\nChief Enemuo being fed by one of his children
\nChief Enemuo being fed by one of his children
\nIn his tribute on facebook, one of the grand children of Chief Enemuo, Mr. Bonaventure Umeh wrote:
\n\u201cOh papa we love you but God love you most, you are a good Father 2 me and 2 EBENEBE people you are the oldest man in EBENEBE, Anambra and also in Nigeria. We all the Igbo na asi gi Ije oma (sleep well). EBENEBE na asi gi mgoo. ENEMUO UMEH you are a good man, papa you always share what you have with all; papa you never stop 2 offer kola whenever person com 2 see you , even at your old age. Whatever you give to papa, he will be appreciate. Papa is always happy whenever he see people around him. Papa always pray every morning 4 the good of EBENEBE, good of Anambra and also 4 the good of Nigeria. He always like 2 Bless people whenever dem com 2 see him, papa give up on 28night Apr 2015, oh I will always miss you as my grand Father I love you papa but God Love\u2019s you most people of EBENEBE will miss u as the oldest man, A man who love 2 say the truth, Chief Ozu Okutarozura Ijeoma Mgoo.
\nA-Day Encounter with the World\u2019s Oldest man, World War (1&2) Veteran, By Okechukwu Onuegbu
\nChief Enemuo surrounded by his grand children
\nChief Enemuo surrounded by his grand children
\nGeorge Orwel, in his book, Animals Farm, postulated that \u201cAll animals are equal but some are more equal than others\u201d. In other words, \u201call men are equal but some are more equal than others\u201d.
\nThese words best described Chief Gabriel Umeh Enemuo of Ebenebe, Awka-North council area in Anambra state, Nigeria.
\nYou need to know him!
\nThe most interesting and intrinsic aspect of his life is that while millions men and women of 60s, 70s, octogenarians and centurions walk with aid of sticks and helpers, Chief Enemuo walks round his compound, eat, take bathe among other things without even an aid.
\nIn that special interview with our publisher, Okechukwu Onuegbu, Enemuo said: \u201cI have children, grandchildren and lots more, but I need none to assist me in walking round my compound. I knew that many people would be willing to offer help if requested for. But I needed not because I am still healthy, full of strength and energy. My bones, artillery, blood, veins and heart are intact\u2026 In fact, I am still sexually induced. I can still have sex\u201d.
\nInvestigation suggests that the patriarch is not only the most senior indigent citizen of his community, but also the oldest man in Awka north and south federal constituency, and perhaps the world\u2019s oldest man world-wide.
\nThe Traditional Ruler of Ebenebe and former Chairman, Awka-North Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Christopher Nnaegbune confirmed this.
\nWhen this reporter paid him an impromptu visit recently, the patriarch recounted his past life for hours without hesitation.
\n\u201cI am Chief Gabriel Umeh Enemuo, I clocked150 years this yesterday. I was my parents\u2019 first issue. My education ended at standard 2 in order to assist my parents in upkeep of my younger brothers Nwankwo and Michael Nwabu of blessed memory. As such, I joined my father in the farm. We farmed yams, fishing and hunting, while my mother and young ones were busy in cassava farming and rest of them. However, the Oyibos (the Britain) lured them into allowing me to be conscripted into the Royal West African Frontier force during the first and Second World War\u201d, he said.
\nHe added: \u201cWe traveled far and near\u2026 but due to old age, I can\u2019t just recall the places visited during the war except that I saw red sea written in the bible. Next thing afresh in my memory is that I returned and re-embraced my parents, younger and beloved ones at home alive. They were very happy welcoming their \u2018lost son\u2019 again. It was indeed a very great opportunity and experiences. That war wasn\u2019t easy at all. Shooting sporadically day and night at different locations without resting, which may be why my people celebrated my safe return\u201d.
