PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday paid a solemn condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman and business mogul, Alhaji Aminu Dantata, in Kano State, describing him as “a titan of integrity, humility, and generosity.”
The President, who met with the Dantata family at their Koki residence in Kano, offered prayers and tributes to the nonagenarian philanthropist, who passed away in Dubai on June 28, 2025, at the age of 94. Dantata was laid to rest in Madina, Saudi Arabia, days later.
“This is a deeply personal visit for me,” Tinubu said. “Alhaji Dantata was not just a revered leader; he was part of my family. I came to him for prayers before the 2023 elections, and he gave me his blessings.
“I promised to come back and thank him, but instead, he came to Abuja. That was the kind of man he was humble, simple, sincere.”
President Tinubu praised Dantata’s lifelong commitment to charity, national development, and quiet leadership.
But beyond the heartfelt condolences, Tinubu’s visit to Kano was shadowed by deeper political undertones and unspoken royal tension.
Notably, President Tinubu’s itinerary excluded visits to the Emirs of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II or Aminu Ado Bayero, and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, all of whom were expected to receive him in line with long standing presidential visit protocols.
The decision sparked widespread speculation and raised eyebrows among political watchers and local observers.
Sources told News Point Nigeria that the move was a calculated political balancing act, carefully avoiding the increasingly bitter crisis surrounding the Kano Emirship.
Despite reported preparations at the Gidan Rumfa Palace, including horse parades and renovations, Emir Sanusi was left waiting in vain, while the Kano State Government House, a standard stop on presidential visits was bypassed altogether.
Kano’s traditional institution has been embroiled in a bitter succession battle since the Kano State Government repealed the 2019 Emirate Law and reinstated Sanusi II as the 16th Emir.
The move ousted Aminu Ado Bayero, the 15th Emir, who had been appointed by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The power tussle has since escalated into violent clashes, court battles, and federal interventions, with both emirs laying claim to the throne amid widespread confusion and divided loyalties.
Sources close to the presidency told News Point Nigeria that Tinubu has opted for neutrality, preferring not to publicly endorse either claimant while the case is still pending at the Supreme Court.
“The President was aware of the sensitivities. A visit to Sanusi would have been interpreted as an endorsement. A visit to Bayero would have inflamed tensions,” a senior official told this newspaper.
Interestingly, Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who many believe enjoys federal backing, was reportedly not at the airport to receive the President either, an unusual deviation from long established royal protocol – no emirate representation to receive a president.
Informed sources told News Point Nigeria that Bayero had been privately informed that the President would leave directly from the Dantata residence, avoiding any formal visit to either emir.
“It’s telling that the President departed straight from Koki without stopping at the Government House or Emir’s Palace. That sends a message,” the source said.
The decision to sidestep both the Kano Government House and the traditional institution reflects a deliberate presidential strategy aimed at minimizing political fallout while the Emirate dispute plays out at the Supreme Court.
Some insiders speculate that Tinubu sensed running into Sanusi if he visited Governor Yusuf, as the Emir may have been present due to his alliance with the state government.
Therefore, observers say Friday’s visit may mark a new phase in Tinubu’s engagement with Northern traditional politics, known for its symbolism and subtle messaging.
Whether the President’s “no-show” at GIdan Nasarawa, Gidan Rumfa and Government House was a diplomatic maneuver or a sign of deeper political recalibrations remains to be seen.
For now, Kano remains on edge as the Emirate dispute deepens but all eyes are on the Supreme Court, and the good people of Kano watch silently.