Lagos State Government don call for stronger collaboration between health, education, psychology, government and other professional sectors to tackle the psychological, social and structural problems wey dey affect communities across the state and Nigeria as a whole.
The call come during the 11th International Conference of Community Psychology wey Lagos State University, Ojo, host for Lagos. The conference carry the theme, “Gathering in the Motherland: Celebrating Lifeways, Ways of Water and Reconnecting to the Source.”
Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule, say psychology no concern only mental health, but e dey important for almost every part of human life, including education, healthcare, governance and family.
Sule explain say person’s success or failure sometimes depend on the opportunities wey society make available to am, as well as opportunities wey society deny am. He stress say education fit no work well if people no understand the psychological needs of those wey dem dey teach.
READ ALSO: COV-OPTICS DON OPEN NEW EYE HOSPITAL FOR SOUTH-EAST, PROMISE QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE EYE CARE
The Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, represented by Dr Leonard Okonkwo, also call for professionals from medicine, psychology, nursing, public health, education and government to work together because many of the challenges communities dey face no fit get solution from one profession alone.
He explain say physical health, mental health, family stability and community wellbeing dey connected. According to am, when one area suffer, e fit affect the others.
The Vice Chancellor of LASU, Prof Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, say the conference give experts opportunity to look beyond the normal boundaries of psychology and understand how people, culture, environment, memory, history and communities dey connected.
She also warn say as society dey rush after modern technology and individual success, people fit easily forget their roots, traditions and communities wey help shape their identity.
Olatunji-Bello therefore urged psychologists and researchers to no just study communities from afar, but to listen to the people, understand their real-life experiences and use research findings to improve their lives.
The three-day conference bring together academics, psychologists, health workers, policymakers and other stakeholders to exchange ideas, share research and discuss practical ways to strengthen communities.
The gathering also focus on how people fit reconnect with their cultural, social and environmental roots, while using professional knowledge and modern approaches to address the challenges wey communities dey face today.
