Ladha Meghjee
- 1890
- 7 Feb 1951
- Business
- Parents
- Meghjee Dhirani 1865–1950
- Siblings
- Partners
- Sakinabai Janmohamed Ravji 1898–1923
- Children
- Maryam Meghjee 1921–2013
Ladhabhai Meghjee was born in Nagalpur, Kutch, British Indiain 1890. Like many other Khoja Ithna-Asheris at the time he migrated to Zanzibar at the age of 13 in 1903. After working in Zanzibar for two years, he joined Nasser Virji and worked at their branches in Ujiji, Bukoba and Mwanza for 7 years. In 1911, at the age of 21 he married Sakinabai, daughter of Janmohamed Ravji of Zanzibar. Sadly, Sakinabai passed away in 1923 during childbirth. In 1925 Ladhabhai got married to Fatmabai Alibhai in India.
Business Skills
In 1912, he started his own business in Mwanza initially on a small scale and which continued to progress with time finally resulting in a significant business empire. He started trading in commodities such as grain, rice, wax and animal hides. This soon expanded to the establishment of rice mills and coffee mills. Soon after he leased cotton ginning factory and cotton-seed oil producing mill. Whilst most of the community businessmen were just interested in cotton ginneries to sort the cotton, Ladhabhai was greatly involved in cotton growing and improving the quality of the cotton by promoting better agricultural methods. He used to travel to all the districts including Ukerewe and reward the farmers who produced better cotton and because of his efforts Mwanza district became the foremost producer of quality cotton. His business adventures took him to purchase 2 gold mines around the Buckreef region not too far from Geita. Today, the second largest gold mines in Africa are situated there.
Community Services
Ladhabhai was keen in Jamaat and public community affairs. The Mwanza Musafarkhana was built under his leadership in 1937. Ladhabhai had also donated land for the construction of the mosque in Mwanza. The name of Ladhabhai will forever be remembered as the community continues to benefit from this mosque. Ladhabhai was President of Indian Association of Mwanza for many years. He was also a member and trustee of Mwanza School Board. The Mwanza Public Library bears his name due to his significant contribution. Soon after his death, a large piece of land was given to the Holy Family Church at a nominal price. The Holy Family Primary School, now Nyakahoja Primary School was built on this land.
Achievements & Awards
During 1935, with all the contributions he was making in business and the community at large, Ladhabhai was awarded the Kings Silver Jubilee Medal. After the World War II during the Mid 40’s – Ladhabhai was once again recognised by the British Government for his ongoing contributions and was awarded the coveted Defence Medal.
Sports Skills
Although he was raised in a traditional environment his foresight was modern and creative. He took great interest in sports and remained a good tennis player even into his middle age. He was also an initiator in the establishment of the Mwanza Sports Club - where his contribution was well known. He was a simple person of amiable nature, mixing with everyone, very kind to his employees and an anonymous donor. Mwanza residents who remember his compassion with those suffering are overcome with emotion when describing him.
Death
Ladhabhai Meghjee passed away in Mwanza in February 1951 at the age of 61. Ladhabhai was highly respected person in the community and community members closed their shops as a mark of respect upon his death. The Asian community also arranged a memorial service in his honour. The funeral was attended by a multitude of Africans, Europeans, Asians, Christians, Hindus and Muslims alike. At his funeral, the British once again honoured him, this time with a 7-gun salute. Marhum left behind a widow and 9 sons and 3 daughters.
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Ever wondered about the history of the Ladha Meghji Indian Public Library?
During the early 1930’s when donations were being sought to establish an Indian Public Library, Ladhabai Meghjee donated Shillings 3,500 towards the project. This was by far the single largest donation received. As a comparison, in today’s terms, this amount equates to UK£31,560 (based on average earnings calculations), or UK£58,180 (based on GDP calculations). In any respect this was a substantial donation.
After the donations were collected and in a general meeting of the Indian Public Library of Mwanza, held on the 31st March 1935, a motion was passed that the Library will thereafter be called The Ladha Meghji Indian Public Library, Mwanza. Ladhabai Meghjee became a lifetime trustee, for whom the monthly subscription fees were waived, as well as any member of the Meghjee family who may be appointed as a trustee of the library in his absence.
The Library had 3 classes of members:
1. Life – one off fee of Shillings 150
2. Honorary – An elected member who had provided services to the Indian community, the Library, and general public. These members were exempt form paying any fees.
3. Ordinary – They had to pay 1 shilling per month.
For any extra 1 shilling per month they could have fresh newspapers or magazines to read at home over night.
All members were allowed to read in the Library during the opening hours and were allowed to take home only one book at a time. There were 77 members on the register at that point in time. The Library was finally registered with the Tanganyika Territory Government on the 28th of April 1939, as a corporate body, which could then own the actual building and land in its own name.
During the 1980’s there was an attempt to sell the Library but Hassanbhai (Chacha) stopped them by proving that he was a Trustee. The latest Trustee was Hassanbhai Chacha), and we are currently in the process of appointing another Meghjee Family Member as a Trustee.
86 years on, the Library is still running and is also being used as a meeting place for various clubs and associations.
The building is now one of the oldest in Mwanza and was used in 1958 to hold the first meetings of the Pan-African Freedom Movement of East and Central Africa of which one of the founding members was Julius Nyerere who later went on to become the first president of an Independent Tanganyika (now Tanzania)
