Livelihoods and associational life among rural older Igbo persons in southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Indigenous community associations make a significant social and economic contribution to development in Nigeria. They are structures and units of organisation in a community that encompass the norms, values, and beliefs that guide social interaction. This study explored rural older people’s membership and participation in indigenous community associations in relation to their social and economic well being in a context of inadequate social protection for the elderly, rapid changes in the customary household arrangements, and wide economic hardship in Nigeria. The specific objectives were to: (i) describe the types and roles of indigenous associations in Nigeria (ii) discuss the profiles and membership patterns of older members of indigenous community associations (iii) explore the experiences of older people’s membership in indigenous community associations and (iv) determine the theoretical and policy implications of the key findings. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative research method was used. The data was generated through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with two purposively selected rural communities in two Southeastern Nigerian States. The sample comprised 60 respondents of equal sexes aged 65 years and above, who were not receiving state pensions. Social capital framework provided the theoretical and analytical framework for the study. This framework is based on the idea that social networks can influence the productivity of individuals and groups in much the same way that physical capital and human capital can increase individual and collective productivity. The findings of the study suggest that rural older people are proactively managing their social- and economic lives through their membership of indigenous community associations, in the absence of comprehensive social protection for the elderly and the increasing waning of intergenerational care and reciprocity for the elderly in Nigeria. Social engagement, companionship, and mutual support in indigenous community-association participation help older people to deal with the transitions and losses common to growing old. The findings of the study also suggest that accessibility and the efficacy of social capital is possibly determined by several factors in the social structure such as power relations, social position, access and capacity to utilise resources, as well as the broader economic and socio-political context. The study finds that although indigenous community associations serve as a safety net in providing social and economic support to older people, they are also societal mirrors that reflect people’s needs and circumstances. The study concludes with the following policy recommendations: The state and local government should strengthen indigenous community associations. A key recommendation for strengthening indigenous institutions is capacity strengthening, through grants and capacity-training programmes At a time when the discourse on active ageing is gaining momentum and neo-liberal discourses in health policy are shifting the responsibility to consumer and citizen, indigenous community associations may have a significant role to play in fostering positive ageing, and deserve greater government support.