Amidst ageing challenges, we can’t be left out in the smartphones-selfie bug: Narratives of the elderly in Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Generally the growing trend of smartphones and selfies cannot be overemphasised in the discourse of social media and mass communication. Selfie is often highlighted as a domain controlled by the youthful population, relegating the agencies of the aged as active participants in the selfie bug. This article captures the agencies of the aged in the use of selfies as a medium of expression. The study employed qualitative research methodology in the data collection through in-depth interviews among a sample of forty-five (45) elderly persons in Edo State, Nigeria. Narratives reveal the ingenuities, nuances and manoeuvring strategies the elderly regularly employ in the use of selfies in their daily routine and social engagements. These narratives were nevertheless not devoid of the need to show-off their achievements and continuous existence and the influence of the younger generation of children and grandchildren, relatives and friends in the use of smartphones and selfies.

Keywords

• Elderly
• smartphones
• resilience
• agency