Opinion

Panorama: Mental Health, Productivity in Work Places: Misconceptions and Realities

Published

4 years ago

December 3, 2021

Eric

By Sani Sa’i’du Baba

My dear country men and women, my discussion today will be based on the popular adage, “health is wealth”. I will however, begin by clarifying what health is. Many believe that being healthy is to be physically strong and fit. No. There is another aspect of health that is less talked about in today’s Nigeria.

But then, what is the correct meaning of health? It is the complete mental and physical wellbeing of an individual, but not necessarily the absence of disease or impairment. The human being is a combination of mental and physical states. Hence, total health and wellbeing of any individual is ultimately dependent on the relationship that exits between these two states. Lack of any of the two or their disconnection will lead to illness even if the individual is seen as apparently healthy. The implication of mental illness on productivity is very obvious even if the individual is physically healthy. For example, depression has been known to impair job performance, leading to presenteeism.

My write up today is triggered by a 2013 report by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, United Kingdom on attaining equality between mental and physical health. The report emphasized the significant disparities that exist between mental and physical healthcare. Based on my understanding, the findings of the report are not peculiar to the United Kingdom. In Nigeria, the subject of mental health is often culturally evaded; as many people are not usually inclined to discussing it openly. The reality however, is that, mental health statistics in Nigeria is alarming.

According to a report, the prevalence of mental illness in Nigeria is in the range of 20%. In the same 2013, the World Bank reported that relative to a population of about 174 million, 64 million Nigerians are deemed to suffer from one form of mental illness or another. You can imagine what the statistics is close to a decade now considering that all the factors leading to such problems seem to be exacerbated rather than attenuated.

The World Health Organization (2001) famously defines mental health as a state of being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make meaningful contribution to his or her community. The workplace on the other hand, is a platform for different psychological experiences in terms of providing a sense of time structure, developing social contact, fostering a sense of collective purpose, forging social identity outside the family and maintaining a level of consistent activity. The WHO also states that, at least, one in four people will develop one or more mental illness or behavioural disorder in their lifetime, and that one in four families has a member suffering from a mental illness or behavioural disorder. This makes it necessary to create interventions that will foster positive mental health. To be mentally unhealthy signifies a psychological state that results in behavioural anomalies that affect daily functions.

Mental health problems may be associated with genetics, environmental stressors, psychological factors, brain defects, substance abuse among others.

The issue of mental health illnesses is worsened by the poor political disposition of the Nigerian government and politicians, and the inability to review the antiquated colonial legislations that still regulate mental health in major respects. For instance, just few days ago, Kaduna State governor sacked 233 teachers from the Kaduna State civil service. This means that more than 1000 family members are needlessly disconnected from their source of food, especially in a period in which decent meal is impossible to many families. This action can lead to severe form of mental illness. So the high rate of mental illness in Nigeria is linked to the many socio-economic problems which may be regarded as precipitating factors. These factors include poverty with accompanying inflation, insecurity, anti-people policies and other social problems.

Mental health, just like physical health, is not confined to certain geo-polities or social strata. It is an issue that has the potential to affect anyone, male or female, young or old, rich or poor. It is indeed everyone’s business. This fact validates mental health as a complex, yet current and important issue for human resource managers, and the workplace in its entirety. This is because organizations do not exist in a vacuum, employees are not recruited from outer space, but from the environment within which organizations exist. Hence, the indices of mental health pertaining to Nigeria, should be of concern to Nigerian workplaces. Beyond this, the workplace itself is an environment that poses significant impact on mental health. Thus, organizations should be proactively pre-occupied with promoting and ensuring both physical and mental health, as a healthy workforce potentially translates into a healthy organization in terms of performance or productivity.

The most common misconceptions about mental health illness are damaging and pervasive. Some of these misconceptions are that people with mental illnesses are dangerous and violent; that mental illness is the same as mental retardation; that mental health problems are a result of poor parenting; that it is impossible to recover from mental illness; that persons with mental health problems cannot work; that lack of personal hygiene and physical un-attractiveness are indicators of mental illness and unintelligent persons are prone to mental illnesses.

Most of these misconceptions have however, been disproved as being unfounded and can thus be regarded as largely being unscientific or unverifiable.

