By Emmanuel Nduka
Nigerian women have urged their counterparts not to overlook their mental health while trying to balance the challenges that comes with their jobs, career and domestic responsibilities.
This call was made by Saadatu Adamu, Mental Health Counselor and Founder of Secure D Future initiative, SDF, while speaking on Wesnesday during a panel session at the I Am Nigeria Women Achievers Conference and Award held in Abuja.
Anchoring on the session’s theme: ‘Stress & Mental Health Management for Career & Professional Women’, she posited that women must strive to first observe that there is a mental health situation, and subsequently seek professional help.
She warned that women must not forget to take out time to care for themselves while struggling to meet up with the demands of their gender vis-a-vis their profession.
Responding to questions on women struggling with mental health in toxic marriages who run to spiritual leaders for intervention, Adamu advised that clergies must first understand what mental health is all about. This she said, will afford them the right knowledge on how to deal with the problem, instead of just praying for the victim and saying “it is well with you”.
Similarly, Chairperson of the I Am Nigeria Women Achievers Conference, Sameera Abubakar stressed the need for women to unite and speak in one voice in order to address the challenges that comes with womanhood in the Nigerian society.
She noted that the programme was put together to “celebrate women that have made a difference in the society”, adding that women must “embrace the powerful word called ‘woman’s and see themselves as the entire world”.
The conference with the theme: ‘Upscaling The Role of Women in National Development’ according to the organisers, will celebrate and recognize 25 “high impact” women across the public and private sectors.
