It’s been a very tough couple of weeks.

In fact, truth be told, a very tough year! First it was the Corona virus that brought the world to a standstill and made us prisoners in our own homes. Businesses closed down. Schools were shut down. The loss of income was insurmountable which further added to our stress level. Some are yet to recover as the virus takes a turn for the worse. Life, as we used to know it, is a struggle to return to. But we have managed to tread carefully and work around it trying to pick up the pieces. Thank God for social media and online communication.

But just as we were trying to find our equilibrium again, another disaster hit us as a nation.

As we all know, so much has happened in the last few weeks. The #endsars peaceful protest. The Lekki shootings. And now, Lagos state has set up an 8 man Judicial Panel of Inquiry and Restitution to look into both matters and also the complaints of victims of police brutality.

One thing, these incidents have triggered yet again, is the stress level thrust upon us as a people. There is now even more fear and anxiety in the land.

Another area we have to look into is what effect this has had on our mental health because now, more than ever, this is something growing alarmingly fast in our midst because of the challenges and difficulties faced in living in a climate like Nigeria. Yes, most times, something triggers mental health issues but if you are in an already difficult environment, where too many other issues bring daily challenges to your doorstep, people suffering from mental health are hard pressed to get the medical attention required to handle their delicate issue. Most painfully, the ailment is most times, wrongly perceived as ‘an indulgence’ because it is not a physical ailment.

Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri is a mental health physician and in her interview, she address this pertinent issue that requires urgent attention because mental health has become a very pressing problem.

I do hope we can nip this ailment in the bud soon enough and get it under control to avert its growth. We pray for the souls of those who lost their lives due to police brutality, the Lekki shootings and the wanton destruction of Lagos state and other places. We also pray that those suffering from mental health will get the attention they need living in a system that ignite their fears and uncertainties of what their tomorrows hold.

We pray for Nigeria our country!