mjbaba:
OHKKKKKKKK!!!! This is d person my Ma was always refering to as "Da Rosa"

exactly!!! my mum usually said I shouldn't behave like a son of "Idarosa".... I thought he was a Bini Drug lord

Ezezima2012:
Even after the war, when government asked influential Nigerians to contribute to the rehabilitations fund, he made substantial donations and he instructed that the amount should not be disclosed to the public.
Despite his wealth and political clout, no street in Lagos is named after him. Candido da Rocha died in 1959 and his remains lies at the Ikoyi Cemetery




This afonja millionaire died in 1959......Which war are you talking about op? Because I know that civil war took place between 1966-1970

Don't you know that during world war 2, some Nigerian schools were used as military bases, like my Alma Mata, Igbobi College Yaba.
Many Nigerians and Africans fought in world war 2. Please read about "The Burma Boy".

"Oun se bi omo Da Rocha".

Heard that line a lot while growing up.

I believe he was an ancestor of Abimbola Da Rocha of the first 3 letters of ADRAO school at Ahmadu Bello Victoria Island.

my grandfather always talked about his extravagant lifestyle and his popularity all over Lagos then

nnokwa042:
the first west African millionaire is ojukwu father which every body knows ,so if u like go Brazil and bring bebeto or dunga as first Yoruba millionaire Na una sabi nobody knew him take

You knew your own millionaire in the jungle of the East at a time the Yorubas in the city of Lagos had long turned the tales of Da Rocha's wealth to folklore being passed from generation to generation.

Just as the Fulanis have long held Dantata as the richest man in black Africa of his time.

Celebrate yours and let others celebrate who they know to be the wealthiest.

Lol My Papa used to tell me this when I asked him for unnecessary things, he would say, shey mi ni darosha, like he didn't have money to waste or spend anyhow something like that, didn't know twas this, i was quite young so it didn't make any meaning to me not until now, all of it makes sense now, lol

Soonest, pathetic flatiyeasterners will forget this post and beat empty chests like chimps that they developed Lagos.

Ziinno:
"I am Candido da Rocha, your candidate into the House. Vote for me if you like. And if you don’t, all well and good"

Know thyself! Bravo.

People who say what they mean always lose elections. He was a smart entrepreneur but a foolish politician.

I believe the honour goes to King Jaja of Opobo.
I stand to be corrected though.

nnokwa042:
the first west African millionaire is ojukwu father which every body knows ,so if u like go Brazil and bring bebeto or dunga as first Yoruba millionaire Na una sabi nobody knew him take

Well, that was as far as the information available at the time. It's not cast in stone.

From the post, we learnt that he (i.e. da Rocha) was a reclusive person.

I think Late Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu was already a millionaire before this guy.

...

oladelove:

I actually know one of his descendants.According to his only surviving male great grand-son,his father, who was a judge in Gambia(or Guinea) died in a plane crash along with five of his six male children on his way to Gambia(or Guinea) for a Court proceeding.His only surviving male great grand child told me he survived because his mother just had him and she would not be able to fly at such time. Late Mrs. Abimbola Da-Rocha Afodu Omoloulu-Mulele the owner of ADRAO international school in Lagos was one of the descendants of Da Rocha.

Da Rocha's story is never complete without the article below.I copied it from a source I cannot actually remember the source because I have had it for a while....Enjoy.

Olowo bi "Darosa" in my Ibadan accent....

Nigeria's first millionaire...

