COSROPIN Urges Better Welfare, Stronger Protection for Older Persons in Kogi

The Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) has called on governments at all levels to improve welfare packages for older persons in Kogi State and ensure adequate protection of their rights and dignity.

The Kogi State Coordinator of COSROPIN, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, made the call at a news conference in Lokoja to commemorate the 2026 International Day of Older Persons, observed annually on October 1.

Our Kogi State Correspondent, reports that Agbogun also called for stronger collaboration among organisations and institutions working on ageing and the welfare of older persons.

She said the responsibility for the welfare of older persons could not be left to COSROPIN alone, stressing the need for government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious bodies, the media, private-sector organisations, professionals, young people and older persons themselves to contribute to the effort.

“The responsibility for the welfare of older persons cannot rest on COSROPIN alone. We are calling on government institutions, civil society organisations, traditional institutions, religious organisations, the media, private-sector organisations, professionals, young people and older persons themselves to become part of this renewed effort.

“We particularly need the media to help keep issues affecting older persons within public conversation. We need government and relevant institutions to listen to the concerns of older persons and strengthen systems that protect their welfare. We need communities to restore the values of care, respect and inclusion,” she said.

She acknowledged that funding, membership growth and sustainability remained important issues for the revitalised Kogi chapter, adding that COSROPIN would address them through partnerships, membership development, resource mobilisation and practical programmes.

“Our immediate priority is not to make promises that cannot be sustained. It is to build deliberately, strengthen the coalition and ensure that every step we take responds to a real need,” she said.

Speaking on the significance of the International Day of Older Persons, Agbogun said the occasion should go beyond celebration to addressing the realities confronting older people.

“On this International Day of Older Persons, we celebrate the lives, contributions and experiences of older persons in Kogi State and across Nigeria.

“But celebration must go beyond words. It must be reflected in how an older person is treated at a hospital, in a public office, in a transport system, in a community, in the family and in everyday interactions.

“It must be reflected in whether older persons can access the benefits they are entitled to, whether their voices are considered in decisions that affect them, whether they are protected from abuse and neglect, and whether they can live their later years with dignity,” she said.

Agbogun said efforts were already underway to revive COSROPIN’s activities in Kogi State, describing the initiative as the rebuilding of an existing platform for collective advocacy on the rights and welfare of older persons.

According to her, COSROPIN was established to address issues affecting older persons and provide a united platform through which stakeholders could advocate for their rights, welfare and dignity.

She explained that the organisation was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in 2016 as a non-governmental organisation and brings together civil society organisations, NGOs, retirement organisations, pension unions, caregivers, social workers, academics, advocacy groups, health and wellness organisations, professionals and other stakeholders working on ageing-related issues.

Its areas of focus, she said, include the rights and privileges of older persons, dignity, prevention of abuse, community care, social security and social protection, healthcare, housing, transportation, long-term care, health insurance and access to medical support.

Agbogun said COSROPIN had contributed to important conversations on ageing in Nigeria, including advocacy that contributed to the development of the National Policy on Ageing, media advocacy for the rights of older persons, workshops and seminars, support for the establishment of a senior citizens' centre, research and data collection, and collaboration with government agencies on healthcare, health insurance, social security and safety nets.

“Therefore, what we are doing in Kogi State today is not the creation of a new idea. It is the revival of an existing platform and the rebuilding of a collective voice for older persons in the state,” she said.

She said the need for the revival became clearer during a stakeholders' meeting held on September 29, 2026, at the office of the Challenged Parenthood Initiative in Lokoja.

The meeting brought together members and stakeholders, including older persons, to reflect on the history of COSROPIN in Kogi, review some of its previous activities and discuss measures required to make the chapter active and sustainable.

Agbogun said previous activities had directly engaged and benefited older persons, including free medical check-ups, intergenerational dialogues between older and younger people, and performances by thespians during an older persons' hangout.

She said the activities demonstrated that the Kogi chapter already had a foundation upon which it could build.

However, she noted that participants at the meeting also raised concerns about limited access to gratuity and the absence of adequate data on older persons in the state.

“These are not issues that can be properly addressed without knowing who our older persons are, understanding their needs and ensuring that their concerns are reflected in policies and programmes,” she said.

She also expressed concern over what she described as the gradual decline in the culture of respect, courtesy and consideration for older persons in society.

According to her, some participants shared personal experiences that underscored the challenge.

One participant recounted an encounter with an elderly woman whom he had assisted, saying he was struck by the woman's surprise that someone she did not know could still show her kindness.

Another participant recalled an incident at a barbershop where he was prepared to give up his place for an older man, but a younger person reacted aggressively and refused to allow the older man to take the space.

Agbogun said such incidents, although seemingly ordinary, raised broader questions about the value society places on age, experience, courtesy and respect for older persons.

She stressed that older persons remained valuable members of society, describing them as parents, grandparents, professionals, farmers, civil servants, community leaders, caregivers, entrepreneurs and custodians of knowledge and history.

“Older persons are not people who have suddenly become irrelevant because they have aged. Many of the opportunities and systems we enjoy today were shaped by people who are now older,” she said.

Agbogun said the revival of COSROPIN in Kogi State was therefore about more than meetings, membership or organisational structures.

“It is about creating a stronger platform through which older persons can be heard and through which their concerns can receive sustained attention.

“We want COSROPIN to become a platform where older persons can speak about the realities they face, where organisations working on ageing can collaborate, where younger people can engage with older generations, and where relevant institutions can be brought into conversations about the welfare and rights of older persons,” she said.

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