Nigerian man claiming to be 120 shares stories of his long life
Key Takeaways
- Abdulkadiri Aremu Mogaji-Ile-Eleran claims to be 120 years old.
- He says traditional foods and regular walking have long been part of his lifestyle.
- His family says historical records are unavailable to confirm his exact age.
Abdulkadiri Aremu Mogaji-Ile-Eleran credits traditional food and an active lifestyle as his family acknowledges there are no records confirming his exact age.
A Nigerian man claiming to have reached the age of 120 is attracting attention online after opening up about his life, family and the habits he maintained over the decades.
Abdulkadiri Aremu Mogaji-Ile-Eleran lives in Ilorin, Kwara State, with an extended family that includes four wives.
Footage filmed at his home on Thursday shows him walking alongside his grandson, going through old photographs and examining a family tree.
From Parties to Working Life
Abdulkadiri said he was 30 when he married his first wife. He also recalled spending about five decades working, including as a butcher, before eventually retiring.
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His younger years, he said, were filled with social gatherings and celebrations.
"I used to have fun and party well as a youth. Marriage and children's naming ceremonies, no matter the distance, my colleagues and I must be there," he recalled.
Abdulkadiri said many people from his generation have died, while some of those still alive have aged differently from him.
"There are a few of my contemporaries one could still see around, but most of them have aged very well. They don't look like me. I thank God for how I still look. I love eating local delicacies like pounded yam (iyan), yam flour (amala), corn flour (tuwo). I don't drink alcohol, though there was a time I used to smoke - about 50 years ago," Abdulkadiri said.
Walking Remained Part of His Routine
Abdulkadiri also recalled spending considerable time on foot, particularly during his years working with cattle.
"I loved walking back then. I used to walk for a long time to my destinations, but now I don't have that strength again, though I still regularly walk some short distances today," he shared.
Questions remain, however, over whether he is actually 120 years old.
His family said determining an exact age is difficult because official birth documentation from the period is unavailable.
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"There's no way we can remember our specific ages. Back then, there was no paper documentation of information," remarked his second wife, Kusumu Aremu.
Abdulkadiri's claimed age has not been independently confirmed, and no birth certificate or other contemporary record has been produced to verify it.
If evidence established that he is 120, he would rank among the oldest people ever documented.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
