Progressive Northern Politician And National Confab Delegate, Magaji Dambatta, Dies

Magaji Dambatta, a prominent progressive politician and member of the recently concluded national conference in Nigeria, died today, bringing the number of delegates who have passed away to five. Continue.


Mr. Dambatta’s death was announced in a statement released today by Akpandem James, a media aide for the confab. The deceased delegate, who represented northern socio-cultural and ethnic groups, died at the Garki General Hospital in Abuja after returning from a medical trip abroad, Mr. James stated.
SaharaReporters learned that four children survive Mr. Dambatta, who was born in Kano in 1931. He graduated from Bayero University in Kano and worked in various reportorial capacities with the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

The deceased delegate was a recipient of two national honors, the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) and Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR).

In addition, he served as a senior information officer for the Northern Nigerian Government. Earlier in his career, he worked as an editor of the Daily Comet in Kano between 1950 and 1953. From 1973 to 1978, he was a minister in the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC. He was later appointed to the board of the venerable Daily Times newspaper.

His career also spanned stints at Kano State Broadcasting Corporation, Triumph Publishing Company, Federal Housing Authority, and Nagarta Radio.
Until his death, Mr. Dambatta was the only surviving founder of the radical First Republic party called the Northern Nigerian Progressive Elements (NEPU). He was one of eight persons who formed NEPU in order to challenge the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) of the late Sir Ahmadu Bello, the then Sardauna of Sokoto.

He was well respected in Northern Nigeria and ranked close to the late Malam Aminu Kano, the major founding spirit for NEPU. Mr. Dambatta was a moderate voice among Northern political figures and was instrumental in preaching peaceful coexistence and religious tolerance.

In 2010, he published his autobiography titled Pull of Fate, detailing his life and challenges.
Mr. Dambatta’s political profile included the chairmanship of the board of trustees of the Arewa Consultative Forum, and membership of the Presidential Advisory Council in 2010.  

Retired Justice Idris Kutigi, who chaired the national confab, was “deeply distressed” by Mr. Dambatta’s death, according to the statement released by Mr. James. Mr. Kutigi “expressed his deep condolences to the family of the late Alhaji Dambatta and prays that the Almighty receives his spirit and grants his soul sweet repose,” Mr. James stated.    

The other delegates who died were Hamma Misau, a delegate from Bauchi State, Mohammed Jumare (from Kaduna State), Dora Akunyili (a delegate from Anambra State), and Mohammad Nur Alkali, from Borno State.