By Bashir Dawodu
The Vice Chancellor of Lagos State University of Education, Prof. Bidemi Lafiagi-Okuneye, has called on the Nigerian Association of Health Educators (NAHE) to broaden its strategies for delivering health promotion messages, emphasising the need to reach diverse segments of the population in order to combat widespread health ignorance.
Prof. Lafiagi-Okuneye made this call last Monday (June 16, 2025), while delivering a keynote address at the 27th Annual National Conference of NAHE hosted by the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, University of Ilorin. .The theme of the event was “Dimensions and Adaptation to Health and Illness Behaviours: Repositioning Health Education in Nigeria’s Health Care System.”
The Vice Chancellor said, “Information is essential, but health education goes beyond sharing systematic knowledge, adding, ‘‘It is about driving behavioral change, challenging harmful cultural norms, and empowering communities to take control of their health outcomes.”
Prof. Lafiagi-Okuneye emphasised the critical role of health education in improving health literacy, promoting disease prevention, facilitating early detection, and building community engagement and trust.
She also urged Nigerians to take full responsibility for their personal health and not delegate that duty to others. “Your health is your responsibility,” she stressed, saying,“No one else can manage it for you.”
Prof. Lafiagi-Okuneye stressed that health education should be seen as foundational, not optional. She urged policymakers and government leaders to prioritise health literacy as a national development imperative.
“Primary healthcare should precede secondary and tertiary interventions,” she noted, adding, “We must view health education as a cornerstone of our development strategy.”
Echoing similar sentiments, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, urged the Federal Government to reposition health education to become a primary choice for students, not a fallback option.
He said that no matter how expensive education is, it is still unavoidable. “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance,” he said.
In his welcome address, the NAHE National President, Prof. Raheem Adaramaja Shehu, expressed gratitude to participants who came from allover the country for the conference.
Prof. Adaramaja, who is also the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Commission, reaffirmed the Association’s mission to play an active role in addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges.
On his part, the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq,CON, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mr Kayode Alabi, reiterated the state government’s commitment to equipping health centres and training healthcare practitioners.
The Governor commended NAHE’s efforts in improving healthcare delivery and public awareness.
Also speaking, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Ilorin, Prof. Lasiele Alabi Yahaya, emphasised the importance of prioritising health. “Our health is our wealth. Before we get involved in anything, health must come first,” he said.
The Head of the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, Prof. S.O. Oniyangi, expressed pride in hosting health educators from across the nation.
Prof. Oniyangi thanked NAHE leadership for their unwavering contributions to health development.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the event, Prof. O.L. Olaitan, hailed the visionaries behind NAHE as he described the body as a strategic platform for public enlightenment and health improvement.
“You can only give what you have,” he reminded participants, urging them to keep advancing their professional knowledge.
The conference featured paper presentations, panel discussions, and the launch of a professional journal.