Another factor that contributes to the complex nature of mental health/illness in Nigeria is the depiction of mental illness by the media. In recent years, technology has become a platform to access information and clarify misconceptions; but it has not been reasonably optimized as regards sensitizing people about mental health issues in Nigeria. There is little education and enlightenment that is accorded the subject. For instance, amongst the Hausa ethnic group in Nigeria, whenever you mention depression or mental health, the first thing that usually come to mind is “one is mad” (Mahaukaci ko Hauka in Hausa language). Similarly, in Yoruba ethnic group in Nigeria, a common belief is that depression and other mental illnesses (àrùn opolo in Yoruba language) is equal to ‘sychosis (wèrè which literally means mad) and is also equal to mental retardation (òdè or ‘òdòyò). Likewise in Igbo language, depression or mental health in general could imply that one is totally mad (Ara, in Igbo language). This implies that persons with depression or any similar disorders, may be corporately labelled, as being mad. Erroneous notions, such as this, encourage stigmatization and discourage mentally ill persons from speaking out and seeking help. The admission of mental illness by victims will usually lead to the extension of stigmatization to family members. It could even affect the ability of a family member to get married. Hence, the collateral damage associated with mental health has resulted in a trend of isolating mentally ill persons from their families and the larger society.

It is imperative to stress that it is not only bad government policies in work places that can lead to depression. The internal environment of a workplace has great potential for promoting or hindering the mental health of individuals. Hence, physical characteristics such as lighting, ventilation, work space, sanitation and noise levels of the workplace, potentially have psychological effects on employees. The culture or practices within organizations, especially private work places in Nigeria could affect mental health, hence, the need to develop practices that are employee-centric. Such practices that could impact the mental health of employees negatively are many. For instance, the recapitalization policy of commercial banks in Nigeria has encouraged the practice of institutionalizing unrealistic and outrageous sales targets. As a result of the relatively high rate of unemployment in Nigeria, many employees of such banks are left with little or no alternative but to comply with these demands. The consequences attributable to such a scenario usually manifests in the distortion of the psychological wellbeing of employees.

Another issue that is more often than not seen very closely relates to private school teachers, who teach four subjects and sometimes more than that, and would be paid peanuts per month. A typical case of one person doing the job of five people alone, subjected to chronic overwork and stress that will definitely leads to depression or even more severe mental health issue.

Another example is the issue of job security in the Nigerian workplace. A perspective to this is that organizations are constantly looking for fresh talent to enhance their bottom line. However, in such circumstances, employees who may have served an organization for several years but do not necessarily possess premium academic qualifications, may harbour the fear of being displaced by younger talents who may have had access to international education and training. This type of situation, which is quite prevalent in Nigeria, has apparent implications for mental health of individuals. The interplay of interactions is crucial to the day to day running of any organization. Situations where interpersonal relations in the workplace are problematic, particularly in terms of conflicts, exclusion by superiors or co-workers and a lack of social support, could potentially hamper an individual’s mental wellbeing. A typical Nigerian workplace is usually populated by diverse cultures and personality types. This type of context represents a potential source of conflict or poor interpersonal relations that could lead to depression.

Since competitive advantage is elusive without the physical and mental health of employees, organizations must be fully committed to creating a cultural climate that promotes civility, equity, transparency, work-life balance and health promotion. The workplace is an ideal environment to erase ignorant stereotypes, shallow misconceptions and raise the profile of mental health. A starting point on the way forward is the introduction of mental health promotion, initiatives and policies.

In terms of interventions, the Nigerian workplace will benefit immensely from education and awareness on the pervasiveness of mental health problems, common misconceptions and lifestyle choices that will foster positive mental health. Education and awareness interventions must be based on pertinent themes such as active living/fitness, healthy eating, cessation of alcohol intake and smoking, managing workload and interpersonal relations, adapting to changes, managing realities constructively, building emotional stability, developing resilience and seeking counseling.

The health equation is only balanced if both mentally and physically conditions are weighed at par.

Opinion

Give What, to Gain What? Reflections on the 2026 International Women’s Day Theme

Published

2 days ago

March 5, 2026

Eric

By Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya

At first glance, the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration sounded a little odd to me.

Last year’s theme, Accelerate Action, was clear enough. You read it and immediately understood it as a call to move faster, push harder, do more, close the gaps. It was energetic, direct and unambiguous.

But “Give To Gain”? Give what? To whom? And to gain what, precisely? How is giving a pathway to gender equity? In the legal profession, and in leadership generally, we are trained to think in terms of advantage. What do I gain? What do I secure? What do I protect? But the more I reflected, the more I realised that perhaps that reflection was the point. Because my reflection took me to some of the most defining moments in my professional journey, and they did not come from what I took. They came from what someone chose to give.

A colleague who gave me insights instead of indifference, a leader who gave me visibility in a room where my voice would have been overlooked, a mentor who gave me honest feedback when flattery or a comfortable silence would have been easier.

