Two mourners fainted as a result of exhaustion and hot weather as a mammoth crowd attended the burial of Alhaji Ahmadu Chanchangi, Chairman of Chanchangi Airlines, yesterday, in the Tudun Wada area of Kaduna.

Thousands of sympathisers had trekked to escort the ambulance carrying the body of the billionaire businessman from his residence at Kwanan Chanchangi through Ibrahim Taiwo Road and Bashama Road, causing a gridlock on the about three-kilometre route.

“We have rushed those two who fainted to hospital and have asked volunteers to share cold water to sympathisers on the road,” Sani Tahir, a volunteer, said.

The Kaduna-based billionaire was buried around 2:03 pm at the Bashama Road burial ground.

Chanchangi, born in Chanchangi village Takum local government of Taraba state, died in the early hours of yesterday on Kaduna-Abuja road while being transported to a hospital in Abuja over a protracted illness.

Dignitaries at the burial included a factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ahmed Makarfi; former Governor of Kaduna state, Ramalan Yero; deputy Senate leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah; a former senator, Sani Sale, a son of the deceased who is also a member, House of Representatives, Rufai Chanchangi; and a brother of the deceased, Nadabo Chanchangi.

The prayers at the burial ground were led by a prominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Gummi.

He prayed to Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest and his family, people of Taraba and Kaduna states the fortitude to bear his loss.

Speaking with journalists at the event, Na’Allah described the late Chanchangi as a man of peace and a shining example of a devout Muslim.

“His contributions to the development of the aviation industry, more especially in the North will remain indelible,” he said.

Chanchangi is survived by three wives and 33 children. (Blueprint)

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