Alhassan Dantata | |
---|---|
Born | 1877 Bebeji |
Died | August 17, 1955 Kano |
Resting place | Sarari ward of Kano |
Residence | Kano |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Education | Madrasah in Bebeji |
Occupation | Merchant |
Board member of | Emir of Kano's Council |
Religion | Islam |
Spouse | Umma Zaria, Maimuna |
Children | Ahmadu, Aminu, Mamudi, Sanusi, Mudi, et. al. |
Parents | Abdullahi, Fatima |
Alhassan Dantata (1877- August 17, 1955) was a northern Nigerian kola nut trader and the wealthiest man in West Africa at the time of his death.[1][2]
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Dantata's father was Abdullahi, a man from the village of Danshayi, near Kano. Dantata was born in Bebeji in 1877, one of several children of Abdullahi and his wife, both of whom were traders and caravan leaders. His father died in Bebeji, and his mother moved to Gonja, now in northern Ghana.[2]
Dantata remained in Bebeji in the care of a slave woman named Tata (this is the root of the name "Dantata", which means "son of Tata"), and attended madrasah (Qur'an school). Dantata moved to Gonja, where his mother worked, at age fifteen, and studied and worked in Accra.[2]
Dantata later returned to Bebeji, and began using steamships to transport kola nuts between Accra and Lagos. He later diversified his trade into items such as beads and necklaces, and bought a house in the Koki ward of Kano. He married Umma Zaria, and she conducted business for him with women (him not doing it for religious reasons). In 1918, the UK-based Royal Niger Company searched for an agent to purchase groundnuts for them, and Dantata responded to their offer.[2]
He made a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca via boat in the early 1920s, and stopped in England.[2] He also financed the pilgrimages of others.[3]
By 1922 Dantata had become the richest businessman in Kano, surpassing fellow merchants Umaru Sharubutu Koki and Maikano Agogo. In 1929, when the Bank of British West Africa opened a branch in Kano, Dantata placed 20 camel-loads of silver coins in it. (For religious reasons, his money collected no interest.) He died in Kano on August 17, 1955, having exhorted his children to not let his company, Alhassan Dantata and Sons, be broken up. He was buried in his house in the Sarari ward.[2]
Among Dantata's sons were Mamuda (1922-1983), founder of the West African Pilgrims Association and a currency trader,[4] Sanusi (born 1917), a very successful businessman,[5] Ahmadu (died 1960), a politician,[6] and Aminu (born 1931), a businessman.[7]