Mr. Candido Da Rocha was a native of Ilesha and was a slave returnee from Brazil. He returned to Nigeria in 1870 from Salvador Brazil, and quickly built a small fortune plying the lucrative South Atlantic trade route. Da Rocha was arguably the first Nigerian millionaire.
He was popularly known as “BaBa Olomi” and had his head office at Kakawa Street, Marina Lagos. He became a testament to the industrial will, that led to the establishment of the Iju Water Works, that served the entire Lagos in the 1920’s before it was taken over by the colonial administration.
Da Rocha laid pipes from Iju to Lagos Island, Yaba, Ebute-metta and other communities in Lagos where there were high demand for pipe borne water. He was selling to individuals until it was taken over by the Colonial Government, who was paying Da Rocha for the supply of water to Lagos and was thus a pioneer of private ownership of utilities in Nigeria.
He was so wealthy, that it was the popular saying in Yoruba- that, if you lure someone into spending money, the person would resist your trap by saying “do you think I am Da Rocha”. A rich man’s wealth is always comparable to that of Da Rocha –“he is as rich as Da Rocha”.
Da Rocha in his time was highly influential, his intervention during the scarcity of water in Lagos in the early 1920’s gave him the appellation of“BabaOlomi”.

#WhatWillYouBeRememberedFor?

Iju was a thick forest then also his hunting ground.He built an hunting lodge at Iju,a place to stay after an hunting expedition. It was a wooden storey building with concrete pillars as support.The house was still in existence till the 90s.the area is now known as Fred Williams st. Iju

WORLDPEACE:

People who say what they mean always lose elections. He was a smart entrepreneur but a foolish politician.

A smart entrepreneur was all he needed to be. He knew that and I believe he was totally satisfied with that hence his comment. You think Bill gates or Dangote would want to governor or President?

Now I know the history of why my father got the name Darocha

StOla:


You knew your own millionaire in the jungle of the East at a time the Yorubas in the city of Lagos had long turned the tales of Da Rocha's wealth to folklore being passed from generation to generation.

Just as the Fulanis have long held Dantata as the richest man in black Africa of his time.

Celebrate yours and let others celebrate who they know to be the wealthiest.

so papa ojukwu that brought stock exchange to Nigeria lives in a jungle abi,? Anyways why I dey argue with u sef may be ur from ogbomosho with tribal marks cus every Yoruba person is a lagosian and am wasting my time replying u,coming here to tell us cock and bull story about jahrzinho of brazil

Ziinno:


A smart entrepreneur was all he needed to be. He knew that and I believe he was totally satisfied with that hence his comment. You think Bill gates or Dangote would want to governor or President?

Dangote and Bill Gates have never come out to run for any office. This man however did.

ALAYORMII:
Da Rocha


Have heard the name many times especially when referring to people that live extravagant lifestyle

That is because there is this report that he was on a sailing ship with white passengers and while sipping champagne, a white man complained of when black monkeys started drinking champagne. To spite the white man, he bought all the champagne on board and ensured only those he wished to share with had champagne to drink.

About him being the first millionaire, he was actually rich enough to be called a millionaire but inability to point out to his investments in present day may imply that he was not as rich as later millionaires but since he was born in 1860 ahead of the likes of Sir Louis Odumegwu (1908), he may surely have been Nigeria's first millionaire.

Ezezima2012:
Even after the war, when government asked influential Nigerians to contribute to the rehabilitations fund, he made substantial donations and he instructed that the amount should not be disclosed to the public.
Despite his wealth and political clout, no street in Lagos is named after him. Candido da Rocha died in 1959 and his remains lies at the Ikoyi Cemetery




This afonja millionaire died in 1959......Which war are you talking about op? Because I know that civil war took place between 1966-1970

once some people hear the word 'war' it is all about nigeria civil war. you had better read the article very well again.

Ezezima2012:
Even after the war, when government asked influential Nigerians to contribute to the rehabilitations fund, he made substantial donations and he instructed that the amount should not be disclosed to the public.
Despite his wealth and political clout, no street in Lagos is named after him. Candido da Rocha died in 1959 and his remains lies at the Ikoyi Cemetery




This afonja millionaire died in 1959......Which war are you talking about op? Because I know that civil war took place between 1966-1970

The second world war started from 1939-1945,the writer was referring to the second world war and not the Biafra war

WORLDPEACE:

Dangote and Bill Gates have never come out to run for any office. This man however did.

