Aged Return Migrants and the Challenges of Reintegration in Rural Nigeria: Implications for Social Work Practice

Abstract

This study examined the reintegration challenges encountered by aged migrants who returned from urban to rural areas in Enugu, Southeastern Nigeria. Qualitative research method and the phenomenological approach was used. In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted with 20 aged returnees, and the data was analysed thematically. Findings revealed that the participants returned from six major cities in Nigeria and had spent an average of 25 years in their host communities before the decision to return. They returned because they could no longer cope with the city life. Health challenges, low economic base and poor infrastructure in rural areas made adjusting to life difficult and was compounded by high expectations and poor treatment from community members. However, aged returnees who coped better with these challenges were those who had access to informal care and financial support. While informal care is acknowledged as an important coping mechanism, social workers could provide enduring support to help aged returnees cope better. The study recommends that social workers create robust community-based supports such as localised skill acquisition, education, counselling, connections with institutions and community resources, and advocacy to help aged returnees adjust to rural life. Programmes that bridge the gap between the youth and the returnees may be instituted to improving cross-generation learning and understanding. These findings may be useful to other countries in similar contexts.