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For years, the story of “Japa” has largely been told through the lens of opportunity. It is the story of young Nigerians chasing better education, safer environments, improved healthcare systems and stronger economies abroad. It is a narrative often measured in remittances, career advancement and improved living standards.
Yet, behind the celebration of successful migration lies another story that is seldom told. It is the story of ageing parents left behind, some living with dementia, whose greatest struggle is not financial deprivation but emotional absence.
This overlooked reality took centre stage at the 8th Annual Dr. Gabi Williams Memorial Symposium organised by the Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation (GWAF) in Lagos. Under the theme, “The Emotional Cost of ‘Japa’: Safeguarding the Vulnerable and Combating Unwitting Neglect in Dementia Care,” healthcare professionals, caregivers, policymakers, religious leaders and advocates examined an uncomfortable truth: migration may improve the fortunes of families, but it can also unintentionally deepen emotional neglect among elderly people living with dementia.
The conversation marked an important shift in Nigeria’s migration discourse. Rather than questioning the legitimacy of relocating abroad, participants focused on the human cost borne by those who remain at home.
For many elderly Nigerians living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, regular companionship is not merely comforting; it is therapeutic. Their days are often defined by familiar faces, reassuring voices, shared memories and consistent routines. When children and close relatives relocate overseas, even while continuing to provide financial support, those emotional anchors may gradually disappear.
The Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation captured this concern in one of the symposium’s most poignant messages: “Alzheimer’s can never kill love, but the absence of love can be devastating for people living with dementia, no matter the physical care given.”
The statement reflected the central argument running through the day’s discussions, that quality dementia care extends well beyond prescriptions, hospital appointments and paid caregivers. It also requires companionship, reassurance, dignity and a sustained sense of belonging.
Speaking ahead of the symposium, Olatoun Gabi-Williams urged families to resist allowing geographical separation to become emotional abandonment.
“This symposium reminds us that while migration may separate families geographically, love, presence, and meaningful connection should never be sacrificed. Compassion remains one of the most powerful forms of dementia care,” she said.
Her remarks echoed a growing body of scientific understanding about dementia. Medical experts increasingly recognise that while medications may help manage symptoms, emotional wellbeing remains a critical component of care. Patients who maintain meaningful social interaction often cope better than those isolated from loved ones.
The Foundation reinforced this point by stressing that the greatest need of many people living with dementia extends beyond medication.
“The greatest need of many people living with dementia is not only medication; it is to know they are remembered, valued and loved,” the organisation stated.
That message resonates in many Nigerian households where adult children abroad diligently send money home every month, believing that financial provision alone fulfils their responsibilities. While those remittances undoubtedly improve access to food, accommodation and healthcare, experts at the symposium argued that emotional presence cannot simply be outsourced.
According to the organisers, extensive research consistently shows that loneliness, prolonged social isolation and emotional neglect can accelerate cognitive decline, worsen depression and anxiety, diminish overall health outcomes and significantly increase the burden carried by caregivers.
In other words, a patient whose bills are paid but who rarely hears the voices of loved ones may still experience profound emotional deprivation.
This challenge is becoming increasingly relevant as migration continues to reshape Nigerian families. The country’s healthcare system is already grappling with rising life expectancy, growing numbers of older citizens and limited specialist dementia services. Adding emotional isolation to this mix creates another layer of vulnerability.
Recognising this reality, the symposium brought together an unusually broad coalition of stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, psychiatrists, gerontologists, caregivers, policymakers, journalists, civil society organisations and faith-based institutions. Their shared objective was to explore practical ways of supporting families navigating both migration and dementia care.
Among the featured resource persons were Professor Olajide Gabi-Williams, who delivered the memorial lecture, gerontologist Damilola Grillo of Hold the Age Social Enterprise, and Dr. Ismail Adesina, Consultant Psychiatrist at St. Nicholas Hospital. Representatives from religious organisations, community groups, NGO 60plus, family members and media organisations also participated, with additional attendees joining virtually.
The organisers deliberately structured the symposium around interactive discussions, recognising that dementia care requires collaboration rather than isolated expertise.
As the Foundation noted, no single profession or institution possesses all the answers. Families, healthcare workers, religious institutions, caregivers, policymakers and the media each have indispensable roles in improving the quality of life of people living with dementia.
Beyond highlighting the emotional consequences of migration, the symposium also sought to equip caregivers with practical communication skills, amplify the experiences of primary caregivers, promote multidisciplinary collaboration and mobilise greater support for dementia advocacy in Nigeria.
Equally significant was its emphasis on public education. Many Nigerians continue to assume dementia is simply an inevitable consequence of ageing. The Foundation challenged this misconception by reiterating that dementia is “not” a normal part of growing old. Alzheimer’s disease remains its most common form, and evidence continues to show that early diagnosis, family involvement and sustained emotional support can substantially improve patients’ quality of life.
The symposium itself carries a deeply personal legacy. The Gabi Williams Alzheimer’s Foundation was established on September 11, 2017, in honour of the late Dr. Gabisiu Ayodele Williams, a distinguished public health physician who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease about a decade before his death in July 2018. During his illustrious career, Dr. Williams served as Nigeria’s Federal Director of International Health and Disease Control and represented the country on the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF Executive Board.
Known for making medical knowledge accessible to ordinary citizens through publications such as “House Doctor” and “Health of the Executive”, his commitment to public education continues through the Foundation’s advocacy.
Perhaps that enduring commitment explains why the symposium’s message extends beyond dementia alone. It asks a broader question about what families owe one another in an increasingly mobile world.
Migration is unlikely to slow. Economic realities continue to push many Nigerians to seek opportunities abroad, and few would dispute their right to pursue better lives. The challenge, however, is ensuring that migration does not quietly weaken the emotional bonds that sustain ageing parents during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives.
Technology has made communication easier than ever before. Video calls, voice notes, regular conversations, involvement in medical decisions and periodic visits home cannot replace physical presence entirely, but they can preserve the emotional connections that dementia patients desperately need.
As discussions at the symposium repeatedly underscored, dementia care is ultimately about humanity as much as medicine. It is about ensuring that those who once cared for their families do not spend their final years feeling forgotten.
In the end, the real measure of successful migration may not lie solely in the money sent home, but also in whether love, compassion and meaningful relationships continue to travel across the distance.
Prof. Olajide Gabi-Williams, the Memorial Lecturer.
Olatoun Gabi-Williams, GWAF Administrator.
