Dozens gather for London Black Asian and minority ethnic seminar on mental health

DOZENS of Nigerians in the UK gathered to debate the thorny issue of mental health at a special seminar recently organised in London by a mental health charity known as the Nous Organisation.

 

At the event which took place at the Brent Civic Centre, the hitherto undebated issue of mental health and its impact within the ethnic minority community was debated at length. Funded by Nigerian local government worker Lade Olugbemi, Nous works tirelessly with people in the Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (Bame) who live with mental illnesses.

 

Councillor Parvez Ahmed, the mayor of the London Borough of Brent, declared the seminar open, telling participants that the stigma around mental illness should be removed in the Bame community to allow open conversations. He added that there was also the need to remove the secrecy surrounding the issue, so that people suffering from mental ailments can talk and seek help.

 

Several other councillor and local government officials also attend the event, including the former mayor of Lambeth, Councillor Adedamola Aminu. In his speech, Councillor Muhammad Butt acknowledged that due to societal pressure which includes economic and family breakdown, there is a higher number of people experiencing mental breakdowns.

 

Councillor Butt commended Nous Organisation for setting up the forum where people can ask professionals questions about mental illness, prevention, treatment and support available in the community. On the day, the theme of the discussion, which was interactive, was suicide and depression.

 

Dr Shade Olajubu, a forensic psychiatrist gave a presentation on suicide and the link to depression. In her presentation, she looked at the causes, the risk factors and the management of suicidal ideation.

 

Dr Maymunah Kadiri, a neuro-psychiatrist that came in from Nigeria talked about the cultural perspective and mental illness. Ian Buchan, a psychotherapist shared information about the therapeutic intervention that can be tapped into as an alternative to recovery.

 

Ms Olugbemi, the Nous convener, said: "Our organisation was started in 2015 to raise awareness in the Black Asian and minority ethnic communities due to the over-representation of these communities in the mental health services. Nous is a not for profit organisation that engages at grassroot community levels to encourage conversations around mental illness and disabuse to counter negative information people hitherto held."

 

She added that Nous holds workshops, seminars, open microphone sessions and is always available to speak at community events. According to Ms Olugbemi, Nous would like to demystify and remove the shroud covering mental illnesses and take away the discomfort it brings too.