Elderly Blind Man Abandoned by Children, Left Homeless in Ibadan
A distressing case of family neglect has emerged in Ibadan, where a 75-year-old blind man, identified as Mr Olaseni Arotiba, was abandoned by his children and left homeless. The incident came to light after a Good Samaritan, Olapeju Agunbiade, shared the man's plight on Facebook, detailing how he was dropped off at Omotayo Maternity late at night by a commercial motorcycle rider and left with no one to care for him.
Details of the Abandonment
Mr Arotiba explained that he had been staying in a hotel, but was evicted because the establishment needed to renovate. He spent the previous night at his caregiver's home but had to leave. When asked who paid for his hotel stay, he revealed that his son, Mayorkun Arotiba, had been covering the costs for an extended period, but could no longer be reached. The hotel attempted to contact Mayorkun to pick up his father, but he never showed up, leading to the eviction.
Children's Harsh Responses
The maternity staff took Mr Arotiba's phone and called his children, but they refused to take responsibility. His daughter stated, "I do not have a father. I ceased to have a father when I was a child." His son, when contacted, claimed he was in the hospital looking after their mother and that both he and his sister were too busy caring for her to help their father. Olapeju Agunbiade summarized the situation, saying, "The long and short is that none of his contact is ready to care for him or take responsibility."
Financial and Care Struggles
Mr Arotiba's financial situation is dire, with only N10,000 in his account. Efforts to place him in a nursing home have been unsuccessful so far. In an update, Olapeju reported that the elderly man has been taken to the Ring Road State Hospital's Accident and Emergency Department for temporary care.
Social Media Appeal and Lessons
Olapeju used the incident to urge parents to be involved in their families' lives to avoid such realities. She wrote, "So much came out of this encounter. Let us do all it takes to take care of what we call 'home'. This includes our wives/husbands, sisters, brothers, cousins, friends, and our neighbours. Omo niyi, omo ni de. Omo lasheinde to ba dale. E se re ko dara o. That future is closer than we assume." Her message highlights the importance of community and family support in preventing elder neglect.
The case has sparked discussions on social media about the responsibilities of children towards their aging parents and the broader issue of elderly care in Nigeria. Authorities and social services are being called upon to intervene and provide long-term solutions for Mr Arotiba and others in similar situations.
