Alhassan Dantata

Alhassan Dantata
Born	1877 Bebeji
Died	17 August 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
Spouse(s)	Umma Zaria, Maimuna
Children	Ahmadu, Aminu, Mamudi, Sanusi, Mudi, et al.
Parent(s)	Abdullahi, Fatima

Alhassan Dantata (1877 – 17 August 1955) was a Northern Nigerian trader in kola nuts, ground nuts and distributor of European goods. He supplied large British trading companies with raw materials and also had business interests in the Gold Coast. At the time of his death he was one of the wealthiest men in West Africa.

Dantata was born in Bebeji in 1877, one of several children of Abdullahi and his wife Amarya. Both his parents were wealthy Agalawa, a heredity group of long distance traders in the Hausa empire. Abdullahi died in Bebeji around 1885.

Abdullahi's children were too young to manage his considerable wealth. They all received their portion according to Islamic law. Amarya, like her mother in law, was a trader of wealth in her own right. After her husband's death, she decided to leave Bebeji for Accra where she had commercial interests. She left the children in Bebeji, in the care of an old slave woman named Tata.

The young Alhassan became known as Alhassan Dantata because of Tata's role as his 'mother' (" Dan-tata" means "son of Tata" in Hausa language). His name indicates she was a strong influence in his early life.

Alhassan was sent to a Qur'anic school (madrasah) in Bebeji. It is likely that it was run by a Tijaniyya. His share of his father's wealth seemed to have vanished and he had to support himself. The life of the almajiri (Qur'anic student) is difficult, as he has to find food and clothing for himself and also for his malam (teacher) and at the same time read. Some simply begged while others sought paid work. Alhassan worked, as was tradition for a young Agalawa. He succeeded at the insistence of Tata in saving. His asusu, "money box" (a pottery vessel) purchased by Tata, still exists in the walls of the house.

Dantata was still a teenager boy when the great upheavals occurred in the Kano Emirate from 1893 to 1895. There were two claimants to the Kano Emirate when Emir Muhammad Bello died in 1893. Tukur was his son. Tukur received his religious training from a Tijaniyya scholar and received the support of the Agalawa. Yusufu had been passed over when Bello became Emir. Yusufu received his religious training from Qaadiriyya schools. In the resulting civil war, Yusufu forces were victorious over Tukur, and claimed the title of emir. Because of the Agalawa support of Tukur, Dantata and the other Agalawa had their property confiscated and many were captured. Dantata and his brothers were held for ransom, under the threat of slavery. They paid it and Dantata returned to the trading business without his family lands around Kano.

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Wikipedia