NCRV stopte in 2016 met het tv-programma Man bijt hond. Daarna ging het format nog een paar jaar in verschillende vormen verder. Ook Van der Velden ging door met het vertellen van verhalen, tot voor kort nog bij Café Concordia in Vlaardingen.</p><p>De organisatie van het nieuwe zomerevenement sHaring the City in Vlaardingen had voor zaterdag over een week zelfs een speciale bijeenkomst rond Van der Velden gepland. "Dolle Dries, de beruchte Vlaardingse zeebonk, neemt je mee op een reis vol rauwe belevenissen en ongefilterde grappen, rechtstreeks van het dek", stond in de aankondiging.</p> Zeebonk Dolle Dries, bekend van sterke verhalen in Man bijt Hond, overleden	查看 2717	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 23:19:03 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192708	无图 <p>Zuid-Europa zucht dit weekend onder een extreme hittegolf met temperaturen boven de 40 graden. Vooral in Spanje, Portugal, Italië en Frankrijk wordt het snikheet. De hittegolf wordt veroorzaakt door de warme lucht die vanuit de Sahara richting Europa komt.</p><p>In veel Italiaanse steden, van Milaan en Bologna in het noorden tot Napels en Palermo in het zuiden van het land, is code rood afgekondigd. De temperaturen kunnen er oplopen tot 39 graden in de schaduw.</p><p>Bij code rood heeft de warmte niet alleen gevolgen voor bevolkingsgroepen die kwetsbaar zijn, maar ook voor mensen die in goede gezondheid verkeren. Lichamelijke activiteiten en blootstelling aan de zon worden afgeraden. In Rome heeft het stadsbestuur de gemeentelijke zwembaden gratis opengesteld voor inwoners van 70 jaar en ouder.</p>Gratis naar het zwembad<p>Ook in de Franse havenstad Marseille, waar temperaturen worden verwacht van rond de 40 graden, mogen de inwoners gratis naar het zwembad. Nice stelt 250 draagbare ventilatoren beschikbaar aan scholen en ouderen.</p><p>In Spanje worden in de regio"s Madrid en Andalusië dit weekend temperaturen tot 45 graden verwacht. In de Portugese hoofdstad Lissabon loopt het kwik op tot 42 graden. In Portugal wordt extra gecontroleerd op bosbranden vanwege de extreme hitte.</p><p>Dat gebeurt ook in Griekenland waar de thermometer naar verwachting 42 graden aantikt. Eerder deze week waren op het Griekse eiland Chios honderden brandweerlieden in touw om een grote natuurbrand onder controle te krijgen.</p>Tropische temperaturen in Nederland<p>Ook in Nederland is het dit weekend warm en komende week stijgt de temperatuur naar verwachting door tot tropische waarden. Morgen wordt het zo"n 28 graden en daarna zet de stijging door tot zo"n 35 à 36 graden in het zuiden en zuidoosten op dinsdag.</p><p>De kans op een hittegolf in het zuiden en zuidoosten is groot. Voor een Nederlandse hittegolf moet het vijf dagen op rij ergens in het land 25 graden zijn, waarvan drie dagen minstens 30 graden.</p><p>Vanaf morgen is het Nationaal Hitteplan van kracht voor Limburg en Noord-Brabant. Daarmee wil het RIVM zorgmedewerkers bewust maken van de gevaren van hitte.</p><p>Wie werkt met kwetsbare groepen, moet extra alert zijn op de hoge temperaturen. Vooral 75-plussers lopen risico omdat zij hun lichaamstemperatuur minder goed kunnen reguleren en minder snel dorst hebben.</p><p>Mogelijk wordt het hitteplan begin volgende week ook van kracht voor de rest van het land. Het is de eerste keer in drie jaar tijd dat het hitteplan wordt geactiveerd.</p> Zuid-Europa geteisterd door hittegolf, tot 45 graden in Spanje	查看 2576	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-28 23:45:18 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192707	无图 <p>De grootvader van de nieuwe topvrouw van de Britse inlichtingendienst MI6, Blaise Metreweli, zou een overloper van het Rode Leger zijn geweest, die later als nazispion bekendstond onder de bijnaam "the butcher" (de slager). Tot die conclusie komt tabloid de Daily Mail, die zich zegt te baseren op honderden pagina"s aan documenten in een archief in het Duitse Freiburg.