IBB: Correcting the Wrongs At Eleven Thirty
By Olamilekan Jaji
The recent book launch by former military Head of State, Major General Ibrahim Babangida(Rtd) and his desire to put the June 12 general election record straight, raised some questions on the challenges faced by the elderly to rewrite their stories.
The event brought together many perceived enemies, politicians with difference in ideologies and political beliefs, to listen to the military dictator.
As much as many Nigerians didn’t align with his ideal of telling the world the obvious truth of the political turmoil of 1993 that brought to the end of Late Chief M K O Abiola, it also painted the picture of regret and pain a lot of elderly people go through that is unknown to the public.
Every elderly man and woman you know are surviver of trials and tribulations. They are champions and overcomer of several battles.
For them to be alive to tell their stories and ordeals, either we accept it or not, they deserve our trophy.
The purpose of correcting the wrongs may not be for restitution, but for their inner peace.
However, it is not all elderly people that do have the opportunity to tell what actually happened to them, or provide detailed information on events of their life which had earned them stigmatization.
For instance, a man was found in a questionable way with a woman, not married to and he was accused of rape.
He was arrested and remanded in prison custody for many years. When he was later released on amnesty, the accuser was dead.
The accuser’s only daughter had relocated abroad after the death of her mother, but it was her late mother’s desire to see the incarcerated man before her death to apologize to him for the wrong accusation which she told her daughter.
Years later, she was in the country for an engagement, she overheard a conversation at a public place, so she asked for the contact of the victim.
The young woman embarked on a journey to see the elderly man, to tell him how sorry her mother was for her decision to go that far to punish her then lover boy, accusing him for rape that led to the man spending many years in prison.
She didn’t embark on the journey alone, which made it easy for her to locate and beg the victim for forgiveness.
It was an emotional moment for the elderly man, who narrated to his guests that his desire before his death was to prove his innocence by the accuser. The man said it was the happiest day of his life. The daughter of his accuser (standing in for her late mother) said her late mother said she was sorry for the pains and losses.
It’s unfortunate that such opportunity is not available to every elder person, which brings regret and emotional distress that they may nurse throughout their life time. This is the major source of depression for many elderly people.
It is important for the society to be understanding with the senior, with empathy as they do all in their capacity to free their thoughts and correct their errors. It is not an easy task, but with our support and encouragement we can help them live a fulfilling life.
Olamilekan Jaji is a mental health and old age advocate who had authored many literature for the seniors. He lives in Abeokuta, Ogun state Nigeria.
