Ex-NAWOJ president urges Nigerian Women to Dance, Unwind for better Mental Health

Former president of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Evelyn Onyilo, has called on women across the country to prioritise their mental health by finding time to relax, unwind, and dance.

Onyilo made this appeal in Abuja during a seminar organised by Emiral Global and the Abuja Women Dance group, themed “Promoting Health Well-being Through Alternative Medicine.”

Addressing participants, Onyilo noted that while orthodox medicine remains important, the rising issue of fake and adulterated drugs calls for renewed attention to alternative medicine, stressing that Nigeria could follow China’s example in researching and promoting traditional remedies made from fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

“We advocate sound mental health because many women, burdened with responsibilities — from childcare and school runs to managing the home — hardly find time for themselves. This creates stress, which, if unchecked, can lead to depression,” she said.

Onyilo, a member of the Abuja Women Dance, highlighted the group’s activities which include dance, yoga, physical exercise, and open conversations about challenges affecting women’s health and well-being.

She urged women to routinely engage in activities they love, noting that “a society with sick and depressed women cannot be wholesome.”

According to her, alternative medicine research and platforms like Abuja Women Dance can help address mental health and wellness issues affecting women, which are critical to national development.