According to the article, his friend Herbert Macaulay nominated him.

His nonchalance about it is abundantly evident from what he said. You think a man who was smart enough to build a business worth millions couldn't have been deceptive enough to be a politician if he wanted to? Are you unaware of the level of shrewdness that goes into building a real business?

Know thyself. He didn't need to be a politician to feel accomplished, he already was and he made it crystal clear..."Vote or don't vote, I am already who I am".

nnokwa042:
the first west African millionaire is ojukwu father which every body knows ,so if u like go Brazil and bring bebeto or dunga as first Yoruba millionaire Na una sabi nobody knew him take

It is an irrefutable fact that Sir Louis Odumegwu was a millionaire but being the first in Nigeria is contestable; Da Rocha has been historically regarded as a millionaire and he was born 1860. Dantata was born in 1877 while Sir Louis was born 1908 so there is that possibility that those guys were millionaires before him.
Another thing to consider is that as at the time First bank of Nigeria started operations in Nigeria, Dantata was claimed to have gone there with over 100 bags of money; which infers he was already a millionaire in 1894, when First bank started operations. This was 14 years before Sir Louis Odumegwu was born so let us just assume he was the richest at his time but not the first millionaire in Nigeria.

Ziinno:


According to the article, his friend Herbert Macaulay nominated him.

His nonchalance about it is abundantly evident from what he said. You think a man who was smart enough to build a business worth millions couldn't have been deceptive enough to be a politician if he wanted to? Are you unaware of the level of shrewdness that goes into building a real business?

Know thyself. He didn't need to be a politician to feel accomplished, he already was and he made it crystal clear..."Vote or don't vote, I am already who I am".

Is Donald Trump not a business man? Is he doing as good as Obama who was not? The skill set needed to run a business is not exactly the same as that needed to be a politician. You can't just wake up and fire everyone whom you don't like in politics. It takes more emotional intelligence to be a successful politician. You might interpret Candido Joao Da Rocha's attitude as nonchalance while some would interpret it as naivety. He was a philanthropist who was helping people around him. Imagine at what scale he would have made an impact if he had been successful in politics. Don't assume he did not consider that when he came out to run.

oladelove:

I actually know one of his descendants.According to his only surviving male great grand-son,his father, who was a judge in Gambia(or Guinea) died in a plane crash along with five of his six male children on his way to Gambia(or Guinea) for a Court proceeding.His only surviving male great grand child told me he survived because his mother just had him and she would not be able to fly at such time. Late Mrs. Abimbola Da-Rocha Afodu Omoloulu-Mulele the owner of ADRAO international school in Lagos was one of the descendants of Da Rocha.

Da Rocha's story is never complete without the article below.I copied it from a source I cannot actually remember the source because I have had it for a while....Enjoy.

Olowo bi "Darosa" in my Ibadan accent....

Nigeria's first millionaire...

Mr. Candido Da Rocha was a native of Ilesha and was a slave returnee from Brazil. He returned to Nigeria in 1870 from Salvador Brazil, and quickly built a small fortune plying the lucrative South Atlantic trade route. Da Rocha was arguably the first Nigerian millionaire.
He was popularly known as “BaBa Olomi” and had his head office at Kakawa Street, Marina Lagos. He became a testament to the industrial will, that led to the establishment of the Iju Water Works, that served the entire Lagos in the 1920’s before it was taken over by the colonial administration.
Da Rocha laid pipes from Iju to Lagos Island, Yaba, Ebute-metta and other communities in Lagos where there were high demand for pipe borne water. He was selling to individuals until it was taken over by the Colonial Government, who was paying Da Rocha for the supply of water to Lagos and was thus a pioneer of private ownership of utilities in Nigeria.
He was so wealthy, that it was the popular saying in Yoruba- that, if you lure someone into spending money, the person would resist your trap by saying “do you think I am Da Rocha”. A rich man’s wealth is always comparable to that of Da Rocha –“he is as rich as Da Rocha”.
Da Rocha in his time was highly influential, his intervention during the scarcity of water in Lagos in the early 1920’s gave him the appellation of“BabaOlomi”.

