Nigeria has attracted attention over an extraordinary longevity claim involving Pa Anyiam Anthony Onyegbule, an elderly man from Imo State whose family and supporters believe he is 128 years old. If independently verified, his reported age would place him among the oldest human beings ever documented and potentially make him the oldest living person in the world. However, his age has not yet been officially recognised by Guinness World Records or LongeviQuest, the international organisation specialising in the verification of extreme human longevity.
The story of Pa Anyiam Onyegbule has generated considerable interest in Nigeria, particularly following reports of his 128th birthday celebration on March 9, 2026, in his hometown of Umuchoke village, Obazu Mbieri, in Mbaitoli Local Government Area of Imo State. Residents, visitors, community leaders and well-wishers reportedly gathered at his home to celebrate what would be an extraordinary milestone if his reported birth year of 1898 is confirmed.
According to reports published by Nigerian newspaper Leadership, Chidiebube Okeoma, founder of the Stand for Humanity Foundation, has been leading efforts to secure international recognition for the elderly Nigerian. Okeoma has appealed to Guinness World Records to investigate the claim and officially recognise Onyegbule as the world’s oldest living person.
The foundation’s founder maintains that documents available to the organisation indicate that Onyegbule was born on March 9, 1898. He has also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to recognise the elderly man and honour him for what he describes as an exceptional example of human longevity.
One particularly interesting detail in the story concerns Onyegbule’s recollection of his involvement in the construction of Holy Trinity Cathedral in Obazu. According to the published report, he recalled participating as a teenage volunteer when the church was being built in 1915. This historical recollection has attracted attention because it could provide an additional line of investigation into his claimed age, although it does not independently establish his date of birth.
At 128, according to the claim, Onyegbule is said to remain physically active. His supporters describe him as a man who can walk without assistance, read without glasses, maintain a good memory, attend to his personal needs and follow football matches. During his birthday celebration, the lawmaker representing his constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Innocent Ikpamezie, reportedly presented him with gifts and a cash donation of ₦500,000.
For a country such as Nigeria, where historical documentation of births was not consistently maintained in earlier generations, establishing the exact ages of exceptionally old citizens can be challenging. Many people born in rural communities during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries did not have access to formal birth registration systems. Consequently, family histories, church records, colonial-era documents, school registers and other historical evidence may become important when researchers investigate such claims.
This is precisely why international verification is essential. Guinness World Records and LongeviQuest require reliable documentary evidence before accepting extraordinary longevity claims. A person’s appearance, physical condition, recollections and family testimony may provide useful information, but they cannot independently establish that someone has lived for 120 or 128 years.
LongeviQuest, recognised internationally for its work in documenting supercentenarians, defines a supercentenarian as someone who has reached at least 110 years of age. Its researchers examine historical records and documentary evidence to establish whether a claimed age can be accepted. The organisation also maintains a database of verified longevity records from different countries.
As of November 5, 2026, the public international supercentenarian rankings do not list Pa Anyiam Onyegbule as a validated record-holder. Therefore, his reported age of 128 should be presented as a claim awaiting independent verification, rather than an established world record.
Nigeria also has a history of remarkable longevity claims involving other elderly citizens. Names such as Samuel Sadela, Isaiah Odimiri Kime and Sulaimon Adebayo have appeared in compilations of Nigerian supercentenarian claims, with reported ages reaching approximately 114 years. However, these historical claims should also be treated cautiously because they do not constitute a verified national ranking.
The absence of an internationally validated Nigerian supercentenarian does not mean that exceptionally long-lived Nigerians do not exist. Rather, it highlights the importance of systematic documentation, historical research and cooperation between families, communities, government institutions and international longevity researchers.
Nigeria’s population includes diverse communities with rich oral traditions and extensive family histories. Older generations preserve memories of colonial rule, independence, the Nigerian Civil War, military governments, the return to civilian democracy and the enormous social transformations that have shaped the country. People who reach 100 years or more carry valuable personal memories of these historical periods.
The story of Pa Anyiam Onyegbule therefore raises an important question beyond the search for a world record: how much of Nigeria’s history is preserved in the memories of its oldest citizens, and how much of that history risks disappearing without proper documentation?
If the claim concerning his birth in 1898 can be established through reliable historical records, Nigeria could gain international recognition for an extraordinary longevity achievement. Until then, his story deserves attention, responsible reporting and a serious verification process.
At 128 years, as claimed by his supporters, Pa Anyiam Anthony Onyegbule would represent an exceptional chapter in the history of human longevity. His story is a reminder of the importance of preserving the lives, experiences and memories of elderly Nigerians, while ensuring that extraordinary historical claims are supported by credible evidence.
Forq now, Nigeria awaits independent verification of the remarkable claim surrounding the Imo State centenarian. The international recognition he seeks will ultimately depend not only on his reported age but also on the strength of the historical documentation supporting it.
