Meet Da Rocha, Nigerian millionaire so rich he sent his clothes to UK for dry-cleaning
Before Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola, Nigeria had a wealth man who can never be forgotten in the history of this country. His name was Candido Joao Da Rocha.
Candido’s father, Esan Joao Da Rocha, was born in Ilesha, a town in the present Osun State, but unfortunately for him, when he was 10, he was abducted by slave traders and shipped off to Brazil. In Brazil, Esan was sold to a Brazilian farmer called Da Rocha and that was how he got his last name. Esan was a slave for a long time before fate smiled on him and he regained his freedom.
After regaining his freedom, Esan got married and gave birth to his son and the subject of this story, Candido Da Rocha, in 1860.
Eleven years after giving birth to Candido, his father, Esan, joined several other freed slaves to return to their homelands in 1871, and he moved his family to Lagos.
After Esan arrived Nigeria with his family, he started a business with the money he brought back from Brazil and before long, he was one of the richest people in Lagos. He enrolled his son, Candido, at CMS Grammar school where he became friends with Herbert Macaulay.
By the time Candido was in his early twenties, he lost his father and as the first child of the dynasty, he inherited his father’s estate and became of the richest and youngest millionaire in Lagos.
In 1894, he expanded his business into buying and selling of gold. He took a loan from bank and bought gold bars worth £ 6000, and made so much profit from that deal that he became even richer than his late father, but he didn’t stop there.
Before long, he became the richest man in Lagos at that time and soon, he expanded his business into banking and finance. He and some other businessmen came together and started a money lending business under a company named Lagos Native Bank. After that he moved on to start the Lagos Finance Company.
Da Rocha became so rich that he bought a gold horse carriage and he would ride it all around Lagos mainland almost every evening. He was a lavish spender and a fashion lover.
was so rich that he had an array of tuxedos custom-made from the UK and every other weekend, he would send his clothes back to UK for dry-cleaning and pressing.
Despite all his wealth, Da Rocha refused to join politics even when his friend, Herbert Macaulay, tried to convince him to join Nigerian politics. Despite his aversion for politics though, he helped a lot of people and many became wealthy businessmen through his help.
Candido lived in a Mansion called Casa d’ Aqua, which means the House of Water. It was called the Water House or the House of Water because water was sold in the house at some point. The house, which is still standing till today, is located at Kakawa street, Lagos Island.
The house, according to one of Da Rocha’s granddaughters, is a replica of the one Brazilian slave owner, Da Rocha, had lived in when Esan Joao was his slave.
Candido’s father, Esan Joao Da Rocha, was born in Ilesha, a town in the present Osun State, but unfortunately for him, when he was 10, he was abducted by slave traders and shipped off to Brazil. In Brazil, Esan was sold to a Brazilian farmer called Da Rocha and that was how he got his last name. Esan was a slave for a long time before fate smiled on him and he regained his freedom.
After regaining his freedom, Esan got married and gave birth to his son and the subject of this story, Candido Da Rocha, in 1860.
Eleven years after giving birth to Candido, his father, Esan, joined several other freed slaves to return to their homelands in 1871, and he moved his family to Lagos.
After Esan arrived Nigeria with his family, he started a business with the money he brought back from Brazil and before long, he was one of the richest people in Lagos. He enrolled his son, Candido, at CMS Grammar school where he became friends with Herbert Macaulay.
By the time Candido was in his early twenties, he lost his father and as the first child of the dynasty, he inherited his father’s estate and became of the richest and youngest millionaire in Lagos.
In 1894, he expanded his business into buying and selling of gold. He took a loan from bank and bought gold bars worth £ 6000, and made so much profit from that deal that he became even richer than his late father, but he didn’t stop there.
Before long, he became the richest man in Lagos at that time and soon, he expanded his business into banking and finance. He and some other businessmen came together and started a money lending business under a company named Lagos Native Bank. After that he moved on to start the Lagos Finance Company.
Da Rocha became so rich that he bought a gold horse carriage and he would ride it all around Lagos mainland almost every evening. He was a lavish spender and a fashion lover.
was so rich that he had an array of tuxedos custom-made from the UK and every other weekend, he would send his clothes back to UK for dry-cleaning and pressing.
Despite all his wealth, Da Rocha refused to join politics even when his friend, Herbert Macaulay, tried to convince him to join Nigerian politics. Despite his aversion for politics though, he helped a lot of people and many became wealthy businessmen through his help.
Candido lived in a Mansion called Casa d’ Aqua, which means the House of Water. It was called the Water House or the House of Water because water was sold in the house at some point. The house, which is still standing till today, is located at Kakawa street, Lagos Island.
The house, according to one of Da Rocha’s granddaughters, is a replica of the one Brazilian slave owner, Da Rocha, had lived in when Esan Joao was his slave.
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