By Reno Omokri
Please fact-check me: Yorubas have the highest number of nonagenarians in Nigeria, including:
Pa Reuben Fasoranti: 98
Mr Adekunle Benjamin: 97
Chief Afe Babalola: 95
Chief Ayo Adebanjo: 95
Otunba Adekunle Ojora: 92
Professor Bolanle Awe: 91
Professor Wole Soyinka: 90
Ọba Sikiru Kayọde Adetọna: 90
Evangelist Ajetunmobi Somotun: 90
Otunba Adedotun Odunuga: 90
The Yorubas also have multiple centenarians, including:
Pastor John Dada Obafemi: 111 (He is also the oldest living Nigerian ex-soldier)
Reverend J.O Olowokure and Professor J.O Olowokure: 104 (Previously the Oldest Surviving Identical twins in Nigeria, until the Reverend died on May 7, 2024)
But what is their secret to long life and good health? Some say it is genetic. Others opine that it has to do with their diet, which is herbal-based. For example, Ewedu (Corchorus olitorius), a staple of the Yoruba, is a herb, not a vegetable. I bet you never knew that.
And what did God say about herbs? They are man’s natural food, according to Genesis 1:29.
They could be right. However, in my opinion, it comes down to their culture of respect for old age and their parents. This is in keeping with the divine law in Exodus 20:12:
“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may LIVE LONG in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
If you look at cultures like the Japanese and the Yoruba ways of life, which practice deep respect for elders and parents, you will find that they enjoy some of the highest life expectancies on Earth. But if you look at cultures like…(Let me just stop here. I don’t want insults!).
Reno Omokri
Gospeller. Deep Thinker. #TableShaker. Ruffler of the Feathers of Obidents. #1 Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years. Hodophile. Hollywood Magazine Humanitarian of the Year, 2019. Business Insider Influencer of the Year 2022.
