108-year-old Maasai brags of 300-person family

From HAZLA OMAR in Monduli

ESILALEI village-based Meshuko Ole Mapii has celebrated his 108th birthday as a proud grandfather of over 160 grandchildren.

Ole Mapii says the abundant livestock that he is endowed with are enough to provide for his family of 40 wives, 110 children and 160 grandchildren, with more coming. Popularly known as ‘Olaiboni,’ which is a Maasai title for an elder with traditional medicine powers, the old Mapii hosted a delegation of communication officers from various government institutions, ministries and organisations, who visited the school, which comprises of mostly the Olaiboni’s children and grandchildren.
The Laiboni Primary School, located at the old man’s residence at Esilalei village in Makuyuni Ward of Monduli District, near Mtowa- Mbu, has 239 pupils, with 75 per cent of them, 180 children, being Ole Mapii’s own children and grandchildren and the rest being relatives, or members of his clan. The School Head Teacher, Mr Rashid Mohammed decried acute water shortage as one of the serious problems that haunt the school.
“Most of the time we harvest rain water, but this is only possible during downpours, otherwise pupils have to trek some 10 kilometres in searchof the precious liquid,” he said. In response, the government communications and public relations officers who have just completed their annual workshop in Arusha under their Tanzania Association of Government Communication Officers (TAGCO), donated two water tanks, each with 5,000 litre capacity to help the institution to store at least 10,000 litres of water at a time.
The school, during the visit, also received, text and exercise books, geometrical sets and writing materials, all valued at 2m/-, which TAGCO Chairperson Paschal Shelutete presented to the Head teacher.
The Communications Officer with the Ministry of Finance, Mr Ben Mwaipaja said his office had effected the donation, which he described as important for children from pastoral communities, like the Maasai, to receive quality education.
The ‘Laiboni Primary School has eight teachers who serve class one to seven using inadequate five classrooms shared between the pupils of various grades.