Elderly urged to aim for Guinness record

PRIME MINISTER Theo-Ben Gurirab has urged regional governors to establish the number of elderly Namibians aged 80, or older, and to keep the date and place of their birth and any other credible instruments for verification purposes so that they stood a chance of making the Guinness Book of Records.

In a statement issued on Monday, Gurirab said he had decided to embark on this exercise following the death, at 126, of Ouma Anna Visser in January, and in view of the general surprise among the public about her age. “We seem to have some candidates in the country who could make it [into the Guinness Book of Records],” he said.Gurirab said he was amazed when he met Shinima Wilhelm Nailenge, a Namibian Robben Island ex-political prisoner, who is believed to be 122 years old, at a fundraising for the Trust Fund for Robben Island ex-political prisoners on Saturday.”If confirmed by the Guinness Book of records early enough, he might become the present oldest living person on Earth,” he said.Gurirab said his office was seeking to determine and verify Nailenge’s relevant details and to forward them to the offices of the Guinness Book Records.He said this would not entail any financial or material reward.However, there would worldwide acknowledgement and a record of his long life and other relevant particulars of his habits.”We will be proud if he becomes the citizen of the world, and we will remember all of them and celebrate the quality of their eventful lives,” Gurirab added.- Nampa”We seem to have some candidates in the country who could make it [into the Guinness Book of Records],” he said.Gurirab said he was amazed when he met Shinima Wilhelm Nailenge, a Namibian Robben Island ex-political prisoner, who is believed to be 122 years old, at a fundraising for the Trust Fund for Robben Island ex-political prisoners on Saturday.”If confirmed by the Guinness Book of records early enough, he might become the present oldest living person on Earth,” he said.Gurirab said his office was seeking to determine and verify Nailenge’s relevant details and to forward them to the offices of the Guinness Book Records.He said this would not entail any financial or material reward.However, there would worldwide acknowledgement and a record of his long life and other relevant particulars of his habits.”We will be proud if he becomes the citizen of the world, and we will remember all of them and celebrate the quality of their eventful lives,” Gurirab added.- Nampa