Disturbed by the worsening plight of senior citizens, widows and orphans at the grassroots, a non-governmental organisation, – “OffTheHook Foundation For Rural Dwellers, has charged the federal and state governments, religious bodies and other Nigerians to evolve sustainable programmes that could cushion the plight of these embattled members of the public.
Ugoeze Chigbo Nwamara, founder and initiator of the organisation, stressed that it was callous, inhuman and irreligious for families to abandon their aged poor parents, while alive but only to extol and accord them expensive burials upon death.
Nwamara, who is the wife of the traditional ruler of Umueze Chokoneze, HRH Eze Mike Nwamara, Ezinihitte Mbaise, council area, Imo state, made the call at a ceremony held at the Chokoneze Primary School field Umueze.
The conference had the theme “Resilience Of Older Persons In a Changing World Of Old Persons” with medical session, exhibition, competitions, displays, entertainment and gift outreach as well as presentation by older persons as highlights.
She recalled with regret, the pathetic case of an aged woman, whose son lived far off from the village and abandoned her because of the erroneous belief he keyed into that the aged mother was a witch.
“Not even his kits and kins could convince him into disbelieving this imbibed and built-in impression about his aged mother”.
The aged mother, lonely and neglected, eventually suffered heart break for many years, died in agony, but only to receive a very befitting and queen-like burial.
Nwamara explained that the ceremony was meant to raise awareness about issues, plight faced by the older persons and also appreciate the contributions that they had made and are still making in society.
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