None of those acts diminished them. They did not lose relevance, influence, or authority. If anything, their giving expanded their impact. Sometimes, some of us act as though giving someone else room to rise somehow shrinks our own space. But leadership does not weaken when it is shared wisely. It deepens.

That is the quiet power behind “Give To Gain”, and the paradox at the heart of this year’s theme. “Give To Gain” is not a call to diminish ourselves. It is a call to invest in one another because when we give from strength, we gain strength. So give respect.
give access. Give honest evaluation. Give opportunity without prejudice. And you will gain trust, loyalty and potential. Give mentorship and gain contunuity, give equal footing and gain the full measure of talent available. That kind of giving multiplies gain.

So perhaps the theme is not so odd after all. In a world that often asks, “What do I stand to lose?” this year’s International Women’s Day asks instead, “What could we stand to gain, if we were all willing to give?”

In the context of gender equity, the theme becomes even more compelling. Giving equal footing is not about doing women a favour; it is about acknowledging merit. When barriers fall, capacity rises to the surface. When access expands, talent flourishes. When women thrive professionally, institutions gain.

Against this backdrop, I began to think about the remarkable women who embodied this principle long before it became a theme. Women who gave intellectual rigour to complex situations and gained distinction. Women who gave courage and resilience in the face of resistance or in rooms where they were the only one, and gained respect. Women who gave mentorship to younger women and gained a legacy that cannot be erased.

Women who gave integrity to public service and the private sector and gained trust and admiration that cannot be manufactured.
Women whose boldness did not ask for permission to contribute. They did not lower their standards to fit expectations.

They gave of their intellect, their discipline, their time and their resilience, and in doing so they expanded the space for others. That is the spirit I want to honour this IWD month.

Beginning tomorrow, on International Women’s Day and continuing through all the remaining days of March, I will be celebrating a female icon who exemplifies this principle. Women who have given and gained. Each day, one story. One journey.

One example of boldness in action. Not to romanticise their journeys or suggest that their paths were easy, but to illuminate them and show what is possible when you dare to try.

Each profile will tell a story of contribution and consequence, of how giving strengthens, and how excellence, when sustained with integrity, inevitably earns its place.

My hope is that other women will read these stories and recognise themselves in them. That men also will read them and see leadership, not limitation. And that we will all be reminded that progress is rarely accidental. It is built, often quietly, by those willing to give more than is required.

If this year’s theme “Give To Gain” means anything to me, it means that we must intentionally amplify the inspiring examples that prove what is possible when women are bold.

Because inspiration and visibility are forms of giving. And sometimes, the simple act of telling a story is the spark that lights ambition in someone who was unsure where or whether she belonged.

This March, I choose to give inspiration and visibility and honour where it is so richly deserved.

And I trust that in doing so, we will gain a stronger world, a clearer sense of direction and possibility and another generation of women bold enough to step forward without apology.

Now the theme no longer seems strange. Now I understand that when we give boldly, we gain collectively. And that is a theme worth celebrating.

Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya, SAN FCIArb

Opinion

Beyond the Vision: The Alchemy of Turning Ideas into Execution

Published

7 days ago

February 28, 2026

Eric

By Tolulope A. Adegoke PhD

History is littered with the skeletons of great ideas that never saw the light of day. In boardrooms and basements across the world, concepts with the power to reshape industries lie dormant, suffocated not by a lack of merit, but by a lack of execution. We live in an era that venerates the “light bulb moment,” yet the painful truth, as articulated by venture capitalists and historians alike, is that ideas are a dime a dozen; it is execution that is richly rewarded . The journey from the spark of imagination to the tangible reality of a finished product, a profitable corporation, or a thriving nation is an alchemical process. It requires the transformation of abstract thought into concrete action—a discipline that separates the dreamer from the builder. This evolution of an idea into reality is not a mystical event but a replicable process, best understood through the distinct exemplars of visionary individuals, resilient corporations, and transformative nations.

The Individual: The “Thinker-Doer” Synthesis

The romantic notion of the genius lost in thought, sketching blueprints while others do the heavy lifting, is a seductive myth. The reality, as demonstrated by history’s most impactful figures, is that the major thinkers are almost always the doers. Steve Jobs, a figure synonymous with innovation, famously articulated this principle by invoking the ultimate Renaissance man, Leonardo da Vinci. Jobs argued that the greatest innovators are “both the thinker and doer in one person,” pointing out that da Vinci did not have a separate artisan mixing his paints or executing his canvases; he was the artist and the craftsman, immersing himself in the physicality of his work . For Jobs, this synthesis was the guiding doctrine of Apple. He understood that abstract ideation is sterile without the feedback loop of hands-on mastery. The refinement of the Mac’s typography, the feel of a perfectly weighted mouse, the intuitive interface of the iPhone—these were not born from pure theory but from an obsessive, tactile engagement with the building process. The “doer” digs into the hard intellectual problems precisely because they are engaged in the act of creation.

