A fresh claim has emerged challenging earlier report by the Guinness Book of Records, which had identified 116-year-old Italian, Emman Morano of Verbani as the oldest person on earth.
The new claims shows Madam Veronica Uloko in Edo State as the oldest.
Madam Uloko is 132 years of age and currently living in Iyamho community, Etsako clan, Edo State, the hometown of the outgoing Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
With this, Mama Uloko is 16 years older than Morano who is believed to be the oldest woman living on earth.
Though blind and unable to walk, the centenarian wants God to take her life because of the agony she was undergoing over the loss of three of her seven children, especially the 73-year-old son that died in August, this year.
Speaking to Vanguard, one of her sons, Obanor, said that the death of Mama’s son affected her health, as she did not want to live while her children died.
On how she feels at 132 years old, she averred thus: “I am very happy that God gave me a long life, but since my son died, I have been praying to God to come and take my life. I cannot remain while my children are dying after getting old.”
Commenting on Oshiomhole’s government, she said: “Our people in Iyamho are not cowards and they live straight forward life, they do not cheat and they are very bold people and I think that is why God blesses us with long life and wisdom, including Oshiomhole, in Iyamho.”
Madam Uloko, who is excited by Oshimohole’s developmental strides in the state, said: “We are happy that only one man came to rescue us, not only our people, the entire Edo north and Edo state.
“God will bless Oshiomhole. When he was announced as the winner, I was dancing with one leg inside because I could not walk as an old woman.”
“I pray that Oshiomhole will get another big appointment when he leaves as governor. I thank Oshiomhole for what he has done for our people, when you come to our village, Iyamho; you will not recognize the place again, as people continue to tell me because I can no longer see. I have prayed for him and I will continue to pray for him because he made our people proud,” she added.
She went on: “Governor Oshiomhole’s mother came to greet me the other day and I was happy. My father was older than me, but I am not happy at all since my son died and I have been weeping since then. I can no longer see well, I use to see very well but I can no longer see well. I have seven children, but one died three months ago, while two died years ago. So I am not happy at all.
“I married at the age of 18 at Olueke. When I was at Olueke, I spent 12 years without a child. So my father advised me to leave the marriage since I could not have any issue with the man. So I came back to my father’s house and spent another four years before I met my husband that we had the four children together.
“In fact, before I got married to my second husband, he had nine children already with another woman. We are very happy to have longevity in our family. People in my father’s community, Iyamho, enjoy long life. My father was 87 years before he died; he was the oldest man in Afowa village before he died.
“I thank God for giving me long life and that is all I pray for people today, but I am no longer enjoying it due to the death of my son.”
