Headlines

I still cook my meals, wear makeup at 97 – Arthur-Worrey

Published

2 weeks ago

24 April 2024

I still cook my meals, wear makeup at 97 – Arthur-Worrey

Mrs Funke Arthur-Worrey was the President of the International Women’s Society and head of the society’s Board of Trustees. She shares her joys with GODFREY GEORGE and TOLULOPE FASUAN as she clocks 97

How does it feel to be 97?

I will be 97 on April 23, 2024. It feels really good. I feel so loved by God. God has been wonderful to me in this life. He has done so many beautiful things for me, and for that, I am thankful. I don’t know what I did to deserve his love. I cannot even believe that I am 97. When I was 80, I said, ‘God you’ve done well for me.’ When I clocked 90, I was really thankful. Now, I am 97? I cannot believe it. I give praise to God. I am just filled with gratitude. My heart is filled with praise to God for all he has done for me.

Did you at any point in your life envisage you would live up to 97?

Hmmm… This is a great question. Honestly, I never gave it any thought. I cannot even tell how I got here. (Laughs) It just happened that all the things I’ve been doing just culminated into this long and beautiful life I am living now. I don’t know how it happened. It’s like a miracle. I just woke up one day and I am going to be 97. It’s unbelievable! So, I really don’t know. It’s difficult to plan anything in this life filled with many uncertainties. But, it has happened and it’s a joy to even think that 97. You know when we were younger, I’d see a woman or man of 50 and I would say, “Wow! 50 years? God, I pray I get to 50, too.” We used to look at them as really old people.

But now, look at me; I am 97. I thank God.

At 97, you still speak well, laugh loudly, and walk on your own two feet. What is the secret?

(Laughs) Yes, I do all those and more. I even eat crabs. I crack it with my teeth. Yes, my teeth are still active. I eat eba. I eat any soup at all. I eat anything I want. Nobody can force me to eat anything I don’t want. There’s nothing you can do about it. If I want something, I eat with pleasure. I still walk around. I still go to the market. I love going to the market. I go to Epe to buy fresh seafood and look at all these beautiful creatures of God like the animals in cages. Honestly, Nigeria is beautiful. I love Nigeria.

What are some of your most unforgettable memories in your 97 years on earth?

Well, I spent my youth in Lagos. Then, we had the freedom of movement. There was no traffic at all. Things were cheap, and then parents were important to children. We respected our parents because they loved and cared for us.

Parents, then, were both neighbours, aunties, uncles, and the like. They were our parents. As a child, you had more than one parent, and they watched over you and told you how to behave.

When you misbehaved, you’d be spanked and asked to go home. When you get home, your biological parents will spank you some more and thank the uncle or aunty who had spanked you earlier for a job well done. We don’t have that anymore. I really just want that to come back to our society before I go. I really don’t know how that is possible but we need more communal living. That was what made my growing up really beautiful – the fortune of being trained by the community.

What specific event do you remember about your life that you look back at and smile?

Hmmm… That would be when I met my husband in 1950. It happened like a miracle. He just came from nowhere, really, and married me. (Laughs) He was actually in England working as a teacher. As a young girl growing up in Lagos, I never thought I would meet a young man like him in my lifetime. When we got married, he became my brother, my confidant and my best friend.

I can never forget him. Never! Anytime I remember his name, I’ll just smile.

Where is he now?

He’s dead. He passed away about 13 or so years ago. He was God’s gift to me. He made me so happy and comfortable in this life. Everything I needed in life, I found in him. He was God’s joy to me. Who am I to complain?

It seems like you both had a beautiful marriage…

(Cuts in) Oh yes! It was a blissful marriage. We were married for more than 50 years and we lived happily for all those years. For instance, he never forgot my birthday or those of my neighbours and cousins. We are a really large family yet he never forgets anyone’s birthday. He would always tell me to give them gifts if he was not around to do so himself.

Most times, he’d ask me to call the celebrants and just say hello and sing them a birthday son, and it made them really happy that we remembered their special days.

My husband was so friendly. The children in the area where we met really enjoyed him. He was more than a father to them; he was a friend.

He would play football with them, and then he would organize picnics for them. We’d go to Kingsway to buy either fried rice and chicken or minced pie.

All our neighbours enjoyed themselves whenever he was around. Ah! He was a good man and I miss him.

How did you two meet?