#WhatWillYouBeRememberedFor?

How did u conclude that he is the first Nigerian millionaire

ilemobayo40:
wow ! This is interesting. My father used to mention his name whenever somebody spend money extravagantly or boast about his wealth. pele o, da rocha olowo. i never knew he is a nigerian.
..

I guess he's the richest man in Yoruba land den.

My mum would say O fe so mi di Da Rosoh (rocha)

Lagos history of ex returnees from Brazil is too hidden. Strong part of SW development

nnokwa042:
so papa ojukwu that brought stock exchange to Nigeria lives in a jungle abi,? Anyways why I dey argue with u sef may be ur from ogbomosho with tribal marks cus every Yoruba person is a lagosian and am wasting my time replying u,coming here to tell us cock and bull story about jahrzinho of brazil

Very insecure Igbo.

You hear the tales of a Da Rocha who was born into wealth and also created wealth before Sir Louis Ojukwu, and you begin to doubt the authenticity of the story.

I repeat, that you in the Eastern jungles of Nigeria knew of Louis Ojukwu as the 1st millionaire, confirms that you existed in the ignorant isolation only a jungle can provide. As such, you are not expected to know what had been existing and common place in the colony of Lagos and Western Nigeria where many of the educated Yoruba even had to work with their engineering doctorate degree under English men with only bachelor's degree in the colonial service.

Do you know how many generations of Yoruba doctors and lawyers and engineers and millionaires existed in the West and Lagos before the Eastern jungle produced it's own first?
If you fortunately stumble on such revealing history, you would also call it rooster and bull story.

Da Rocha and Ojukwu senior are a generation apart. While Da Rocha was giving away money anyhow, Ojukwu senior was still struggling to suckle his mother's breast.

The sun may rise in the East, but civilization emerged from the West.

I've been racking my head to know if I actually heard my parents say such name while growing up. It just struck me now that my moms actually used the phrase 'Nigba ti mi ki'nse Darosa' meaning 'when i'm not Darosa'. Thanks op for letting me know it's 'Da Rocha' and not 'Darosa' as moms pronounced

YORUBAS ARE GREAT PEOPLE I BELIEVE THEY CAN RULE THE WORLD SILENTLY WITHOUT MUCH NOISE!!! : MAY GOD HELP THEM TO GROW HIGHER AND LET NOT religion DIVIDES THEM IN THE NEAREST FUTURE.

TheSuperNerd:
This is a nice and very informative piece. Beautifully historical....

And somehow, all the while, I was made to believe that Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu (father of Emeka Ojukwu) was Nigeria's first acknowledged millionaire.....
He was also the first president of the Nigerian stock exchange.

Well... I guess that places Louis Second behind Da Rocha.....

So thanks for the history class Op. Very helpful.

Believe this trash at your own peril Louis was the first millionaire in Nigeria .

WORLDPEACE:

Is Donald Trump not a business man? Is he doing as good as Obama who was not? The skill set needed to run a business is not exactly the same as that needed to be a politician. You can't just wake up and fire everyone whom you don't like in politics. It takes more emotional intelligence to be a successful politician. You might interpret Candido Joao Da Rocha's attitude as nonchalance while some would interpret it as naivety. He was a philanthropist who was helping people around him. Imagine at what scale he would have made an impact if he had been successful in politics. Don't assume he did not consider that when he came out to run.

Donald trump is a businessman who ran against a seasoned politician and WON...(We are not talking performance, we are talking winning. That just made the point I stated earlier...If you are smart enough to build a successful business empire, you are diabolical enough to be a politician if you really want it.

Well, I see why it's inconceivable to you that a person wouldn't want to be a politician.

Anyhow, I'd stick to my perception of the man Da Rocha and I absolutely respect yours.