Dora Akunyili, Stella Adadevoh, Kefee Momoh… the 10 most painful deaths of 2014

6. GREAT GRANDPA SAMUEL SADELA

Samuel Akinbode Sadela was one of the few men in the world who saw both 1900 and 2014. Sadela, a Nigerian cleric, dedicated his life to peacemaking and preaching the gospel of Christ.

He started his primary school education at St. Paul’s Primary School, Ifon, Osun state, in 1914, but dropped out in 1918. At the time he was due for tertiary education, there were no universities in Nigeria, so he proceeded to the University of Cambridge in 1925.

On graduation, he became a preacher, working with Pentecostal leader, Joseph Ayodele Babalola, the founder of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC).

He was revered as Nigeria’s oldest living preacher.

Sadela, who got married to a 30-year-old lady when he was 107, believed he would live as long as 200. He said this on his 113th birthday.

“I feel happy to be this old. Actually, I feel like a young man. I still enjoy my meal of Iyan (pounded yam), Eba and bush meat,” he said.

“I want to live longer to prove to all that God remains the same as He was in times past. If Methuselah could live for 969 years, God can make me live well beyond 113.

“If Noah could be 950, it is not too much for Him to make me live up to 200.”

At the time of his death, Sadela was arguably the world’s oldest person, as he was months older than Goldie Steinberg, the verified world’s oldest man, and Sakari Momoi, 111, holder of the Guinness world record for the oldest man.

Sadela died on his 114th birthday, August 24.