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Chief Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boat ...
Mohammed Shitta-Bey (19 December 1824 – 4 July 1895), alias Olowo Pupa, was the first titled Seriki Musulumi ( a Nigerian chieftain) of
Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
. He was a prominent Nigerian Muslim businessman, aristocrat and philanthropist who was involved in commerce across
Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
and the Niger-Delta region. He was also a patron of the Shitta-Bey Mosque in Lagos, and served as a leader in the Lagos Muslim community until his death. He is known to be one of the founding fathers of legitimate commerce in precolonial
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
; as at the time of his death he was the most prominent and wealthiest Muslim trader in
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
.


Early life

ShittaBey is an honorary title given later in life, thus not used here until appropriate was born in the
liberated African The liberated Africans of Sierra Leone, also known as recaptives, were Africans who had been illegally enslaved onboard slave ships and rescued by anti-slavery patrols from the West Africa Squadron of the Royal Navy. After the British Parliament ...
village of
Waterloo, Sierra Leone Waterloo is a city in the Western Area of Sierra Leone and the capital of the Western Area Rural District, which is one of the sixteen districts of Sierra Leone. Waterloo is located about twenty miles east of Freetown. Waterloo is the second la ...
, to Salu and Aishat Shitta, repatriated Yoruba people who were rescued by the British
West Africa Squadron The West Africa Squadron, also known as the Preventive Squadron, was a squadron of the Royal Navy whose goal was to suppress the Atlantic slave trade by patrolling the coast of West Africa. Formed in 1808 after the British Parliament passed ...
from the
Atlantic Slave Trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...
and were a part of the Oku Mohammedan community in
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
. Shitta's parents moved from Waterloo to Fourah Bay around 1831, where his father became Imam of the
Fourah Bay Fourah Bay is a neighbourhood in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It is located in the East end of Freetown. Ethnicity and religion Fourah Bay is an overwhelmingly Muslim majority neighborhood. The Oku people, an ethnic group predominantly of Yoruba desce ...
Muslim community. Shitta's birth name was Mohammed Shitta; he was also known as William Shitta. Although Shitta was baptized as a child by
CMS CMS may refer to: Computing * Call management system * CMS-2, a programming language implemented for and used by the United States Navy * Code Morphing Software, a technology used by Transmeta * Collection management system for a museum coll ...
missionaries in
Freetown Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...
, he reverted to his father's Muslim faith when the Shitta family emigrated to
Badagry Badagry, also spelled Badagri, (Gun language, Gun: Gbagli) is a coastal town and Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is quite close to the city of Lagos, and located on the north bank of Po ...
in 1844. Through his paternal lineage, Shitta was a direct descendant of
Alaafin Alaafin, or ''The custodian of the Palace'' in the Yoruba language, is the title of the king of the Oyo Empire and present-day Oyo town of West Africa. It is the particular title of the Oba (king) of the Oyo. It is sometimes translated as ...
Abiodun.