</p><p>Die stukken zouden aantonen dat oorlogsmisdadiger Constantine Dobrowolski de grootvader van Metreweli was. Blaise Metreweli werd eerder deze maand benoemd tot de nieuwe baas van MI6. Ze is daarmee de eerste vrouw die sinds de oprichting in 1906 leiding zal geven aan de geheime dienst. </p><p>Dobrowolski was een Oekraïner die uitgroeide tot een belangrijke informant van de nazi"s in de regio Tsjernihiv, in het noorden van Oekraïne. Hij zou een actieve rol hebben gespeeld in de Oekraïense Holocaust, ondertekende brieven met "Heil Hitler" en pochte tegenover Duitse bevelhebbers dat hij persoonlijk had deelgenomen aan de vernietiging van Joden.</p>Russische propaganda<p>Volgens de Daily Mail zouden Russische autoriteiten de link tussen de nieuwe MI6-baas en haar grootvader ook hebben opgemerkt en die informatie kunnen gebruiken in propaganda om haar positie te ondermijnen.</p><p>Het Britse ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken heeft namens MI6 laten weten dat Blaise Metreweli haar grootvader nooit heeft gekend of heeft ontmoet. Een woordvoerder zei dat "Blaise komt uit een familiegeschiedenis die getekend is door conflict en verdeeldheid, en zoals bij veel mensen met Oost-Europese wortels, is die geschiedenis slechts ten dele bekend of begrepen".</p><p>Haar benoeming tot hoogste baas van de inlichtingendienst volgt dertig jaar nadat actrice Judi Dench de fictieve MI6-leider "M" speelde in de James Bond-films. In Groot-Brittannië werd de aanstelling van Metreweli met enthousiasme ontvangen. De Britse premier Starmer noemde het een historische benoeming, op een moment waarop "het werk van de inlichtingendiensten belangrijker is dan ooit".</p>Gevlucht naar Engeland<p>Over het leven van Blaise Metreweli is, zoals je van een spion mag verwachten, bijzonder weinig bekend. Ze studeerde aan de topuniversiteit Cambridge en deed mee aan een roeiwedstrijd. Sinds haar afstuderen is er volgens verschillende Britse journalisten die haar achtergrond onderzochten nauwelijks nog een online spoor van haar te vinden.</p><p>Bij haar benoeming eerder deze maand werd ze geprezen om haar operationele rollen binnen MI6 in het Midden-Oosten en Europa.</p><p>De vrouw van nazispion Dobrowolski zou na de Tweede Wereldoorlog met haar zoon naar Engeland zijn gevlucht. Daar hertrouwde ze met de Georgische David Metreweli, wiens achternaam ze aannam.</p><p>Haar zoon, de vader van Blaise Metreweli, werd radioloog en diende in het Britse leger. Zijn dochter werd geboren in 1977. Ze trad 22 jaar later toe tot de geheime dienst MI6 en zal vanaf september de organisatie gaan leiden.</p> Nieuwe baas van de Britse geheime dienst blijkt kleindochter van nazispion	查看 2968	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-29 00:37:59 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word
3192706	无图 <p>Na een uitgebreid diner met wereldleiders tijdens de NAVO-top en een luxe ontbijt met de Amerikaanse president Trump blijkt koning Willem-Alexander ook zijn neus niet op te halen voor een populair volksgerecht.</p><p>Samen met koningin Máxima en prinses Alexia sloot hij vrijdagavond aan in de rij bij de drukke Rotterdamse shoarmazaak Jaffa voor een authentieke kapsalon.</p><p>"Ondanks de drukte heeft hij netjes gewacht. Wat eigenlijk best gek is: hij is gewoon de koning van het land", zei Yakup Gunbulut, de zoon van de eigenaar, later tegen het AD.</p><p>Volgens Gunbulut vroeg de koning naar "de authentieke, originele kapsalon waar wij om bekend staan. Met een colaatje erbij." Of Máxima en Alexia ook iets bestelden is niet bekend.</p><p>De koninklijke gasten waren volgens Gunbulut "heel sympathiek en relaxed". Koning Willem-Alexander, gekleed in vrijetijdskleding en met een blauw petje op, maakte ook nog tijd om met alle werknemers van de zaak op de foto gegaan.</p>Gehaktballenrestaurant<p>Eerder op de dag was het koninklijk gezin ook al gesignaleerd op het terras van De Ballentent, een populair gehaktballenrestaurant aan de Nieuwe Maas in Rotterdam. Daar maakte een van de andere terrasbezoekers een filmpje van het vertrek van de koning. Dat is inmiddels ruim een half miljoen keer bekeken op internet. Het is goed gebruik dat media zulke privébeelden niet zonder duidelijke nieuwsaanleiding delen. </p> In Rotterdamse shoarmazaak kijken ze verbaasd op als koning een kapsalon bestelt	查看 1426	荷兰国家广播电视台	2025-06-29 01:11:07 2025-06-29 15:45:17	word

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