The elderly people are all around us as parents, guardians, relatives, neighbours and friends. While some are happy, others are not as they look weak, sick and abandoned.
In this report, Correspondent Blessing Ituma who interacted with some elderly people in Rivers State takes a look at their plights.
The Elderly population brings wisdom, cultural continuity and mentorship to the younger generations. They are reservoires of knowledge and the experience which enrich cultures and traditions.
Some of them are weak and sickly and so, it is common to look at them only through the lens of challenges but the truth is that they are a delight to be with as explained by 85year old Mma Elder Oyidia.
She says, “From your elderly people, you will know the history of your family and you will have good advice. If you listen to them well, it will go well with you”
What are their plights?
76year old widow, Mrs. Comfort Nyimana in Nonwiba, khana Rivers State mentions negligence, lonliness and the lack of medical care while another elder, Esther Mifred decries the lack of a hospital in her community and and the lack of job for her children, calling for the establishment of industries in the area to employ their children.
They appealed, “Make them take care of us. As I de so, I no de well. I sick for 6years, I no de happy. Make government put company for all this side so that our pikin work, our pikin help us.” (Stated in pigin English)
Some elderly people still hawk along the streets as 73year old Mama Helen Ndonye from Gbam in Tai local govt area of Rivers State who told radio Nigeria that she depends on her sales for a living, appealing to the government to make deliberate provisions for the elderly in the country.
Mama Ndonye explained her plights in pigin English, “Me, I be farmer, and the way I de now, all my body e de sick. My leg de pain me, my waist de pain me, my foot de pain me. My husband edon die since, only me. Give me money, I will buy something chop. I no get House.”
Elder Eric Ekwe from ObioAkpo appeals to the governments to place older persons on a monthly payroll. According to him, many senior citizens struggle with financial hardship and medical bills despite dedicating their youthful years to nation building.
Ekwe said, “People are agitating for the old people to be taken care of. They have served the country with their youthful age and should be taken care of.”
A social worker, professor Daniel Uranta also wants government at all levels to provide effective social security fund for the elderly population as it is done in developed countries.
According to him, Nigeria’s elderly population is growing, with estimates in 2026 indicating over 14.8 million people are aged 60 and above, representing roughly 5.1% of the total population.
“Government should establish a centre for the elderly, especially in the LGAs. They are very important, because they have worked and retired. They have to live their lives at that age, not to be left to die.”
The increasing demands on people making hard choices by going to erk a living and sometimes abroad, leaving the elderly have also contributed to a reduction in their support which usually was tradition in Nigeria and across africa to cater for their older people at home.
As a result, a medical Dr in PortHarcourt, Wordu Chimenu observed that many elderly people are lonely at home and that could trigger high blood pressure, hypertension and stroke.
Dr Chimenu said, “Some of these elderly people, what is driving them depressed is that there are lonely at home. There is nobody to talk to.”
It is hoped that elderly care would improve and that families and the society would express more love for them while government at all levels would make policies that would cater for them, prorotize their welfare package and dispense pension without delays.
