Gold tooth: How Nigerians contribute to Saudi economy

Gold adorned tooth are an age old tradition that has transcended race and culture to become one of the popular body modifications around the world. As such, it is one of the many age-long traditions for beautification and a show of wealth and power. Historically, gold tooth were indicative of wealth and prosperity as many […]

Gold adorned tooth are an age old tradition that has transcended race and culture to become one of the popular body modifications around the world. As such, it is one of the many age-long traditions for beautification and a show of wealth and power.
Historically, gold tooth were indicative of wealth and prosperity as many cultures including Africa and Asian use them as a status symbol. The process of fixing and adorning the tooth has been viewed as attractive and hence it is now a tradition or culture-imposed ritual for most pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
However, despite the current global recession, there is a continued yearning for gold tooth especially among female pilgrims in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
During this year’s hajj, many Nigerian pilgrims were seen immensely contributing to the economy of Saudi Arabia through buying of goods and fixing of the golden tooth. To some, the tooth was a necessity as long as they set foot in the holy land and as such must be adorned to serve as proof to those who may want to doubt their pilgrimage.
A pilgrim from Nasarawa State, Sa’adiya Shuaibu told Daily Trust that she has always nursed the idea of having a gold tooth and when the opportunity for her to perform this year’s hajj presented itself, she knew it was the right time to get it done no matter the cost.
“I have always loved the idea of the gold tooth and when I was told I would be performing this year’s hajj, I knew I would get it fixed it on this trip. I took aside 500 Saudi riyal from my Basic Travel Allowance, (BTA), for that purpose,” she said.
The 25-year-old graduate of Nasarawa State University said it was the tradition in her family to send their unmarried daughters for hajj and they are expected to fix the tooth. That commands respect from the family of the groom indicating that they are from a high class.
Sa’adiya spent 350 Saudi Riyal, about N35, 000 for a 14-carat gold tooth for which she was given 10 years guarantee by the clinic she visited. 
Maryam Ismail, a nurse on official delegation from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria said she was indifferent about fixing the tooth until when she went to bid her grandmother farewell and she emphasized that she must fix the tooth.
“But I have to respect my granny’s wishes so I opted for one which cost me about 500 Saudi Riyal [roughly N50000],” she added
“I admire the tooth when I see other people with it. It is usually nice especially on those of us blacks. But I think I will feel shy If I have it on. Imagine when am laughing and everybody will think am laughing that hard because I have a golden tooth on,” she said.
Maryam who was taken to the clinic by an agent was not allowed to bargain because the agent was the one speaking for them.
“I understand a little bit of Arabic because I studied in Sudan. I realized that the agent that took us there was not bargaining for us because I guess they have an agreement to have a commission with the number of clients she brings to the clinic,” she said.
A pilgrim from Kano, Abdulaziz Shehu, said he fixed a gold tooth last year at a cost of 400 riyal equivalent of N40000 and this year he added a silver tooth at 250 riyal for which costs about N25000.
Agents were seen parading themselves in hotels to marketing for their various clinics. Some were seen speaking Hausa in order to get close to interesting pilgrims. It was learnt that unless customers gather in groups to go for the tooth fixing operation, pilgrims are reluctant to tag along with the agents for the fear of the unknown.
Comparing between the three major cities most visited by pilgrims during the Hajj and Umrah periods-Madina, Makkah and Jiddah-Daily Trust observed that Madina was the most preferred city for pilgrims to fix the tooth because they claimed the clinics there were more articulate and thorough in sterilizing their equipment.
Our reporter visited some clinics in the three cities and found out that the treatment in Madina is more customer-friendly.
In an interview with a dentist and owner of Dar Altadawe Polyclinic, one of the clinics in Madina where mostly Africans especially Nigerians visit, Dr Mohammed Bassel Jawish, said that his clinic attends to about 1000 pilgrims yearly.
A Syrian, Dr. Jawish told Daily Trust that by being modest, his clinic makes roughly 30000 riyal per month, an equivalent of N3million during hajj season.
Dr. Jawish whose clinic specializes in gold, diamond and silver tooth says 70% of pilgrims prefer to fix the gold tooth due to its high rate of second hand value while 30% go for silver and diamond tooth. He also said there are two sets of gold tooth, the 18 carat and 14 carat gold depending on the pilgrims choice.
According to him, what earned him more confidence with his clients was when he began giving his customers 10 years guarantee earning him more referrals from those who enjoyed his services.
The dentist further boosted that he adopted a market strategy of transporting pilgrims back to their hotel rooms to boost his business.
He said the bulk of his customers are from West Africa and hence he flies into Nigeria especially Kano and Abuja, twice a year to check on patients with issues.
Daily Trust also observed that not only Africans are eager about fixing gold tooth, as some pilgrims from other Arab countries patronize these clinics but in a unique way by fixing all their molars teeth.