\nAdditionally, Chief Enemuo noted: \u201cMy people celebrated me with love, care and honour. You knew they might be thinking that I would not survive the war front. But, fortunately, God saw me through. So, immediately, they took to streets dancing and jubilating as done to the biblical prodigal son. My parents later vowed not to let me out of their presence again. My father was already old. I had no option than to develop myself more in farming so as to train my younger ones\u201d.
\nStill recounting his experiences, the World War (1&2) veteran echoed: \u201cDon\u2019t just go there. Oyibos attitudes to the blacks (Africans) are nothing to write home about\u2026Brother, please don\u2019t pray for war. You people should keep praying for our soldiers in your daily devotion because it is not easy at all. Many Africans died at the war whose course and reason we were ignorant of. I just thank God I came back with all parts of my body intact\u201d.
\nWhen asked the secrecy behind his longevity, Chief Enemuo echoed: \u201cGlory be to God. It isn\u2019t my making but that of Almighty God. I never thought it would be so but God decided to let me be. I was born in poor family of three children. I was the first born. My younger brothers are now late. Also, none of my mates is alive. All I have to say is that my parents-all died at ripe age of 185 or 190 each. And their parents was said to have outlived them. Unfortunately, my wife and young brothers could not\u201d.
\nQueried if food contributes to his sustenance, the patriarch explained: \u201cit is not food but God. To Him be the Glory forever. I am young as you\u2019re. Can\u2019t you see that my strengths, bones and blood are yet alive? Feel it, I am very energetic\u2026 I now eat all kinds of food-junks such as salad, indomie, spaghetti, macroni, semovita, rice, wheat, meat, fish, sumptuous meals and our traditional like akpu, garri, rice among others. I have no favourite dish except in the past I ate \u201cpounded corn\u201d as a titled man concern. You know I am a titled man. I joined our traditional Ozorship as teenager, first before any of my mates could be initiated. This was as a result of my generosity, industriousness, love and humanitarian services to the people\u201d.
\nChief Gabriel Umeh Enemuo posited that he was first man to have built a house with cement blocks and star zinc while Atani (grass-roofing) and mud thatched house was reigning in major parts of the country . Hear him: \u201cYes, I built these six bedrooms and a parlour we lives-in. That was first house built in Ebenebe with cement blocks and zinc. Look at it very well (pointing to our reporter), it was roofed with \u201cStar zinc\u201d which was then reigning at the cities of Enugu, Onitsha, Port Harcourt. The cost price, I wouldn\u2019t recall but shillings and pounds were in use as at then\u201d.
\nContinuing, he said: \u201cI bought the zincs at Enugu. But with help of my family members, they were transported back to Amansea by head. From there, we crossed it over Ezu-River by boat and headed them back home\u201d.
\nwho now preferred to be addressed as \u201cBrother Gabriel\u201d, said he embraced Christ at old age and was wedded with his wife, Mrs. Mary (who died three years ago) at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Ebenebe by its Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Joachim Ezeani amidst jubilation ever witnessed in his life time.
\nThis most senior indigent citizen of Awka-North and South, said he decided to worship Christ in the spirit and soul not that he was forced to do so by anybody, stressing the needs for people to forgo every unrighteousness and give their life and time to Christ as such evil could deny them access to heaven, even as he advised Nigerians to stop neglecting agriculture, entrepreneurship and vocational jobs\/handwork with a view to face-out unemployment in the country.
\nHe thanked Governor Obi for constructing Ezu-Bridge, Ebenebe road and for initiating the payment of five thousand naira stipends per month to the aged of whom he is among, even as he urged the incoming administration to sustain Obi\u2019s legacy as well as to ensure that said road get to Ugbenu, Ugbene and Awba-Ofemili as stipulated in the project.
\nThe writer Okechukwu Onuegbu is a journalist, blogger and author. You can reach him through +2348061506936, facebook.com\/comradedevoice, www.news48hrs.blogspot.com, or onuegbuokechukwu@yahoo.com
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