Chief Funke Arthur-Worrey, wife of the late Lagos popular lawyer, Steady Arthur-Worrey, is a nonagenarian with an active lifestyle and is still rocking life. As she turns 98 tomorrow, she speaks with GBENGA ADERANTI on her love for philanthropy, Fela music, secret of longevity and more
How does it feel being 98?
I can’t believe that I’m 98. I thank God that I can still talk, walk. Although not as before I can run, I can still go to the market when I want, I still eat what I want, you can’t force me to do what I don’t want to do. My faculty is still right. I thank God. The family members have been looking after me since my husband passed on. God has been good to me since years ago when I lost my husband. The secret is my God, Jehovah.
What is the biggest lesson life has taught you?
Life has taught me to be humble and to love others. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I try to be. We all have problems. Try and enjoy life. I love to enjoy life. Travel, change the atmosphere, enjoy your neighborhood, there is no life more than that. You need to have a hobby, either gardening or anything; you may not be perfect, but make yourself comfortable by eating well and sleeping in time, by going to parties and listening to music.
Do you still go to parties?
I still go to family ones and my society, International Women’s Society, they will not leave me alone. Whenever they have something to do, I go.
You are known to be close with people like Obasanjo, Igbinedion, Alakija…
I have been in Lagos for 98 years now, everything was in Lagos then. At that time, Lagos was very small, then we were like knitting together. We were young, we were always together. We were so close. Like Fatai Williams, I grew up with them. Then Obasanjo, I met him through my husband, and the late Murtala Muhammed, my husband, knew everybody. Lagos was free then.
Do you still keep in touch with some of these people?
Once you know somebody, you get on, just as you said. When I see them, they are happy to see me. I’m very lucky. That is why on my 98th birthday, I’m going to thank God; my life has been good.
With the caliber of people you were known to be close to, how come you never consider going into politics?
Well, I do politics privately. I was talking about politics before you came in. but active politics…No. I don’t know. Once you are an active politician, your life is not your own again and whatever you do. I just picked Tell Magazine of years ago; I never knew the late President Umaru Shehu Yar’Adua was so attacked. There is nothing you do that people will not criticise. Just try to do your best and believe in your God and yourself.
On your shelf, are photos of Fela. What was your relationship with him?
Fela was my favourite. I still listen to his music. Fela sang about what is happening now. He was a visionary, and I like his mother. I still listen to his music all the time. Though I do not know any of his tracks, all I know is that, immediately, you start playing, I start dancing.
Speaking of Lagos, can you compare your Lagos and our Lagos.
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Our Lagos? Lagos was beautiful. Lagos was fantastic; we had light, and water; and we loved each other. But now it is different because of the population explosion. Lagos is now like London, full of people, I still love it, Then, it didn’t matter whether you are from Onitsha, whether you are from Kaduna, and other people from the West, like Osogbo and Ife, some of them were traders. They traded in garri and palm oil, we were like a family. Lagos’ radius was Yaba. Even to go to Yaba, maybe once a year except if you have a family there. Lagos was Isale-Eko, Tokunbo, Campus Square to Ikoyi. Nobody was going to Ikoyi, apart from when they were burying someone. Colonial masters were the people there. My grandfather came from Isale-Eko. I remember my father would hold my hand when I was about eight to visit all the cousins because we had aunt this, uncle that. We had that freedom, and there was no insecurity. I remember walking barefoot for years, you could go anywhere. We were so lucky, we loved each other. I just don’t like the way the beggars are polluting the street. We had freedom of movement, no harassment, no disturbance that was my Lagos.
In your view, is Nigerian politics fair to women?
Well, we still have to try, but I think our women are doing well. But it will happen one day, we will get there. Women should keep on fighting. With the mentality of a section of the country, they believe that women should just be having babies, but then it all depends on our men; if they want it to happen, it will happen. But that may be a difficult thing. As we are now, we are struggling to tell them to send a Girl-child to school, here, a woman can get whoever she wants, but there, some areas still believe that a Girl-child should not go to school.
As a mother, would you encourage your daughter to go into politics?
Of course, in England and America, you have women in the House.
What is your take on what is happening with the National Assembly?
Natasha and Akpabio, and so many other things, the way they shout and the way they do things, this happens everywhere. I watch BBC whenever they are having their political whatever, like now Labour is in charge, they always criticise them. I think that is politics, generally.
You seemed to be interested in art collection; was it your passion or that of your late husband?
My late husband was the one who collected them. He taught me how to love them; he taught me how to love sports. Art collections were my husband’s passion, so I had to follow, and I had to look after them. That was his life. When I look at them, they make me happy , and I remember the good old days.
How do you relax?
If you are not here, I can go out, I can do gardening, I can sleep here for 30 minutes ( a couch in her sitting room), and I enjoy that and if I don’t want to see anybody, I just go in and start reading books and magazines, I just picked one this morning, Tell Magazine of years ago. I can’t walk now, but before, I could just go for a walk.
Do you still swim?
Yes, I still swim. You know, once you can swim, it is like cycling; once you can ride a bike, you can do it, whether you are old or young, and swimming is the same.. I swim.
What is the inspiration behind your philanthropy?
Touching lives. My love for philanthropy goes way back. I am a Charter member and past president of the Ikeja Lioness Club, now the Ikeja Lions Club, which won the District 404 Lioness Clubs’ Golden Cup for charitable work during my presidency.
I am also a member of many charitable organisations, including the Federation of Business and Professional Women, the National Council of Women’s Society, IWS, among others.