Mary Nnah
Chief (Mrs) Olufunke Arthur-Worrey, a 97-year-old widow of Steady Arthur-Worrey, and mother to Fola Arthur-Worrey, a former Solicitor General of Lagos State, former Commissioner of Lands, and former Executive Secretary of Lagos State Security Trust Fund, will celebrate her 97th birthday on Tuesday, April 23rd with a private party among friends and family at her residence in Victoria Island, Lagos.
In the lead-up to the celebration, she shared reminiscences from her long and fulfilling life with selected journalists at her residence. She attributed her longevity to the grace of God and said she feels wonderful and like she is a “special breed”.
Mrs Arthur-Worrey expressed her gratitude for being alive and able to appreciate the beauty of nature and God’s creation. She also mentioned that she is still able to engage in activities she enjoys and eat whatever she likes. She credits God Almighty for her energy and sharpness, stating that she prayed to God when she turned 90 to thank Him for allowing her to reach that milestone.
The nonagenarian mentioned that she still enjoys foods like crabs and eba, despite concerns from some who have asked her if she still eats meat. She also spoke about her love for local fabrics and encouraged others to patronize them instead of expensive imported ones from China.
When asked about her late husband, Chief Arthur-Worrey spoke fondly of him, stating that they enjoyed each other’s company and had a great relationship. She noted that he was a man who could turn everything into fun and had a love for reading, including gossip papers and the Bible. She credits him for teaching her many things and spoke of how they loved to go on trips together.
“He was two years older than me, he would have still been doing the same thing, enjoying life. He was a man who could turn everything into fun. In those days we could go to Badagry, Ijebu- Ode or Ikorodu within an hour we would be there.”
She noted that he was a man who could turn everything into fun and had a love for reading, including gossip papers and the Bible. She credits him for teaching her many things and spoke of how they loved to go on trips together.
He reads a lot and he would be telling me things. He read gossip papers, and the Bible, I learnt a lot from him, and we enjoyed ourselves. He was my brother, we just matched, it was God’s doing. When he was hot I would be cold, everybody loved him”, she added further.
Finally, Chief Arthur-Worrey spoke about how she and her husband had met and how he had expressed his desire to marry her. She recalled feeling embarrassed at first but eventually fell in love with him and credits him for making a mark in the area with the children. She mentioned that he left for Kebbi but eventually returned to Lagos and informed all family members in Abeokuta that he wanted to marry her.