Business career and influence in colonial Lagos

In 1852, a crisis in Badagry between
Akitoye Akitoye (died September 2, 1853), sometimes wrongly referred to as Akintoye, reigned twice as Oba of Lagos; first, from 1841 to 1845, and a second time, from 1851 to 1853. His father was Oba Ologun Kutere and his siblings were Obas Osinlokun ...
and
Kosoko Kosoko (died 1872) was a member of the Ologun Kutere Lagos Royal Family who reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1845 to 1851. His father was Oba Osinlokun and his siblings were Idewu Ojulari (who was Oba from 1829 to 1834/35), Olufunmi, Odunsi, Lad ...
forced Shitta's family to move to
Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
. He became an agent to the firms of Pinnock B & Co and Messrs Miller & co. Shitta acquired a tract of land in Egga, a town along the
Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...
, where he situated a factory. By 1881, he had acquired a steamer for conveying goods from the Niger to the coast. He accumulated significant wealth trading such goods as
palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...
,
ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and Tooth, teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mamm ...
,
kola nut The kola nut ( Yoruba: ''obi'', Dagbani: ''guli'', Hausa: goro, Igbo: ''ọjị'', Sängö: ''gôro,'' Swahili: ''mukezu'') is the seed of certain species of plant of the genus ''Cola'', placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and ...
s,
egusi Egusi, also spelled egushi ( Yoruba: Ẹ̀gúṣí), are the protein-rich seeds of certain cucurbitaceous plants ( squash, melon, gourd), which, after being dried and ground, are used as a major ingredient in West African cuisine. Egusi is ...
,
gum copal Gum copal is a resin produced by the sap of forest tree in the genus Daniellia. Due to common impurities and differences in regions, gum copal ranges in color from black to yellow to white. Gum copal, along with ivory and slaves, was a significant ...
, hides and clothes, and built a pious reputation. Shitta also expanded his business activities to Sierra Leone. Shitta's influence also rose as he was friendly with Obas
Dosunmu Dosunmu (c. 1823 – 1885), referred to in British documents as Docemo, reigned as Oba of Lagos from 1853, when he succeeded his father Oba Akitoye, until his own death in 1885. He was forced to run away to Britain under the threat of force in ...
and
Oyekan I Oba Oyekan I (died September 30, 1900) reigned as the Lagos Monarch from March 1885 - September 30, 1900. He ascended the throne about a month after the death of his father Oba Dosunmu. Prince Oyekan vs. Chief Apena Ajasa incident In 1883, Oba ...
. He served as an adviser to Oba Oyekan I, and financed Oyekan's candidacy for the Lagos throne until the colonial government approved Oyekan's succession of Dosunmu. As evidence of his political clout, acting colonial Governor Denton identified Shitta as a powerful force resisting the supervision of Muslim schools under the British Board of Education. Subsequently, Shitta acquiesced in his opposition to Western education and joined other members in the Muslim community to promote the idea of a Muslim School teaching modern subjects. Shitta also earned the nickname "Olowo Pupa" (or red money) because of his famous gold cowrie coins.


Kola nut farming

Due to language advantages, the Saro (Shitta's community) emerged as a dominant commercial group in Lagos. Having developed a migratory forte, they had an edge as travellers who were able to go into the interiors to meet directly with various commodity producers and traders. They were the pioneer southern Nigerian traders in kola, a cash crop that later emerged as a viable and important export commodity for the western region in the early twentieth century.Agiri, Babatunde "The Introduction of Nitida Kola into Nigerian Agriculture, 1880–1920", ''
African Economic History ''African Economic History'' is an annual academic journal covering research on all aspects of the economics of the African past, including its historiography, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan, colonial and post-colonial themes. It was established ...
'', No. 3, Spring 1977, p. 1.
The Saro introduced the crop which was bought from Hausa traders across the River Niger into southern Nigerian agriculture. The first kola farm and the dominant trading firm in kola were both orchestrated by Saros.Agiri, Babatunde "The Introduction of Nitida Kola into Nigerian Agriculture, 1880–1920", ''
African Economic History ''African Economic History'' is an annual academic journal covering research on all aspects of the economics of the African past, including its historiography, with an emphasis on sub-Saharan, colonial and post-colonial themes. It was established ...
'', No. 3, Spring 1977, p. 1.


Montaigac and Cyprien Fabre and Company v. Shitta, July 17th 1890

Mohamed Shitta, a prominent Nigerian merchant of the late 19th century, was renowned for his immense wealth, generosity, and financial acumen. His business empire extended into diverse ventures, including the operation of factories and expansive trading networks. The scale of his personal fortune and the respect he commanded were highlighted in the landmark case of Montaiganc and Cyprien Fabre & Co. v. Shitta (1890), which underscored his role as a financier and influential figure in the economic landscape of Lagos Colony. The case arose from a series of loans amounting to £6,000 (equivalent to approximately £850,000 to £1 million in 2024) advanced by Shitta to Giuseppe Del Grande, an agent acting on behalf of Cyprien Fabre & Co., a French trading firm with significant interests on the West African coast. Remarkably, Shitta provided these funds without requiring interest for several years, a testament to his vast resources and benevolent character. His willingness to extend such a large sum on such favorable terms underscored his financial independence and the trust he placed in his business relationships. The Privy Council ultimately deliberated on whether Cyprien Fabre & Co. could be held liable for the debt incurred by Del Grande, who had operated under the wide-ranging powers granted by the company. The loan, delivered in multiple installments between 1884 and 1885, reflected Shitta’s central role in facilitating commerce in Lagos. The court’s examination of the case not only illustrated the legal complexities of agency and commercial partnerships in colonial trade but also highlighted Shitta’s pivotal position in the region’s economic networks. Shitta’s involvement in this high-profile litigation underscores his unparalleled financial capacity and his reputation as a generous and trustworthy financier. His ability to extend such significant sums without immediate financial returns demonstrated both the scale of his wealth and his integrity, marking him as one of the foremost figures in the economic and social history of 19th-century West Africa.


