The man who coined the name ‘Tanzania,’ has passed away in the United Kingdom. He was 80 years old.
Muhammad Iqbal Dar, a Muslim of the Ahmadiyya sect, who once lived in Dar-es-Salaam, as a student during the Tanganyika days, had migrated to England with his family.
Muhammad Igbal died in his sleep on the 3rd day of March 2025 at his home in Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Mohammed Iqbal was a scholar and political analyst.
He was also among the people who played a crucial role in the discussions surrounding the union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
It was during these deliberations that Iqbal proposed the name “Tanzania,” which was derived from a combination of “Tanganyika” and “Zanzibar.”
Tanganyika and Zanzibar were united on 26 April 1964 and the union called for a new name.
A competition was launched to find a suitable name for the new United states.
Apparently, Igbal Dar managed to win the competition and his entry ‘Tanzania,’ eventually became the name of the new nation.
The United Republic of Tanzania comprising Tanganyika mainland and Zanzibar Isles.
Igbal’s name will remain etched forever in Tanzania’s history.