Candido Da Rocha was a very wealthy Lagosian. It is also popularly believed that he was the first known millionaire in Nigeria. Da Rocha as he was fondly referred to was born in 1860 as the son of Joao Esan Da Rocha, a former slave who returned from Brazil to start a business empire.

The junior Da Rocha, Candido, was reported to have just the language skills of Portuguese and Ilesha on his return. He attended the popular CMS Grammar School in Lagos where he was the head boy. He was a friend to late Herbert Macaulay who was also his school mate.

Candido was said to have laid water pipes from Iju to Lagos Island, Yaba Ebute Metta and other areas where there were high demand of pipe borne water. He was said to have lived in his house and operated the Iju water works that served the whole of Lagos in the 20s. The colonial administrators were said to be paying Da Rocha for the supply of water to Lagos state. His house had the first bore hole and also the first water fountain. He was said to have sold water to the people from his house. He made fortune from his water business such that he bcame very rich that the government had to take it over from him. His other business includes money lending which he did with two other rich men, J H Doherty and Sedu Williams and together that started a bank named the Lagos Native bank. He also went into fishery business and also opened a restaurant.

https://web.facebook.com/factsupon/posts/pfbid02q9uzi1KaQjDuUaoXJVL8hQL1co92ividmK7xV3ZyJN4Bbi1GLv11YbH3g3rt3Entl?comment_id=1115550643222033&reply_comment_id=362343599897898&notif_id=1707482313715142&notif_t=comment_mention&ref=notif