The African Network of Professional Counsellors (ANEPCO) has urged Nigerians to remain optimistic in the face of the country’s difficult economic situation.
The counsellors made the appeal during a webinar in Lagos to commemorate the 6th ANEPCO Summit, which had the theme “Finding Hope in a Declining Economy.”
Mrs Ronke Adeyemi, a psychotherapist, said at the summit that having hope in life is good for one’s mental health.
Adeyemi said that hope was necessary in coping with the challenges and adversities of life.
Hope, according to her, is having a desire or anticipation of what is to come.
She stated that maintaining hope was essential for maintaining one’s mental health regardless of the challenges of life’s journey.
“Hope assists us in planning and motivating ourselves. It brings us such inner happiness that we don’t know where it comes from.
“We need to question our cultural beliefs,” Adeyemi stated.
Mr Lanre Oyegbola, a Marketing Communications Expert, also commented that an economy can be valued based on its size and movement.
According to Oyegbola, whatever is seen in any market determines what one gets out of the market.
“Whatever you see in the country will either inspire or stifle hope.”
“In Africa, you will not find a market as large as Nigeria,” Oyegbola said.
Despite the challenges facing the Nigerian economy, the expert stated that the country is full of opportunities, has a large population, diverse people, and the world’s largest single black market.
“Population is a source of commercial power.”
“Moving rightly is the game.”
“The perspective you take on what is presented to us in an economy will significantly determine how much value one can take out of that economy,” Oyegbola said.
He noted that when Indians first set foot on Nigerian soil, they immediately recognized economic opportunities.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the Africa Network of Professional Counsellors (ANEPCO) was established in 2018.
Its mission is to promote, nurture, and support professional counselling practices among counsellors and psychotherapists (at all career stages) based in Africa and/or working with African clients.
The network was created to create an environment for therapists to share their experiences, learn on the job, connect with other counsellors, and promote counselling in Africa.