Global community psychologists converge on Lagos as Nigeria hosts international conference
……Psychologists urged to take mental health interventions to communities
Psychologists urged to take mental health interventions to communities
As Nigeria and other countries grapple with insecurity, economic hardship, social pressures and rising emotional distress, psychologists have been urged to move beyond the consulting room and take their interventions directly to communities where many of these challenges begin.
The call was made at the opening of the 11th International Conference of Community Psychology at the Femi Gbajabiamila Conference Hall, Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, Lagos.
The conference, being held in Nigeria for the first time, has brought together psychologists, researchers, academics, practitioners and community leaders from different parts of the world to examine how psychology can be used to address challenges affecting individuals and communities.
A major attraction at the opening ceremony was the appearance of white-cap chiefs representing the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, adding a strong cultural flavour to an event attended by international delegates.
The conference theme is “Gathering in the Motherland: Celebrating Lifeways, Ways of Water and Reconnecting to the Source.”
Psychology must go beyond the individual — Abayomi
In a keynote address, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said psychology has become increasingly important in addressing modern public health challenges because people’s mental and physical wellbeing is closely linked to their social and environmental conditions.
Abayomi, who was represented by Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Leonard Okonkwo, said communities should no longer be treated merely as recipients of health services.
He called for communities to become active partners in designing and delivering interventions meant to address their specific needs.
According to him, research and interventions should focus on issues such as mental health, integration of psychological care into primary and secondary healthcare, culturally relevant interventions and programmes targeting young people.
He also advocated the deployment of psychology across different areas of society, including leadership, medicine, education, security and conflict resolution.
‘Psychology is infrastructure for a healthy society’
Chairman of the opening ceremony and Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Hon. Tolani Sule, said psychologists have an important role to play in tackling insecurity, conflict and other social challenges because many of these problems are rooted in human behaviour and emotions.
Sule said psychology should not be viewed simply as an academic discipline concerned with the individual mind, noting that people’s behaviour is also shaped by their families, communities, cultures, environment, opportunities and experiences.
He said this makes psychology relevant to virtually every aspect of life, including education, healthcare, governance, the workplace, security, families, leadership, sports and technology.
The Commissioner expressed concern that despite the increasing level of digital connectivity, many people are becoming emotionally disconnected.
He noted that a young person could have thousands of social media followers and still feel lonely, while a student could be surrounded by classmates and yet experience isolation.
Sule therefore described psychology as part of the “infrastructure of a healthy society.”
He urged participants to use the conference to develop practical solutions rather than limiting their engagements to academic papers and presentations.
Community psychology: Look beyond ‘what is wrong with the person’
Sule said community psychology offers a different way of understanding social problems by shifting attention from only asking “What is wrong with this person?” to asking “What is happening around this person?”
He identified inequality, exclusion, trauma, unemployment, displacement, lack of social support and loss of social connection as some of the environmental factors that could affect people’s psychological wellbeing.
He said the conference theme was therefore timely because reconnecting with communities, culture and history could strengthen people’s sense of belonging and wellbeing.
Lagos as a living laboratory
The Commissioner described Lagos as an ideal setting for the conference because of its cultural and social diversity.
He said Lagos brings together people from different backgrounds, languages, professions and generations, making the state a practical example of how communities interact, adapt and develop.
Sule said the challenge was not merely for people to coexist despite their differences, but to understand how those differences could become sources of strength, creativity and collective wellbeing.
LASU positions itself as global knowledge hub
The Commissioner also commended LASU for hosting international academic gatherings, saying such events demonstrate the growing recognition of the university as a centre for global knowledge exchange.
He referenced recent international conferences hosted by the university, including the African Borderlands Research Network conference and the International Conference and General Assembly of the Nigerian Young Academy.
He said the events showed that LASU was increasingly becoming a platform where knowledge is exchanged, challenged and transformed into solutions to societal problems.
‘Community is more than a geographical location’ — LASU VC
In her welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of LASU and Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee, Distinguished Prof. Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello, said the conference was particularly significant because it was the first time LASU would host the international gathering.
She described Lagos as a “living laboratory of human interaction”, given its diversity, energy, creativity and resilience.
Olatunji-Bello said communities should not be understood merely as geographical locations, but as spaces shaped by beliefs, languages, memories, cultures and shared experiences.
She urged participants to look beyond conventional boundaries of psychology and examine the relationship between people, place, culture, memory and community.
According to her, the push for modernity, technology and individual achievement can sometimes cause people to lose touch with the communities, traditions and relationships that shaped them.
She said reconnecting with those roots was important to understanding identity, values and a sense of belonging.
The Vice-Chancellor also drew attention to the importance of water in the conference theme, noting that Lagos is surrounded by water and that water historically connects communities.
Beyond its physical significance, she said the concept of water could also represent how academic disciplines should connect and work together to find solutions to societal challenges.
Olatunji-Bello further stressed the need to protect the environment, describing it as a critical life-support system.
She expressed optimism that delegates would leave Lagos not only with pleasant memories of the city, but also with new ideas, friendships and a deeper understanding of the importance of community.
From Makoko to Badagry
The conference has extended beyond the lecture halls, with international delegates taking part in tours of significant cultural and community locations in Lagos.
Activities began with a pre-conference tour on August 30 and 31, followed by the scientific conference from September 1 to 4.
Delegates are also expected to participate in a post-conference tour, Global Anago Adventures, to Badagry from September 5 to 7.
The activities include visits to traditional institutions, cultural sites and communities, including Makoko, where residents live in waterfront settlements.
Organisers say the tours are designed to combine scholarship with cultural engagement, research collaboration and interaction between the university community and the wider society.
The opening ceremony also featured panel sessions, artistic exhibitions, poetry presentations and the presentation of plaques to speakers and distinguished guests.
The conference continues with scientific sessions focused on how psychology can contribute to healthier, more connected and resilient communities.
By Innocent Onoh
