The excellent nature of old age in Africa
In Africa and the black race as a whole, old age is regarded as a priceless fortune. This is why elderly people are treated with every ounce of care and respect.
Some African tribes and families see grand old parents as having divine attributes, because their prayers and blessings are believed to be more efficient.
It is also believed that they are the closest link to our ancestors.
In times past, they were known to be the mouthpiece of the community, as their words were the compass with which the African society navigated the realities of day to day lives.
However, modernity has affected this practice in some way. This is why today, certain tribes respect and adore money instead of elderly wisdom.
The regard for old age in Africa has been strongly reinforced through the upbringing of the African child. In return, this has always led to the children growing up to take care of their parents in their old age.
This philosophy about life in Africa has contributed enormously to the scarcity of ‘old people’s homes’ in the African continent.
These old people remind us of the journey we all must take which is the journey of experiences. Their drooping skin and weak joints are evidence to the glory and divinity of old age. This is why we keep them around and respect their opinions.
Old people are not expected to be in secluded homes (Old peoples shelter) while we run off into a world without their guidance. The day we (Africans) will begin to have old people homes is the day our society begins to breathe its last.