The way I met him was a miracle because I was a typical Yoruba girl in Lagos. He met my late brother. He was their ward in England. When he came to Nigeria, we all lined up to greet him. He shook my sister Jumoke’s hand. Then, when he came to my side, he said, “You, you’re going to be my wife”.

When he left, I went to meet my sister-in-law and said, “That man you brought us is very rude.” I nearly ran under the table to hide. How could he say such in public without knowing me before? Anyway, that’s how the whole thing started. We became friends and later got married. Through him, I read the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation. He taught me to love God and love humanity.

Was the marriage done in England or Lagos?

It was done in London. We had a Nigeria engagement also. We were married for over 50 years, enjoying our lives. He was so good to me. He was like my brother. When I’m hot, he is cold, and vice versa. He was very good to me, and I miss him till tomorrow.

You seem to have had a very beautiful childhood. Do you want to tell me about it?

Oh yes! My childhood was beautiful. Lagos was small then and we all knew each other. We were more or less closely knit and connected. From Mushin to Oshodi, we were one family. We had one aunty here and another there. And the love was then. Not that we didn’t have any problems, but it’s not like now. Lagos is beautiful. We were kind to our neighbours. All the neighbours children were our siblings, and we lived as one family.

Do you miss that old Lagos?

I do. I miss it. I urge the media to collate the good things in Lagos and publish it so people see that is not all bad. There are still good things in this new Lagos.

Right now, I run away from watching the news. I don’t even want to watch our news again because it’s so upsetting when you open your radio. It’s always something bad. If it is not rape, it is kidnapping. I think we should change that. We should refocus more on the youth and encourage them.

Our women are number one. They wake up around 5 am with their baby strapped on their back and set out to their marketplaces so they can buy early morning food at the markets. But then, we don’t have one governor that is female. They must recognise that the token Deputy Governorship slots they give us are not enough. We deserve our rightful places.

We want to be the President of Nigeria. Women deserve it. Out of 36 states, nothing stops women from being governors of 10 states.

What steps do you think women can take to achieve these?

I know I cannot contest again because of my age but women must start by encouraging themselves. We must stand for each other and give ourselves support.

We must not let the men look down on us. Some parts of Nigeria, in this 21st century, do not recognise us as complete human beings without the man. We need a lot of enlightenment.

Speaking of insecurity, you mentioned that at the time you were much younger, it was much safer. How did things get this bad?

Honestly, I don’t know. This thing started with Chibok girls in 2014. That was 10 years ago. Since after that kidnap, we have not known peace as a nation. It used to be a thing we hear about in the far North, but it has come to the South and spread all over the country.

The one that scares me a lot now is the kidnapping. We don’t know who is who anymore. Before now, kidnapping was not in Yorubaland. In Yoruba culture, we are our brother’s keepers. We love and support each other.

I know it came with the population explosion. We have all sorts of characters now. But I think the government is trying to get rid of the menace. We have a lot of work to do. We don’t know another country. I love Nigeria. Nigeria is a beautiful country. We should hold it well.

We are experiencing a mass exodus of young people out of Nigeria. How does that make you feel?

Don’t forget that it’s not only in Nigeria that it’s happening. It’s all over the world. I don’t like it actually, but what do we do? There is no difference between England and Africa. They are the same. It is just development. This is why I am saying we need to build our country.

Are there things you miss doing as a youth that you can no longer do now because of old age?

I do a lot of things naturally. Well, I don’t go to the beauty spa anymore. I’m always restless and look for something to do.

I still go to the market, make my own food, eat whatever I like, and go out for my charity work.

I attend their meetings, and go for their activities; but sometimes, when I want to do physically demanding things, my body pulls me back, telling me that I am not that young anymore. So, I just take steps back and take things slowly. But now, I’m enjoying myself with my family.

What do you advise young people who would love to live as long as you?

It saddens me when I hear young people between 40 and 50 years dying of stroke and kidney diseases. Some of them just slump and die. The thing is living long belongs to God. Nobody knows that I’ll live this long. I didn’t know myself because, when I was age 70, I was so thankful to God for keeping me that long.

I am already 97 and I don’t even know what to do but to thank God for the gift of long life. There are really no secrets to these things.

I know the youths see things differently from us adults. If the government provides social amenities, it will reduce frustration. Our youths are doing well. I learnt how a woman drove a car from London to Lagos alone. That is an amazing feat that must be amplified. That’s the girl we should celebrate. I pray God will give all the Nigerian youth success in all their endeavours.