This principle is further illuminated by the career of Elon Musk. While often perceived as a master inventor, Musk’s greatest genius may lie in his ability to execute existing ideas at a scale and speed previously thought impossible. He was not a founder of Tesla on day one, but he stepped in to spearhead its execution, transforming an electric vehicle concept into a global automotive powerhouse. At SpaceX, he inherited the age-old idea of space travel but revolutionized its execution by challenging fundamental cost structures and vertically integrating manufacturing. Musk embodies the “thinker-doer” by immersing himself in the engineering details, sleeping on the factory floor, and distilling complex challenges down to their fundamental physics. Both Jobs and Musk validate the venture capital adage that investment is placed not in ideas, but in the people capable of navigating the treacherous path from Point B to Point Z—the messy, unglamorous grind where visions are either realized or abandoned.

“In the architecture of achievement, ideas are merely the blueprints; execution is the foundation, the steel, and the mortar. A blueprint without a builder is just a dream drawn on paper” – Tolulope A. Adegoke, PhD

The Corporation: Engineering the Culture of Execution

For corporations, the evolution of an idea into reality is not a one-time event but a cultural imperative. It demands a structure and a philosophy that bridges the notorious gap between strategy and outcome. Procter & Gamble (P&G), a consumer goods giant, provides a master-class in adapting its execution model to survive and thrive. Despite investing billions in internal research and development, P&G recognized that its traditional closed-door approach was failing to meet innovation targets. The company evolved its idea-generation process by embracing “Connect + Develop,” opening its innovation pipeline to external inventors, suppliers, and even competitors. This shift in mindset was merely the idea; the reality was the rigorous, internal execution that vetted, integrated, and scaled those external concepts—like the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, which was discovered as a prototype in Japan and flawlessly executed by P&G’s operational machine. The company’s success hinges on what researchers call “imaginative integrity”—the ability to make an imagined future so tangible that the entire organization can build toward it.

Similarly, UPS stands as a testament to the power of “creative dissatisfaction.” For over a century, UPS has operated not on bursts of pure invention, but on the relentless engineering and re-engineering of its systems. Founder Jim Casey instilled a culture where the status quo was perpetually questioned—from testing monorail-based sort systems to optimizing delivery routes with algorithmic precision. The idea was not merely to deliver packages, but to create the pinnacle of logistical efficiency. The execution involved tens of thousands of employees “pulling together” to transform the organization repeatedly, embracing changes that ranged from entering the common carrier business in the 1950s to mastering e-commerce logistics in the 1990s. These companies succeed because they build what management experts call the “five bridges” to execution: the ability to manage change, a supportive structure, employee involvement, aligned leadership, and cross-company cooperation. At Costco, this is embodied by CEO James Sinegal, whose Spartan office and relentless focus on in-store details align leadership behavior with the company’s razor-thin margin strategy, proving that execution is modeled from the top down.

The Nation: The Political Economy of Progress

The evolution of ideas into reality scales beyond individuals and firms to the very level of nations. The economic trajectories of countries are determined by their ability to adapt foreign concepts and execute them within local contexts. The post-war rise of Japan is perhaps the most powerful example of this phenomenon. In the early 20th century, Japan was exposed to American ideas of scientific management, but the devastation of World War II left its industrial base in ruins. The idea that saved Japan was quality control, imported through lectures from American scholars W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran. The genius of Japan, however, was not in the adoption of the idea, but in its adaptation. Private organizations like the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) took the lead, transforming foreign theories into the uniquely Japanese practice of Total Quality Management (TQM) and the grassroots phenomenon of Quality Control circles. This was not government-mandated execution; it was a national movement of “thinker-doers” on the factory floor, relentlessly refining processes. The evolution of this idea rebuilt a nation, turning “Made in Japan” from a byword for cheap goods into a global standard for reliability.

