Lagos Remembers Senior Citizens

At 86, Alhaja Taibat Erikitola hasn’t forgotten her dance steps. She held a stick to support her weight with the right hand, while a middle aged woman, perhaps her daughter, held her other hand as she danced, moved her waist to the tune while the crowd, mostly the aged and few young ones, cheered her.

No doubt, she remembered when she could jump here and there, but now her strength wanes fast. She was grateful to God for sparing her life, though; she became a widow at 34.

The Lagos State Ministry of Health had gathered, at least, 100 aged men, whose ages range from 60 years and above to celebrate the International Day for the Aged dubbed Senior Citizens. The event held at the Lagos State Technical College, Agidingbi, Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, at the weekend.

Homes for senior citizens across the state came with their big daddies and mommies. It was a hilarious occasion. There were lots to eat and drink; lots of dancing, lots of time to relive past experiences and lots of time for fun.

Popular artiste, 85-year-old Fatai Rolling Dollar was on ground to thrill the senior citizens with his spectacular music.

Reliving her experience, Erikitola said she retired from teaching in 1977 and she had come across several of her students who had always been grateful to her for impacting useful knowledge to them.

“We should always remember that we will reap what we sow; the world we live in belongs to women. We are responsible for the behaviour of our children outside. I pray that this should not be the end of such an event like this,” she said.

Erikitola stated the saddest moment of her life was when she lost her husband at the age of 34 and was left to train her five children all alone. But she is proud that all of them are now graduates with good jobs. “I have a pharmacist among them, a chartered accountant and so on.”

She advised younger women to shun indecent dressing to avoid falling prey to rapists and urged younger mothers to nurture their children properly.

Chairman of the day, Chief Ropo Oluyeba, an aged man was extremely elated as this was the first time an even for the aged is being organised by the state government. He appealed to government to let it continue.

Dr. Taiwo Oyeleye, Director, Blindness Prevention Programme, Ministry of Health, gave a brief talk on how the aged could remain healthy, adding that government is currently carrying out diabetes, blood pressure and other screenings for the aged free, and urged them to avail themselves of the opportunity to partake in the medical care.

Josephine Ajayi-Lediju, Director, JonRon Healthcare Services, said she hoped to partner with the state government to bring more caring activities to the doorsteps of the elderly.

“It is our dream that very soon, the elderly in every local government of the state will be able to boast of a centre of their own where they can meet regularly to socialize and share their wealth of experience.

“The concept of this centre will also entail volunteers in health field who will be at hand to provide health services to the patrons of this facility. We are working closely with the Lagos State Ministry of Health to write the policy that will govern the centres,” she stated.