I share your grief and apprehensions but so many issues are involved. To retire late is not healthy (that is if artists ever retire) especially in our clime where social welfare is nil. For artists that truly do the job it's double stress, double trauma! They are exhausted, they have been over-milked.
Biological children are real succour, if blessed they have been settled well in trudging on with life. But these artists have often had to carry extra burden; loans and all, to ensure their children have the best education. It drains the very life out of these men and women if conscience. Some do nurse health challenges and often other psychological issues. Giants that they are, they put up robust exterior but they bleed internally.
Hmmmm! Perhaps out of a hundred mentees, two or three will remember to act as pillars of support. They too struggle with life in a harsh environment. How many times do we visit our artists mentors even while they are in service, old and getting tired. How often do we call them and ask about their health. How often do we visit them in retirement and spend moments with them they would cherish! How often do we ask them about their biological children who our like our younger siblings when they were busy putting us on the path of greatness. Sometimes they have challenges over their own children and our interest may energise them!
It is systemic and environmental, this early and sudden death of artists. They are killed by the system that milked without feeding, that cares less what becomes of us. Ironically, we are all in the race to the same end.
In the meantime, let us as individuals reach out to our senior colleagues even those in our immediate environment and "share their burdens".
What befall the people of Iwo will soon afflict the people of Ede! Let us help ourselves in the circumstance. Eternal rest grant our departed senior artists O Lord!
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