What is life like for octogenarians and nonagenarians? Do they occasionally fear death? And what interests them? ODOGWU EMEKA ODOGWU and NICHOLAS KALU, who spent time with them, report
Many of them are left without their spouses of several decades. Some have even lost children.
Chief Olatunbosun Falana, 85, used to beg for food. His fellow Ekiti State compatriot, who is also 85, Mrs. Ojuolape Oladimeji also used to beg for what to eat.
The case of another Ekiti indigene,Mrs. Felicia Ishola, believed to be over 105 years, was not really different.
But, thanks to a Social Security Scheme introduced by the Dr. Kayode Fayemi administration, their stories have now changed.
Mrs. Ishola said: “Fayemi will not cry in old age. He will not bury any of his children. He will get favour of people in this world and that of God.”
But for old people elsewhere, they are on their own. Government has no plan for them on the last lap of their lives.
Creek Town, Cross River State-born Elder Effiong Aye has been able to cope with life at old age because he retired as principal of the famous Hope Waddell College, Calabar and still receives pensions to support himself.
Aye, who was born in 1918 in Creek Town, lost his wife Miranda in March this year.
Aye said he nurses no fear of death.
He said: “I don’t have any fear of death. I just feel the time was coming, when I don’t feel myself active like before. My limbs are getting weaker and weaker. And I knew that time was coming. It is coming now. Already, I am getting fed up. Most of my friends don’t live again. They are all gone. You see new generations coming up here. But that one is left to God. He dictates. But I still feel myself alright.”
At 94, Aye says he does not stick to any diet. “I just eat normal food like everybody else; gari, rice, beans and so on. I am not on any special diet,” he said.
However, Aye says he has not tasted meat in the past 50 years. “Christ never ate meat,” he said.
He believes he is in good health, except for the occasional malaria fever. He enjoys moral and financial support from his family.
A prolific writer, with over 10 books authored by him, Aye spends most of his day reading. At the moment, he is revising the second edition of the Efik dictionary.
He said: “I don’t joke with that one (reading). I read a lot. In fact, that is what I spend most of my time doing here in my study. I don’t write much now. But I read a lot,” he says as he reads a few lines from the Efik dictionary he is working on without the aid of his glasses.
“I mostly stay inside these days, doing a lot of reading. For instance, this (second edition of the Efik dictionary) a big job to be done.”
His routine is a bit different from Etubom Enian Essien, 92.
From 1951 to 1984, he was a member of the Eastern House of Assembly. Now he is the clan head of Ikoneto.”
He was reading by the window of his 19 Anderson Street, Calabar home when our reporter called on him. He said contentment is the reason for his long life.
“What I would say is contentment. When you are contented with what you have and are, you don’t have problem,” he said.
At 92, Essien drinks beer, though sparingly, and still smokes cigarettes.
On whether he is on any special diet, he said: “No, no. I just live an ordinary life. Eating the normal food everybody else eats. I am not particular about any food. I eat cow meat, goat meat, fish and so forth, I don’t discriminate.”
Like Aye, he spends most of his time reading. He does not go out often. “I scarcely go out, except when I go to church.”
He reads without glasses. “I can read without my glasses, except the writings are too tiny,” Essien said.
Essien said after his 85th birthday, he started experiencing general weakness.
On how he gets cash to get by, he said: “As a clan head, I have a monthly stipend which I use in maintaining myself. All my children are grown up and on their own now, but they still take proper care of me.”
The widower says he does not worry about death. “Well, you know, I don’t fear death. After living to the age of 92, what else would I fear? In fact, if you look around here, you do not find anybody of my age.”
Essien goes to the African Club once in a while to fraternise with friends and drink a bottle of beer. “I drink beer twice a week. Yes, I still smoke cigarettes till now,” he says.
For Madam Enyiuche Mary Obuekwe, a trader, baker and farmer, there is no need to fear death after living for four scores and a year.
The widow, who lost her husband about 10 years ago, still washes her clothes and sweeps her house. “I cook my food the way I want it because children of nowadays don’t know how to cook food that has taste. They only know how to cook with maggi cube.”
She is not on any special diet. But, she does not consume excess sugar.
She has, however, had to battle heart-related problem. She was flown abroad by her children for treatment. Since then, she has had to take medications for high blood pressure.
Mrs. Obuekwe said: “I am not afraid of death. If it comes now, I will welcome it. I have accomplished my mission on earth. I am just enjoying additional life now. But I always ask God to make sure I am not going to die through accident. I want to lie down on my bed and pass on and I will be smiling home while going the Lord.
“The only people that are afraid of death are people who did not keep anything in the world. I have left my foot prints in the world and I thank God for that.”
Pa Samuel Chukwunweike Nwadiogbu, 80, a farmer, mechanic and retired Police Inspector, spends most of his time praising God these days.
“Once I wake up as early as 5am, I will pray to God with my entire family for protecting us over the night. On Friday, I go to Friday class in my parish but if it is other days, I will relax and take care of the house while the children go to school. So, the only thing that keeps me busy now is church activities. I am a member of the choir. I don’t work any longer, because I have retired now,” he said.
Old age has affected his memory. He says he easily forgets things now.
That started three years ago.
He said: “I will be discussing with you; but immediately you go away, I will forget all we have said, unless you remind me about that.”
He still washes his clothes because his wife is not always at home because she is usually with the children.
He too does not fear death. In his words: “I know that one with God is with majority. I am not owing anybody. So, I am not afraid of death at all. So, I thank God for the good health He granted me. That is why I kept praising God day in day out at home and in the church.”
Chief Shedrack Onuohaegbunam Mbanefo, who is still four years away from becoming an octogenarian, looks as though he is more than his age. He is on special diet, such as vegetables and proteinous foods. Doctor has also got him to stay away from alcohol and avoid anything that contains sugar.
One of his eyes is weakened. He too said he is not afraid of death.
“The only thing I ask is that I don’t bother my children and relations on sick bed before death. I don’t want to be urinating and defecating on the bed before death comes. I see that as punishment. So, I want to die while strong,” he said.
Unlike Nigeria, Europe and America have plans for the elderly, especially the weak. Sick old people in Britain are treated free of charge by the National Health Service, which is funded by general taxation. Poor and frail old people are given free help with washing, dressing and cooking.
When old people become so infirm that they can no longer make a cup of tea, they may be nudged into a care home, but at her own cost, unless they are particularly poor.
Mr. Geoffery Chima, the National Vice Chairman of the Association of Federal Public Service Retirees (AFPSR), said there must be a ministry for the elderly.
He said: “We want our own ministry because it will help to ensure that we are properly taken care of. There are more than 15 ministries in the country today, which all the pensioners retired from. So, it is better for a ministry to be created for us. The process of establishing a task force to take care of pensioners who embezzled pension funds should be eradicated. Nigeria should be serious with their pensioners like other countries.”
A nongovernmental organisation (NGO) known as the Senior Citizens Advocacy Network of Nigeria (SCANON), has advocated adequate healthcare, transportation, and care givers, among others to promote the well being of the senior citizens.
The chairman of the group, Rear Admiral Christopher Ehanmo (rtd), at the official inauguration of SCANON earlier this month, said the Senate passed a bill entitled: “National Agency for Elderly Persons (Establishment) Bill 2009 (SB.15)”.
However, the House of Representatives did not pass the bill and therefore the bill could not be sent to Mr. President for assent.
“We believe all the senior citizens in Nigeria will actively participate in this important and timely crusade of our efforts to improve the well being of the elderly persons in Nigeria”, he said.
