Man who named Tanzania dies at 80
Mohammed Iqbal Dar, the man who came up with the name "Tanzania," has died at the age of 80.
He passed away in Birmingham, United Kingdom, where he had been living since 1965. He had been unwell for nearly 10 years and was unable to walk in his final years.
Mr Dar was born on August 8, 1944, in Tanga, Tanzania. His father, Dr Tufail Ahmad Dar, was a well-known doctor who worked in different parts of the country. Mr Dar went to school in Tanzania, studying at H.H. The Aga Khan School and later at Mzumbe Secondary School.
In 1964, while still a student, he saw an advertisement in a newspaper asking people to suggest a name for the newly formed union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
He decided to take part and sent in his idea. His suggestion, "Tanzania," was chosen as the winning name.
He was awarded a Sh200 prize (approximately $280 in 1964) and a medal, which was given to him by the Minister for Information at the time, Sheikh Idrisa Abdul Wakil.
He later explained how he created the name.
According to him, he took the first three letters of "Tanganyika" (TAN) and "Zanzibar" (ZAN). He then added an "I" from his own name, Iqbal, and an "A" to represent his connection to the Ahmadiyya Muslim community.
This formed the name "Tanzania."
Even after moving to the UK, Mr Dar remained closely connected to Tanzania. He visited the country many times and supported humanitarian projects, helping people from all backgrounds.
He also regularly attended religious events in Tanzania.