I’d advise the youths to be patient. As we age, we understand that there is no need for all the struggles and fighting.

Before taking action, think about it several times and see if it is worth it. When I clocked 70, I understood a lot of things about life. There is really nothing here more than to live at peace with yourself and everyone. The youths should believe in themselves more.

There is a lot of frustration which has made many of them go into fraud, hard drugs, and all that. It will not help. They must trust themselves to follow the right way to success.

What about the government? What advice do you have for the government?

We just have to keep praying for them. Things are not the way we want it to be. Things have gone very bad. It’s now we know most of it. The government in power, I want to believe, is doing its best. They should do better.

We all must be prayerful and wish them success. Things will be alright.

I learnt you still paint your nails and wear makeup even at your age…

Yes, I do make-up, because I’m happy doing it. It’s God’s gift and I enjoy it.

What are you passionate about at this stage of your life?

I want our men to teach our women how to play the game of politics because we need more women in politics. I’m passionate about our women. I want to see six female governors and a female vice president before I leave this earth. The man cannot keep pushing and oppressing us. I want women to campaign for their own rights.

You have successful children. Knowing that they came out from your loins, how does it make you feel?

I’m proud. I thank God. It’s God’s doing. That’s a beautiful one. It’s a joy. I’m the luckiest woman in the world.

Headlines

NNPC, marketers in war of words over fuel scarcity

Published

3 days ago

4 May 2024

Agency News

NNPC, marketers in war of words over fuel scarcity

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation has blamed the lingering fuel scarcity in the country on panic buying and sharp practices by some petroleum marketers who are exploiting the present situation to make more money.

The company also vowed that the fuel queues across the country would end next week, noting that it had enough litres of fuel to end the scarcity.

Petroleum marketers, however, disagreed with the position of the NNPC, insisting that inadequate supply was a major reason for the persisting fuel scarcity.

Recall that on Tuesday, the NNPC spokesperson, Femi Soneye, assured that the ongoing shortage in supply of petroleum products and queues for the products would be cleared by May 1.

According to him, the company had more than 1.5 billion litres of petroleum products available, enough to last for at least 30 days. He added that some individuals might be exploiting the situation to maximise profit.

The Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria had in a statement said its members in Apapa and other locations in Lagos had received 300 million litres of fuel from eight vessels this week.

This was after the South-West Regional Coordinator of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Ayo Cardoso, also confirmed to The PUNCH that aside from the 240 million litres offloaded at various depots on Monday, close to 85 million litres of petrol was offloaded as of Tuesday evening.

Cardoso stated that the government was doing its best to ensure massive distribution of PMS, adding that the product would soon be available across the country.

According to him, each state of the federation had its allocations, saying the same will be delivered to reduce the queues at filling stations.

“As I said earlier, there will be enough fuel across Nigeria soon. We have received over 300 million litres as of Tuesday. More have arrived as we speak, but I can’t give you the figure. Vessels will keep arriving in Nigeria for 15 days, which started counting on Monday, and we will keep distributing the product across the nation.

“The masses should not panic; all these will soon vanish. We are not prioritising anywhere, each state has its allocation to be delivered accordingly,” Cardoso stated.

In the last few days, the queues and shortage of petroleum products worsened the living conditions of most Nigerians as they struggled to get the product.

Roads were deserted while some individuals parked their vehicles at various filling stations pending the availability of petrol.

Hoarding of the product had also been on the increase, as some took advantage of the situation.

Concerned, the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream and Midstream) called on security agencies to pick up hoarders of PMS.

Speaking with Saturday PUNCH, the spokesperson of NNPC, Olufemi Soneye, explained that the oil firm currently had about three billion litres of petrol, as he blamed oil marketers and panic buying for the lingering queues.

“The queues are clearing. They won’t just clear like that, because people are trying to hoard, while others are buying what they don’t need. That is why we keep saying there is enough product; there is no need to buy what you don’t need.

“Also, you can’t exclude the marketers in this, as they want to use this opportunity to make more money. These are the issues, which is why we have involved the NMDPRA, because it is their duty to ensure that the right thing is done by these filling stations.

“Our job is to provide the product and we’ve told you that we have over 1.5 billion litres available. So, the NMDPRA should please do something about the distribution. It is not our job. We are not the regulator, and we don’t have power to sanction the filling stations that are not doing what they are supposed to do.”

Soneye said the NNPC had increased the volume of petrol in Nigeria and insisted that distribution by marketers was now the concern.

