Exclusion within exclusion: The experiences of internally displaced older adults in Lugbe camp, Abuja.

As the Boko Haram insurgency-induced conflict in Northeast Nigeria lingers and more people are made homeless, Displaced older persons who have lost their social networks, support systems, status, and roles as a result may experience new challenges at the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps. Our study explored older adults' experiences of exclusion in the Lugbe IDP camp in Abuja. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 displaced older adults aged 60 and above who have lived in the camp for five years. The collected data were subsequently transcribed and analysed thematically using NVivo 12. Findings showed that displaced older adults suffered social, economic, and political exclusions. They were also excluded from participating in training programmes that could equip them with the skills to survive in their new environment. Similarly, it was found that the displaced older adults in the study had difficulty connecting with friends and families outside the camp due to their lack of experience in utilising digital technology, resulting in feelings of increased loneliness. Poverty and lack of education were identified as the main predisposing factors for exclusion. Exclusion affected displaced older people's health and life satisfaction. We recommend that organisers/managers of IDP camps ensure that policies and programmes are sufficiently inclusive of and sensitive to the physical and mental well-being of older Internally Displaced Persons. This would be in accordance with the African culture of support and consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

'Better to die of disease than die of hunger': the experience of Igwes (traditional rulers) in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in rural South-east Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious health and socioeconomic impacts on people all over the world. It was expected that Africa would be the hardest hit; consequently, Nigeria and other African nations worked with non-government organisations to institute a framework for controlling the spread of the disease and the resultant economic woes. The measures, however, largely focused on urban centres, whereas the spread of the virus and the disease transcended imported urban cases to spread through the rural community. This study explored the experiences of traditional rulers, who are closest to rural people, in the fight against COVID-19. METHODS: A qualitative research design was adopted and data were collected from eight Nigerian traditional rulers through interviews. The collected data were coded inductively using NVivo v12 and were then analysed thematically. RESULTS: Findings showed that the traditional rulers adopted measures such as the use of town criers to raise awareness among rural people about COVID-19. Findings also revealed that the protection measures led to increased economic hardship for rural people in Nigeria. Doubt about the existence of the virus and widespread poverty were found to be the major hindrances in the fight against the pandemic. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that traditional rulers collaborate with the government to make free protective equipment available for poor rural people, and collaborate with youths and religious leaders to properly fight the 'infodemic' through continuous community education and awareness-raising.