SUPERCENTENARIANS IN GHANA, West Africa

 In the West, especially in the USA,  Africa is always associated with bad things: famines severe droughts, pogroms, coup d’etas, dictatorships, authoritarianism, diseases , and even cannibalism. People always refer to Africa as the “ The Dark Continent” - thanks to Joseph Conrad.

People  in the West hardly think that Africans live long and productive lives; that some of them are in fact SUPERCENTENARIANS. The Guinness Book Records, has never included any longevity records from Africa. To be fair, Wikipedia has a list of centenarians across the globe on their website, the list includes two Africans. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu of Ghana, a Moslem cleric is still alive at the age of 103 years. A Nigerian chartered accountant. a Mr Akintola Williams Is also listed . When Sister  Andre, a  French nun died   at the age of 118 this year, she was described   As the world’s SUPERCENTENARIAN. She was then  the longevity  record holder. 

The dictionary defines a SUPERCENTENARIAN as a person who has reached the age of 110 years. 

In this blog, I would like to discuss and reflect on the lives of my own relatives as well as others in Ghana, who, unbeknown to the Guinness Book of Records have lived or are still living long lives of peace, prosperity and plenty. I will begin with my own family.

My aunt, Maame Ansomaa of Abetifi-Kwahu in Eastern Region, Ghana died at the age of 120.

Maame Afrabea, also of Abetifi died at 110, A relative of Maame Afrabea, Abrewa Serikyi was reported to have died at the age of 130,

In the village of Akaa Buem, Oti Region, Ghana, we have had some remarkable people who lived a very long Christian life. Moses Kwabena Antwi, Michael Antwi’s grandfather, the gentleman who brought the Roman Catholic religion to the village, and one of the few monogamists in the village, died at the age of 115. He was buried in front of the Catholic chapel-an appropriate tribute to such a saintly and gentle soul.

YouTube channel has several sites  and names of other long living Ghanaians. Dr Kwegyir Aggrey (AggreyOf Africa) used to say: “ In Africa, there’s always something new, “

I plead with the publishers of Guinness book of records to include centenarians and SUPERCENTENARIANs  from Africa, in future editions of this prestigious publication.