Stop blaming us for scarcity – Marketers to NNPC

Marketers under the aegis of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria have, however, told the NNPC not to blame them for the queues in filling stations, saying they were not involved in sharp practices.

The National Vice President of IPMAN, Hammed Fashola, wondered how the NNPC could shift the blame to marketers, who were not the importers of petrol.

Fashola said marketers could only hoard an available product, recalling how IPMAN had assisted in clearing off the queues in filling stations.

“That is far from the truth. You can only divert the product that you have. You don’t divert what you don’t have.

“On the issue of pricing, we are in a regime of partial deregulation. If you noticed, even before this crisis, we had different prices everywhere. That is another issue that cannot stand.

“On the issue of hoarding, you cannot hoard what you don’t have. It is not even making sense when you have fuel at this critical period, then you say you want to hoard it. So, that is not true too,” he said.

Asked if the marketers were now getting the product from the NNPC, the IPMAN leader said, “Let me use this opportunity to commend the NNPC, despite the fact that they want to put the blame on us. I think they’re trying their best to put the situation under control”.

Fashola added that independent marketers did not engage in sharp practices.

“We have already set up a task force within the IPMAN to make sure our people play according to the rules and regulations. We are a very disciplined organisation. We don’t do any sharp practices; we don’t condone that.

“If you remember, last week they told us it was a logistic problem, and we know what that means. So, why are they blaming marketers for the scarcity? We are not the importer, we are not in charge of shipment; we are not their clearing agent. We don’t even own our own depot. So, how can they blame us for that?” he asked.

Also responding to the NNPC’s allegations, the National Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, debunked claims that the oil marketers were responsible for the persistent fuel scarcity.

Ukadike, speaking in a telephone interview on Friday night, stated that marketers established their businesses solely for profit and returns on investment, and would not create artificial scarcity, adding that the heavy capital and incurred bank charges did not allow for hoarding of the petroleum product.

He said, “We are the last in the distribution chain of supply. We break the box of NNPC, and as I am talking to you, IPMAN has over 20,000 filling stations scattered in the nooks and crannies of this country. We established our businesses to be able to maximise profit and have a return on investment.

“There is no sharp practice at all. Anytime there is inadequate supply of petroleum products, you would find out that independent marketers advertise and even go as far as washing vehicles’ tyres and windscreens and instructing our pump attendants to sell petroleum products, because we believe in turnover. The kind of money we are using to buy products, around N40m, is too huge for someone to hoard. We even incur bank charges.

“There is no way we can hoard products. Once they are given to us, we sell them as quickly as possible.

He added, “We are ready to sell for 24 hours if security is provided for us and financial support is also given to us. As an official, I can tell you that we are not involved in any sharp practice. Once petroleum gets to us, we will sell to consumers, because we interface with them and we know how it feels when product is scarce.”

The official further called on security agencies to wade off street urchins profiteering from the scarcity.

“I won’t also say that there are no people, such as street urchins, who take advantage of the situation to engage in sharp practices, using their vehicles to buy petroleum product and then distribute to jerry cans for profiteering. We are aware of those issues, and the national president of IPMAN has advised that marketers should involve security agencies to wade off all those persons standing in front of their filling stations.”

Also speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, said even though sharp practices existed within the oil sector, it should not be blamed majorly for the fuel scarcity in the country.

He said, “There are many reasons. I don’t doubt that some sharp practices are going on, but it is too simplistic to say that is the cause of the scarcity. So, I don’t believe that they (NNPCL) will say that.”

“I do not believe they said so. I do not doubt that there may be some sharp practices here and there, but I do not believe the NNPCL would say so.”

Explaining the cause of the scarcity, he said, “I have said it is logistic challenges. There are many other problems, but the immediate cause can be classified under logistic challenges.”

To solve the prevailing fuel scarcity, he said the government should “flood the markets with the products.”

“If you wake up and they say there is no product in Nigeria, then you can call or hold NNPC responsible. But now, the custodian of the stock is the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and they have not said that we don’t have products. When Nigerians should hold us responsible is when there is no product. But, there is product in excess.

“The 1.5 billion litres we said about four days ago has increased, because we’ve added more vessels and we are going to make almost three billion litres available. So, distribution should be looked into by the NMDPRA.

“When the regulator sanctions some stations, it will make others sit up and do the right thing. But, as NNPC, we don’t have the power to sanction any station,” Soneye stated.