Covid-19: Eko Wellness Fair to Test Mental Resilience of Nigerians

Rebecca Ejifoma

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has commended the Eko Wellness Fair, an initiative that promotes mental wellness, as the 6th edition is billed for Saturday May 1 this year.

According to Abayomi, every element of the fair has been socially and culturally adapted for the average Nigerian. “There is something for everyone to engage with, learn and benefit from.”

The fair, which will run from May 1 to 7, includes workshops by high-level Nigerian Psychotherapists and Holistic Wellness Practitioners, cooking demonstrations of healthier food alternatives, art and therapy stimulations and online shopping of healthy foods and lifestyle products by proudly Nigerian businesses.

The virtual event is endorsed by the Lagos State Safety Commission and supported by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

The commissioner added: “We are happy and delighted with the initiative that you are embarking upon in the area of mental health given what Lagosians go through everyday. It goes to show how much value this organisation places on mental health,” while pledging their support for the initiative.

On our part, he continued, we are planning to have a mental unit established in all the General Hospitals in Lagos. “Apart from that, Lagos state government is currently building a 1,000 capacity psychiatric hospital which would be commissioned. It is going to be a first of its kind in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Eko Wellness Network is a cluster of practitioners and wellness products’ providers in Nigeria. It is on the theme ‘My Mental Health Matters: For Our Collective Prosperity’.

It aims to equip Nigerians with tools that will support and improve their mental wellbeing.

In her reaction, the Project Manager of Eko Wellness Fair, Oyin Talabi said that although Nigerians and Africans at large are not falling physically as predicted by international health indices, they are falling mentally.

“The incidents of mental health crisis are rapidly and steadily rising amongst all demographics in our country, particularly among the working class.”

She cited a 2017 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in four Nigerians, approximately 50 million people, were already suffering from some sort of mental health disorder.

Talabi lamented: “This is alarming for us as a nation. We must chart a way to a more stable future.

“The fair is part of the Lagos State Mental Health month of May by the State Ministry of Health and will hold virtually on all our easily accessible social media handles @ Ekowellnessfair,” she emphasised.

According to the project manager, they have partnered various organisations like the Society of Performing Arts Nigeria; Global Emerging Pathogens Treatment Consortium; Suicide Research Prevention Initiative; Arts In Medicine; Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria; African Institute of Mind; Africa Film Academy; and Flutterwave.