Abuja, 12 August, 2025 / 4:56 PM
Nigerian Catholics marked the 2025 World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly with celebrations of lifelong faith and renewed appeals for protection, dignity, and care for older persons amid concerns over rising neglect.
The day, which Pope Francis established in January 2021, serves as a joyful and renewed encounter between young and old. This year, the day was celebrated on July 27 under the theme “Blessed are those who have not lost hope.”
Catholic Advocate Calls for Action to Protect the Elderly
welfare and dignity of the nation’s senior citizens, warning of increasing neglect and abuse.
In an interview with ACI Africa, on August 10, on the sidelines of the first anniversary of the Quarter Past 65 podcast, a programme dedicated to highlighting the plight of the elderly in the West African Nation, Dr. Stella Ayamara Dorgu urged government, communities, and families to work together in ensuring the aged are respected, cared for, and valued.
“We don’t throw our old people into the streets. We take care of them. Modernity should not change that. Until you breathe your last, you should keep yourself actively engaged and keep your community intact — not just your children, but your immediate community,” Dr. Dorgu said.
For the former president of the Catholic Laity Council of Nigeria, the passion for elderly welfare is personal.
She recounted caring for her stepmother, who died at 89 after a long struggle with cervical spondylosis, and watching her 99-year-old mother navigate the challenges of aging.
“Many elderly people — those who contributed to family, government, the military, farms, and communities — are forgotten when it is time for reciprocity. We must make the conversation real and expand it. That’s how Quarter Past 65 came about to address the plight of the elderly and the aged in Nigeria,” Dr. Dorgu said.
The initiative uses 65 — the United Nations’ recognized threshold for senior citizenship — as a symbolic marker.
“It’s about the gradual movement we all have from childhood to adolescence, adulthood, and then becoming a senior citizen,” Dr. Dorgu said, and continued, “We should be proud to be senior citizens. I even think we should have badges that say so.”
She warned that elder abuse — whether physical, emotional, or mental- is more common in Nigeria than many realize.
“It has been swept under the carpet for quite a while. You see young women beating up their mothers, denying them food, or verbally abusing them. Young men also abuse their fathers. It is rampant,” she said.
Dr. Dorgu said aging brings both joy and challenges.
“It’s the joy of having experienced life, of enjoying time with family and friends, and of impacting the world. But it also brings health issues like hearing loss, cataracts, back and neck pain, arthritis, and mobility problems. These require specialized care that Nigeria is still struggling to provide,” she explained.
She also highlighted economic and psychological challenges, saying, “Older people may lose jobs, struggle with confidence, or face self-doubt. They may experience loneliness, neglect, and have few platforms to share their lived experiences,” she noted.
Turning 75 last year prompted her to launch Quarter Past 65, initially as a podcast.
“What began as a simple idea has blossomed into a national conversation — one that places senior citizens back at the center of our collective conscience,” she told ACI Africa.
Over the past year, the podcast has hosted older adults to share their perspectives on issues such as marriage, career, child upbringing, financial security, national vision, and fulfillment in later life.
“Every story from our elders is a bridge between yesterday’s wisdom and tomorrow’s choices,” Dr. Dorgu said.
How Divine Providence Sustained a Nigerian Nonagenarian
Mama Fatima Felicia Sani, a devout Catholic and lifelong Church volunteer, has attributed her 90 years of life to unwavering faith and God’s constant provision, urging Nigerians of all ages to embrace hard work, self-reliance, and service to humanity.
Speaking to ACI Africa on August 9, during a Thanksgiving Mass organized in her honor by the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Mama Felicia reflected on her decades of service—particularly through altar and floral decoration—and on how she has never lacked anything in her walk with God.
“Anything I ask God, He does for me. In all my years of serving the Lord, I have never lacked anything because He always answers my prayers,” she told ACI Africa.
(Story continues below)
The Best Catholic News - straight to your inbox
Sign up for our free ACI Africa newsletter.
Mama Felicia first learned floral decoration in 1951 as a student at Holy Rose School, Port Harcourt, and has used those skills in Church service for nearly eight decades.
She spends hundreds of thousands of naira weekly on fresh flowers for the altar without soliciting donations, convinced that “when you are doing work for God, you don’t need money because God will always provide.”
Her generosity extends far beyond the church. She has trained 50 girls in her village, supported boys through school, and donates daily to those in need, including a double amputee she assists financially.
“If you have, give to other people. God will never allow me to eat alone,” she emphasized.
For Mama Felicia, resilience is a moral duty, especially for the elderly.
“Don’t carry your problems to your children’s houses. Do something for yourself, even if it’s small,” she advised, lamenting that some older people contribute to their neglect by depending entirely on relatives.
The national president-general of the Nigerian market women and men’s association also had words for young people, urging them to abandon idleness and entitlement.
“There are so many things you can do instead of going around begging for money. Any president who comes, people say he is bad. Pray for your leaders. God knows the heart of the wicked,” she said.
Recipient of the national honor award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) for her selfless service, Mama Felicia remains active in both Church decoration and community projects. Even after late-night business operations, she invests her earnings in God’s work.
“Fear God, work hard, and give to others. Whatever you want, tell God—He will give it to you,” she said.
In another interview with ACI Africa on the sidelines of the same event, Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja Archdiocese lauded Mama Felicia’s dedication, calling her a “sign of hope” for younger generations.
“That this woman lived to be 90 means it is possible for everybody to live to that age, despite the problems we are facing; we are still hopeful. They have been able to wade through the very murky waters of Nigeria and are still alive and strong,” Archbishop Kaigama said.
The Nigerian Catholic Church leader linked the celebration to the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, which Pope Francis established in January 2021, saying, “They have contributed immensely to the development and progress of humanity. Anybody who ignores the old is not a normal person.”
Encouraging young people to emulate Mama Felicia’s discipline and faith, Archbishop Kaigama said, “Live well, work hard, be happy, be connected to your God, and be godly in your conduct, and God will grant you long life like He has done for Mama Felicia.”
He also urged elders to adapt patiently to generational changes and to make prayer their strongest legacy for the youth.
Our mission is the truth. Join us!
Your monthly donation will help our team continue reporting the truth, with fairness, integrity, and fidelity to Jesus Christ and his Church.
Donate to CNA