Religion and philanthropy

Shitta was also a philanthropist who donated funds for the growth of Islam in Lagos and Sierra Leone, financing the construction of mosques in both places including the Jamiul Salaam mosque in Foulah town. He was a major donor for the construction of the Lagos Central Mosque in 1873 and held the
chieftaincy A tribal chief, chieftain, or headman is a leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies There is no definition for "tribe". The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Af ...
title of the Seriki Musulumi of Lagos, thus making him the leader of the Muslims of Lagos.


Construction of the Shitta-Bey Mosque

Mohammed Shitta financed the construction of the landmark Shitta-Bey Mosque in 1891 at costs reported by various authors to be between £3000 and £7000. The mosque featured Afro-Brazilian themed architecture created by Senor Joao Baptista Da Costa, a Brazilian returnee to Lagos who was assisted by an indigenous builder named Sanusi Aka. Senor Da Costa also designed the
Taiwo Olowo Chief Daniel Conrad Taiwo (1781 – February 20, 1901), alias Taiwo Olowo (translated as "Taiwo the Rich man"), was a trader, arms dealer, slave owner, political power broker, philanthropist and community leader in Colonial Lagos. Early life Ta ...
Monument in Lagos. The Shitta-Bey Mosque launched on 4 July 1894, at a ceremony presided over by the Governor of Lagos, Sir Gilbert Carter. Others in attendance included Oba Oyekan I,
Edward Wilmot Blyden Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 August 1832 – 7 February 1912) was an Americo-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician who was primarily active in West Africa. Born in the Danish West Indies, he joined the waves of Americo-Liberians ...
,
Abdullah Quilliam William Henry Quilliam (10 April 1856 – 23 April 1932), who changed his name to Abdullah Quilliam and later Henri Marcel Leon or Haroun Mustapha Leon, was a 19th-century British convert from Christianity to Islam, noted for founding England's ...
(who represented Sultan Abdul Hamid II of the Ottoman Empire), and prominent Lagosian Christians such as James Pinson Labulo Davies, John Otunba Payne, and
Richard Beale Blaize Richard Beale Blaize (November 22, 1845 – September 21, 1904) was a Nigerian-Sierra Leonean businessman, newspaper publisher, financier, and black nationalist of Sierra Leonean and Nigerian heritage. Early life Richard Olamilege Blaize was bor ...
. Quilliam brought a letter accredited to the Sultan of Turkey asking Lagos Muslims to embrace Western education.


"Bey" title

At the Shitta-Bey Mosque launch that Shitta was honoured with the "
Bey Bey, also spelled as Baig, Bayg, Beigh, Beig, Bek, Baeg, Begh, or Beg, is a Turkic title for a chieftain, and a royal, aristocratic title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in ...
" title, the Ottoman Order of Medjidie 3rd class (the highest class for a civilian) by Sultan
Abdul Hamid II Abdulhamid II or Abdul Hamid II (; ; 21 September 184210 February 1918) was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1876 to 1909, and the last sultan to exert effective control over the fracturing state. He oversaw a Decline and modernizati ...
. Thereafter, Mohammed Shitta became known by the compound name Shitta-Bey.


Death

Mohammed Shitta-Bey died of influenza in Lagos on 4 July 1895, exactly one year after the launch of the Shitta-Bey Mosque. He left behind a son named Kareem and two grandchildren named Malik and Sulaiman. While Sulaiman would inherit his father's title, the youngest grandchild Malik would later immigrate to the United States to try and establish a Mosque and a Muslim presence in the Southern United States.


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Shitta Bey, Mohammed 1824 births 1895 deaths 19th-century Nigerian businesspeople Yoruba businesspeople Oku people History of Lagos Yoruba philanthropists Sierra Leonean people of Yoruba descent Sierra Leonean emigrants to Nigeria Nigerian Muslims Businesspeople from Lagos People from colonial Nigeria Deaths from influenza Yoruba Islamic religious leaders Nigerian commodities traders Nigerian landowners Saro people People from Waterloo, Sierra Leone 19th-century landowners People from Lagos Colony