Old people in Nigeria are vulnerable and under increasing dangers, due to neglect and lack of coherent policy for them by the government.
In fact, the dehumanising situation being encountered by the senior citizens, especially those in the informal sector, affects their lives everyday.
Globally, the dream of every human person is to live to a ripe old age.
But the reality in Nigeria looks quite different. The general life expectancy at birth in the country stands by only 44.3 years, and a good proportion of the poor and deprived population grows old before time.
Elderly are usually deemed to be those aged 60 and above, while only about 4.8 per cent of the total population is above 60, which are less than seven million people, according to statistics from the Demographic and Health survey figures in Nigeria.
However, there is a growing concern about the threat of poverty facing people in old age.
The vast majority of older persons, having worked in the informal sector, has no access to any formal income security, as same applies to today’s working age population.
The insurance-based schemes that presently exist in most states typically cover only the tiny minority of those in the public and
large formal private sector.
The concern had been fuelled by visible evidence of growing
destitution and begging on the streets among the older people.
Almost all the mainstream poverty reduction policy targets wholly
failed to consider older people, but rather focusing exclusively on
women, young adults and children.
The present economic situation in the country has further worsened the situation, as the cost of living is growing, but the earning is abysmally low, thus making living conditions unbearable for the working force in the formal sector.
This implies that most working age adults do not have enough to meet their daily needs, and those of their dependants, let alone to invest or save sufficiently for their old age.
Those who manage to save have seen their reserves being used up through inflation, while the climate for investment had been prohibitive for most people.
Defective pension, gratuity management coupled with recently detected large scale frauds have led to severe delays up to several months of pension, and to non-payment of terminal benefits to retirees.
Many have lost their lives as a result of these circumstances.
Indeed, rural areas are characterized by a higher level of poverty and lack of public services compared with urban areas.
Investigations revealed that the older people, having loss their vigour, are not able to sustain themselves with the little work in the farms, which are mainly based on subsistence agriculture.
The rural–urban migration of younger family members, especially young males, contribute gravely to the worsening of the situation.
In the absence of such able-bodied youths, labour supply is reduced.
Consequently, this leads to less production and less income from sales to meet the older people’s subsistence needs.
The aged are increasingly left to do all the household chores alone.
In chronic situations which exist in most parts of Oyo, Ogbomoso and Oke-Ogun areas of Oyo State, the younger generation barely returns home to see how their aged parents are farming.
Many old people, it was gathered, have died out of such neglect.
A rather pathetic incident occurred recently at Elekara market in Afijio Local Government area of Oyo State, when a 69 year old woman was knocked down by an Okada rider, while trying to cross the ever-busy road.
It was learned that the aged woman had gone to a nearby
cottage industry for the purpose of pending cassava, in order to earn a living.
Initially, the operator of the cottage industry was said to have turned the old woman back, but she was later recalled when the aged woman broke into tears, lamenting hunger.
After the day’s work, the old woman whose name was given as Mama Anu-Oluwapo became tired, and after receiving her meager payment, crossed the road unconsciously.
It was while she was going to the other side of the road that she was knocked down.
Some neighbours immediately rushed her to the hospital and it was gathered that she is responding to treatment.
In fact, people around had to gather money for the treatment.
In the Oke-Ogun area, many old people are seen at parties gathering remnants of food served the invited guests.
A public affairs analyst, Pa Adebiyi Odekanyin, submitted that “since the physical features of the old generation naturally degenerate, and the social coherence of the extended family system is gradually fading, old people are vulnerable and under increasing dangers.”
Odekanyin said: “Government, society and religious organisations must emphasize that the aged need our special care, love and support”.