In contrast, Singapore represents a different model of national execution: the state as a strategic architect. Upon independence, Singapore possessed few natural resources and a uncertain future. The government, however, possessed a clear-eyed vision of industrial development. It actively sought external assistance from the United Nations and Japan, but crucially, the Singaporean authorities acted as the “agent of adaptation” . They did not passively accept advice; they made decisive judgments about what was relevant to their unique circumstances and demanded specific adaptations. This disciplined, top-down execution of economic strategy—from building world-class infrastructure to enforcing rigorous education standards—evolved the idea of a “sovereign nation” into the reality of a first-world entrepôt. The contrast with nations like Tunisia, where external donors took the lead due to a lack of domestic policy clarity, highlights a fundamental truth: ideas flow freely across borders, but the ability to execute them is a domestic condition, cultivated through leadership and institutional will.

Conclusion: The Integrity of the Build

Ultimately, the evolution of an idea into reality demands what can be termed “imaginative integrity”—the unwavering commitment to binding the vision to the execution. It is a concept that applies equally to the Renaissance painter mixing his own pigments, the CEO sleeping on the factory floor, and the nation-state meticulously adapting foreign technology. The world is full of “crude ideas” that lack the refinement of execution; even a brilliantly designed structure like MIT’s Stata Center can falter if the craftsmanship of its realization is flawed.

The journey from “A to Z” is long, and the gap between strategy and outcome is the graveyard of potential. To traverse it, one must recognize that thinking and doing are not sequential acts but concurrent disciplines. The doers are the major thinkers, for they are the ones who test hypotheses against reality, who adapt to feedback, and who possess the grit to push through the inevitable obstacles. Whether it is a nation reshaping its economy, a corporation reinventing its logistics, or an individual defying the limits of technology, the lesson remains constant: the future belongs not just to those who can dream it, but to those who can build it.

Vision sees the path; execution walks it, blisters and all. The distance between a dream and a legacy is measured only by the courage to begin the work.

History does not remember the whisper of a thought, but the echo of its impact. To think is human, but to execute is to leave a mark on time.

Dr. Tolulope A. Adegoke, AMBP-UN is a globally recognized scholar-practitioner and thought leader at the nexus of security, governance, and strategic leadership. His mission is dedicated to advancing ethical governance, strategic human capital development, and resilient nation-building, and global peace. He can be reached via: tolulopeadegoke01@gmail.com, globalstageimpacts@gmail.com

Opinion

How an Organist Can Live a More Fulfilling Life

Published

2 weeks ago

February 23, 2026

Eric

By Tunde Shosanya

It is essential for an Organist to live a fulfilling life, as organ playing has the capacity to profoundly and uniquely impact individuals. There is nothing inappropriate about an Organist building their own home, nor is it unlawful for an Organist to have a personal vehicle. As Organists, we must take control of our own futures; once again, while our certificates hold value, organ playing requires our expertise. We should not limit ourselves to what we think we can accomplish; rather, we should chase our dreams as far as our minds permit. Always keep in mind, if you have faith in yourself, you can achieve success.

There are numerous ways for Organists to live a more fulfilling and joyful life; here are several suggestions:

Focus on your passion. Set an example, and aim for daily improvement.

Be self-reliant and cultivate harmony with your vicar.

Speak less and commit to thinking and acting more.

Make choices that bring you happiness, and maintain discipline in your professional endeavors.

Help others and establish achievable goals for yourself.

Chase your dreams and persist without giving up.

“Playing as an Organist in a Church is a gratifying experience; while a good Organist possesses a certificate, it is the skills in organ playing that truly matter” -Shosanya 2020

Here are 10 essential practices for dedicated Organists…

1) Listen to and analyze organ scores.

2) Achieve proficiency in sight reading.

3) Explore the biographies of renowned Organists and Composers.

4) Attend live concerts.

5) Record your performances and be open to feedback.

6) Improve your time management skills.

7) Focus on overcoming your weaknesses.

8) Engage in discussions about music with fellow musicians.

9) Study the history of music and the various styles of organ playing from different Organists.

10) Take breaks when you feel fatigued. Your well-being is vital and takes precedence over organ playing.

In conclusion, as an Organist, if you aspire to live towards a more fulfilling life in service and during retirement, consider the following suggestions.

1) Plan for the future that remains unseen by investing wisely.

2) Prioritize your health and well-being.

3) Aim to save a minimum of 20 percent of your monthly salary.

4) Maintain your documents in an organized manner for future reference.

5) Contribute to your pension account on a monthly basis.

6) Join a cooperative at your workplace.

7) Ensure your life while you are in service.

8) If feasible, purchase at least one plot of land.

9) Steer clear of accumulating debt as you approach retirement.

10) Foster connections among your peers.