Talking about old ones, I think everyone should be written about Methuselah because that is the oldest human that ever existed historically. I was only joking and, I would say the person that picked this topic just wants me to shed tears but God pass you.
I wasn't fortunate enough to meet any of my grandparents, life took them away before I could get a chance to meet them and whenever people talk about their grannies I just been there imagining how great the feeling would be, I know some old ones are always too troublesome but from what I heard about my grannies, we would have really get along, I might even live with her permanently but life didn't give me a chance and there was nothing I could do.
Growing up, life didn't give me a chance to get closer to any older person because we didn't leave with any and Nollywood also didn't help that get better in any way, they are always using older people in their movies as mostly bad people or scary people, sometimes as a witch but that didn't take to much effect on me and fortunately for me after I left my mom's house then, the one room apartment I moved into, our landlady was older, I mean as old as 80 plus years of age.
Honestly, at first, I was always scared of the woman because people said she curses a lot but after some months, I settled in and notice this woman's attitude was far better than what people said about her, if the house is empty and she is the only one, she would try her best to go lock the backyard door and leave only the front door open. Once you step into the passage, she would started shouting who is until you answer her and if it is someone she does not know she would raise alarm by calling someone from the neighborhood with her small phone.
Despite her old age, our house felt safer in her hands and there was no record of stealing, I could remember this other day too, she advise my friends to stop carrying different girls but she said it in a totally fun way with the Ijebu accent because she was from there. As people do say Ijebu people are fetish people; no offense meant here, but this woman was a leading figure in the mosque she attended and she did her best not to miss any prayer time. I know she would have observed the 30 days of fasting but her health won't allow her.
She didn't see her tenant as tenant, and she would take time to check on anyone if she notice she hasn't seen you for some days, with no time my love for her kept on growing, and I would make sure I greet her in the morning while going to work and check up on her while I'm back from work, helped her with some little chores and she would always pray for me and also advise me about life just the sad thing about it was her female daughters started acting too busy to take care of the woman and the male child who was always around was a drunkard.
They started locking the woman indoors and not feeding her properly, like they wanted her to die and there was a limit to what we the outsider could do, after some time I think they got their wish granted and Alhaja was no more. I could remember vividly, there were hours of heavy rainfall that day, and I could tell the heavens were mourning her. It was late at night when she died and her burial we performed early the next day as her religion required.
Different people from different places came and our house was filled with people both young and old, both alfas and pastors were at present. Despite her age, people were still shedding tears saying she shouldn't have been the one, and why would she die now meanwhile she was almost 90 years of age. People started saying all the good deeds she has done which is what will be left of us when we leave this earth, whatever we do good or bad.
Her 41 days burial ceremony was the talk of the town for months as different people came around.
Remembering her now made tears roll down my cheek and I can't help but to say a little prayer for her as have always done when I remember her.
She changed my perspective about older people and I would love to be closer to another old person but I'm yet to find any. I hope you enjoyed reading this? Let love lead always .
Enjoy your weekend