115-year-old man dies in North

THE funeral of one of the oldest officially recorded living people was held at Ongwediva in the North this month.

Paulus Atshuunde Nashima was apparently 115 years old at the time of his death. According to a birth certificate, Nashima was born at Elimi in the Omusati Region on August 8 1890.Nashima is survived by seven children – of whom five are already pensioners – 38 grandchildren and 48 great grandchildren.Born in an era when birth certificates where seldom issued, some remain sceptical about the authenticity of Nashima’s age.According to a certificate issued by the Elcin Church, Nashima was born in 1906, but because it is not an official record, it cannot accurately authenticate his age.Granddaughter Elizabeth Nashima told The Namibian that the date reflected on the Elcin certificate was not necessarily that of her grandfather’s year of birth.”Most people didn’t get baptised straight after birth in those years, 1906 was the year in which Nashima joined the church,” said Elizabeth.The world’s oldest authenticated person was Jeanne Calmet, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.Calmet’s life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles, France, beyond reasonable doubt.The oldest authenticated living person is Emiliano Mercado del Toro who is 114 years old.Documents supplied so far to support this claim include a birth certificate, baptismal certificate, 1910 census record and veteran ID card.But the Guinness Book of Records recognises Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, born September 14 1889, as the world’s oldest living person.Guiness notes that Capovilla “has beaten the odds – not only to live past 116, but to have the records to prove it”.According to a birth certificate, Nashima was born at Elimi in the Omusati Region on August 8 1890.Nashima is survived by seven children – of whom five are already pensioners – 38 grandchildren and 48 great grandchildren.Born in an era when birth certificates where seldom issued, some remain sceptical about the authenticity of Nashima’s age.According to a certificate issued by the Elcin Church, Nashima was born in 1906, but because it is not an official record, it cannot accurately authenticate his age.Granddaughter Elizabeth Nashima told The Namibian that the date reflected on the Elcin certificate was not necessarily that of her grandfather’s year of birth.”Most people didn’t get baptised straight after birth in those years, 1906 was the year in which Nashima joined the church,” said Elizabeth.The world’s oldest authenticated person was Jeanne Calmet, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years and 164 days.Calmet’s life was documented in the records of her native city of Arles, France, beyond reasonable doubt.The oldest authenticated living person is Emiliano Mercado del Toro who is 114 years old.Documents supplied so far to support this claim include a birth certificate, baptismal certificate, 1910 census record and veteran ID card.But the Guinness Book of Records recognises Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, born September 14 1889, as the world’s oldest living person.Guiness notes that Capovilla “has beaten the odds – not only to live past 116, but to have the records to prove it”.