Centenarian High Chief Josephine Ezeanyaeche, who recently declared her ambition to become Nigeria’s President in 2023, says she is the best of all the aspirants because she has seen it all.
Ezeanyaeche, who is also called ‘living legend’ or “Mama Africa’, hails from Aguata, Anambra state and is the founder of the ‘Voice for Senior Citizens of Nigeria’ group.
“All my life, I have lived a life of service and offering humanitarian aid. I have travelled far and wide and garnered enough experience to lead a nation,” she said in a recent interview with Punch. “I have spent my life mostly abroad and I have seen the countries that are flying high and I have seen countries that are facing challenges, especially corruption. And I have seen my own country, Nigeria, going from bad to worse and I have decided to rise up to the occasion because this country needs to be salvaged by all means before it becomes irredeemable and we, the senior citizens, cannot continue to fold our arms.
“We need to return Nigeria to the country of our dreams. I have seen people suffer, I have seen people lose their lives needlessly due to insecurity, I have seen people going to bed without eating and I have seen our young ones roaming the streets in search of employment.”
She added: “I have seen people who do not have hope in sight and I have seen people committing suicide today more than during our own time. In fact, during our own time, you could not see people thinking of anything that would make them commit suicide, but today, it has become a common phenomenon.
“I have seen the health care system in the country gone down to nothing; I have seen factories closing down with many having no jobs. I have seen people taking flights to other countries to access health care system. I have seen our children die in the desert and in the ocean because they were looking for greener pastures.
“So, I said to myself, I can do better than our recent leaders.”
