Generativity, Gender, and a Good Old Age among Urban-Dwelling Older Yoruba People in Southwest Nigeria

Cultural values, beliefs, and practices around old age affect how individuals make sense of their aging experiences. Qualitative data were captured through 12 vignette-based focus group discussion and 18 semi-structured interviews with older Yoruba people and analyzed with a framework guided by Erikson’s concept of generativity and the Yoruba notion of ojo ale tio dara. Findings revealed a high premium on spirituality and generativity as individuals age. Ways to mitigate negative aging outcomes included living an exemplary lifestyle, avoiding evil machinations or wickedness toward others, and spiritual sensitivity to events around them. Conformity to these virtues and the consequences of deviation are gendered, with tensions and contradictions reported. The emphasis on societal generativity, the tendency toward spirituality, and social acceptance emerged more among women than men. Nonetheless, being an exemplar in the community reinforces generativity, enhances capital, and reduces vulnerability to miserable aging experiences.