Speeches

Professor Adeoye Lambo’s 5th Anniversary Lecture: Mental Health of Nigerian—A situation analysis

Mar 13, 2009 - The lives of certain great men remind us that commitment, dedication and focus remain the key to honour and recognition at home, abroad and by ones peers. The late Professor Adeoye Lambo, former Vice- Chancellor of the nation’s premier University of Ibadan, first African to become Deputy Director of the World

Health Organisation and the initiator of Aro Neuropsychiatric Hospital and Orthopaedic Hospital Igbobi was a paragon of excellence in his chosen profession and the whole world did recognize him for his contributions to the field of knowledge, institutional and infrastructural development within his native Nigeria and the outside world. His was a life of sacrifice, dedication and commitment to a worthy cause. He was a patriot and a world citizen.

On this note, I wish to commend the family and professional colleagues for putting together this fifth anniversary lecture in commemoration of Prof. Lambo’s sterling contribution to mankind. The aim to keep alive the memory and contributions of Prof Lambo is well-intentioned. This initiative to immortalize him through this annual lecture is noble. Apart from its inspirational impact for up and coming psychiatrists, the anniversary also serves as a fine reminder of his contribution to national development as one of our numerous heroes.

The title of the anniversary lecture, “Mental Health of Nigerian—A situation analysis”, can be described as a timely analysis of the current mood in the country. Recently, in the grip of the impact from the global economic meltdown, many organizations and institutions have been providing us with grim statistics of the crisis for labour, cost and standard of living. It would, perhaps, be proper also for us to also have insight into the mental health of Nigerians in this period of great challenges, especially from the reputable and noble profession of psychiatry.

And I am sure we have a capable lecture in the erudite Professor Oye Gureje, a psychiatrist himself and a recent winner of the Nigerian National Merit Award.

As a government that prizes excellence highly, the Lagos State Government identifies with this celebration of the life of this world citizen who happened to be a noble son of Nigeria and we would be open to receive the outcome of the deliberations of today’s event. Our health programmes and policies have consistently been geared towards improved health profile of Lagosians. We have been providing proactive and preventive health services. Recently our health infrastructure has taken a giant leap forward with aggressive rehabilitation and construction of hospital complexes, wards and acquisition of state-of-the-art medical equipment. As part of our vision, we plan to develop and train health personnel in the mould of renowned Prof Lambo

Once again, I would like to thank the Chairman of the organizing committee, Dr. Femi Olugbile and his diligent team for putting up a befitting anniversary lecture.

I thank you for listening.

“Eko O ni baje!”

Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, (SAN)
Governor of Lagos State