Men across all ages have been charged to live exemplary lifestyles especially as it pertains to their health, family/financial management, and social values.
The advice was shared by experts during the Nigeria Pre-event session of the International Men’s Day (IMD) 2022, themed: ‘Men living by example: Examining the expectations from gender perspectives’.
While giving his remarks at the event, the founder of International Men’s Day, Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh of Trinidad & Tobago explained that the theme of the pre-event is focused on men being positive role models and men who have decided to transform their lives.
Teelucksingh said that society placed too much burden on men through different expectations and set standards, which subjects men to depression and social vices.
He said “society expects men to be breadwinners in their homes and families, which sometimes creates mental health issues because of the expectations. It means they must be the best and excel in all areas of society. This makes them suffer from depression and become drug addicts, drinking alcohol being one of them.”
The IMD founder appealed that such pressure should be addressed as they are not appropriate.
While speaking on the pitfalls to avoid, Legal Practitioner, Mrs. Nihinlola Aluko-Olokun, said men should be joyful always and not allow the demands of society to overburden them.
“Men should not be under pressure to carry out their duties, they should know how to manage the stress in society by knowing what to do and what not to do all the time and not going overboard,” Olokun added.
While advising on legal issues to bear in mind as men (single or married), Mrs. Aluko-Olokun urged men to prioritize their health over work demands.
Corroborating her, Mrs. Funmi Agbesusi, who spoke on healthy living and wellness for men, believes that men deserve to be celebrated so that they can be healthy, noting that having a healthy body and soul allows them to perform their duties effectively.
Mrs. Agbesusi also noted that healthy living should be a continuous routine for men, advising men to adopt healthy eating habits and observe water therapy to stay hydrated at all times.
She also warned against the intake of alcohol, smoking, and other substances that are harmful to the body system.
On her part, Mrs. Julien Osamezu-Enogieru also admonished the men on the importance of subscribing to different insurance policies, which according to her is quite beneficial for the man and the family at large.
Coordinator of the IMD Nigeria Pre-event session, Sanmi Falobi said the session was organized with the aim of creating awareness and galvanizing support ahead of the International Men’s Day main event on November 19.
The IMD pre-event session was organized by the IMD Nigeria event Committee and powered by Innate Communication and other partners.