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Lekki Muslims harp on mental wellness

By Shakirah Adunola
14 June 2019   |   4:12 am
The Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) has stressed the need for the faithful in the country to take due consideration for mental wellness in their quest to live a fulfilled life.

President LEMU, Alhaji Kamoru Omotosho

The Lekki Muslim Ummah (LEMU) has stressed the need for the faithful in the country to take due consideration for mental wellness in their quest to live a fulfilled life.

President LEMU, Alhaji Kamoru Omotosho, who gave this advise during the quarterly da’wah workshop in Lagos, said the rate of depression and other mental health challenges in the country is becoming alarming, urging that all hands must be on deck to reverse the situation.

He said: “This workshop is our own way of creating further awareness about the need for paying adequate attention to the mental health of Nigerians

“The theme of today’s workshop “Mental Health and Your Faith” could not have come at a better time. While Nigeria is in a depressive situation, courtesy of the growing economic malaise, intractable insecurity and other social maladies bedeviling her, various studies (including the recent one conducted by the World Bank) have revealed that no fewer than 22 per cent Nigerians are suffering from chronic depression. Many are also being confronted by other mental health challenges.

“If anything, the growing rate of suicide, homicide, drug addiction and other repercussions of depression in the country, lends credence to the worrisome mental health statistics.

“Indications are that the situation might get worse over time if the socio-economic condition of the country remains debilitating, and no affirmative action is taken by the government to improve the mental health and general well-being of the citizenry.

Other speakers at the workshop offered several tips to avoid depression and other challenges of mental health.

An Islamic Scholar, Shaykh Jamiu urged Muslims to always adopt a healthy lifestyle; never do harm to people; be loving and family oriented; live life as it comes; be happy and keep good company.

Quoting from the Holy Quran 5:90, he said: “O you who believe, intoxicants and gambling, idolatrous practices, and (divining with) arrows are repugnant acts – Satan’s doing – shun them so that you may prosper,”
“Do not kill yourselves; Allah is merciful to you…. Do not contribute to your destruction with your own hand, but do good, for Allah loves those who do good,” he stated.

Speaking in the same vein, Dr Mashudat Bello-AbdulMojeed, said mental health issue is common and rapidly increasing in recent times, ranging from anxiety to depression, from drugs to alcoholism, from Internet and social network adversities, to dysfunctional family.

Others, according to her, are increasing rate violence, materialistic youth, body image issues and lifelong disabilities.

“There is no time to waste in mitigating the consequences of mental health issues among adolescents/youths and the future leaders. Responding to the needs of the youth in an ever-changing world of advanced technology/modernization is everybody’s responsibility, Muslims in particular,” he said.

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