Here is to a boundless centenarian...

                                             The boundless centenarian between his children.

The 6th Abdullahi Fodio merit award ceremony, which held last Saturday at the Emir of Gwandu palace in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, 100-year-old Alhaji Muhammadu Modi stole the show with fitness unexpected of a centenarian. Modi spoke to Weekly Trust.

The presence of a centenarian among the 12 personalities honoured at the 6th Abdullahi Fodio Merit Award added colour to the event, which was conceived in honour of late Sheikh Abdullahi Fodio, the brother of the legendary Islamic reformer and Jihadist, Sheikh Usman bin Fodio. The award was started in 1996 by the Gwandu Emirate Development Association (GEDA) to immortalise and promote the good works and the legacy left behind by Sheikh Abdullahi.
The centenarian also held the position of Agriculture Extension Worker and at the same time he was in charge of the historical/library section of the Gwandu Emirate. Before his elevation to Magajin Garin Gwandu, Alhaji Modi has held many traditional positions including Marafan Gwandu.
Two days after the event, our correspondent traced the centenarian to his Birnin Kebbi residence at Kofar Kola with the help of Alhaji Atiku Bala, a veteran local government administrator in Kebbi State. Weekly Trust observed that few minutes after one of his grandsons informed the centenarian of our presence, Alhaji Modi arrived the sitting room wearing a white traditional babbar riga, with a white turban.

The centenarian said  “I’m over 100 years old, because I was alive before the former Emir of Gwandu, Malam Basharu, was appointed. I have so far seen six emirs on the Gwandu throne. Emir Shehu spent 20 years on the throne; Emir Yahaya spent 16; Emir Haruna spent 42; Emir Jokolo spent 10; and I also know when the present Emir of Gwandu, retired Major General Muhammad Ilyasu Bashar, was appointed.”
On the secret of his longevity, he said, “there is no any secret attached to it. It is the will of Allah. I eat all sorts of food, meat and up till now, I still chew sugarcane. I don’t have any ailment including diabetes. When I was growing up, I was one of the local hunters here in Gwandu, so I eat a lot of birds, guinea fowls and chickens.” Alhaji Modi is still enjoying the services of his 30 teeth, after losing only two.

wao! i want to be this boundless...it all starts from now though...what are you doing to/with your teeth? sadly, i have had to loose two already...~sob sob

one boundless love.