A group of elderly Nigerians under the umbrella of Grandparents has called on the government to provide free healthcare, better security and improved welfare for aged citizens to enable them live with dignity.
The group made the demand during a walk in Abuja to mark the 2026 International Grandparents Day, organised under the theme, “Preserving Legacy, Strengthening Generations.”
A 91-year-old great-grandmother, Deaconess Mabel Ojie, said older persons faced deteriorating health, loneliness, rejection, restricted freedom and inadequate care.
Ojie urged the government to enact legislation specifically protecting older persons and provide free medical care, shelter and security for vulnerable elderly people.
She said, “Elderly persons are confronted with several challenges, including deteriorating health, loneliness, rejection, restricted freedom and inadequate care.”
The 91-year-old added that grandparents remained important custodians of wisdom and experience, which they could pass on to younger generations.
She called for shelter and security for elderly people who had lost their children or lacked adequate accommodation, saying such support would protect vulnerable older persons from neglect, abuse and homelessness.
Another elderly citizen, Mr Tunji Akinyoade, called for reforms to improve the welfare of pensioners, particularly in accessing their entitlements.
Akinyoade said elderly people were sometimes subjected to long queues and exhausting processes before receiving their pensions.
He urged the government to establish a system that would ensure pensioners received their entitlements promptly without unnecessary hardship.
He also expressed concern over what he described as the erosion of integrity and traditional values, urging deliberate efforts to restore confidence in leadership and public institutions.
Akinyoade said grandparents had an important role in transferring values such as integrity, truthfulness and responsibility to younger generations.
The Executive Director of the Christian Centre for Mission, Family and Leadership Development, Dr Isaac Komolafe, said the event sought to highlight the critical role grandparents play in families and society.
Komolafe said grandparents contributed to preserving family customs and legacies while also strengthening the economy, promoting moral values and helping to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
He called on Nigerians to respect and support older persons, including giving them preference in hospitals, banks and public transportation.
Komolafe also urged the government to introduce policies providing special support for grandparents, including free medical care and possible discounts for elderly people at supermarkets and other essential service centres.
He called for legislation to protect older persons from abuse and neglect and ensure that they received dignity and honour.
According to Komolafe, grandparents traditionally passed moral lessons to children through storytelling and other forms of intergenerational interaction.
He said such practices helped younger people understand hard work, integrity, family identity and respect for others.
Komolafe therefore urged Nigerians to strengthen connections between older and younger generations, stressing that grandparents should not be discarded after years of contributing to their families and communities.
The participants said improved welfare for older persons would not only enhance their quality of life but also help preserve Nigeria’s cultural and moral values for future generations.
