Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday advised the aged in Nigeria not to joke with communal society and shun a life of isolation.
The 84-year-old former president revealed that communal society is one of the secrets that keep him fit and makes him have a befitting older age.
Obasanjo disclosed this at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta when he received the senior citizens under the aegis of Toyin Anini Varieties Centres of University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He reiterated that communal society has been one of the things that would help the aged people to live long and shape their social life.
Obasanjo advised aged people to adopt the habit of a balanced diet, have a good rest with regular exercise, continuous medical checks and social interaction.
He said, “We haven’t been taken proper care of our aged and there are reasons for that, our culture and tradition is that we should be with our children and take care of our grandchildren but where are our children today, they have all traveled abroad. When things changed we have to change with it, once our age is getting older they should have Social Clubs that they can relate with.
“There are five important things to have a good life as an aged person, which the acronym is (DREMS) Diet, Rest, Exercise, medical checkups, and Social Interaction.”
Speaking at the event, the President of the elders club of Toyin Anini Varieties Center UCH Ibadan, Dr. Kunmi Idowu, condemned the attitudes of politicians not giving proper attention to the aged.
He added that it is necessary to have special and proper treatment for aged people.
He noted that politicians are always self-centered, lamenting that it had affected them to take care of aged people in the country.
