By sdnonline

Men have been advised to live a holistic lifestyle germane for their mental, physical, and social well-being.

Experts in legal, insurance, and health field, who spoke at the Nigeria pre-event session of the International Men’s Day (IMD) 2022, noted that the many expectations, which are being placed on men, subjects them to depression and social vices when they cannot meet up with such suppositions.

Founder, International Men’s Day, Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh of Trinidad & Tobago, while speaking on the theme: ‘Men living by example: Examining the expectations from gender perspectives’ noted that the pre-event is a build-up to the main event later in the year, focuses on men being positive role models in the society.

According to him, societal expectations like being the breadwinner of the family can create mental health issues for men who, due to one reason or the other, may not be able to meet up with others, thereby leading to depression, with some engaging in social vices like drug addiction and over-indulgence in alcohol.

“There are expectations from men by the society like being the breadwinners in their families, which sometimes create mental health issues. It means they must be the best and excel in all areas of life. This makes men suffer from depression and engage in social vices like drug addiction and drinking alcohol.,” Teelucksingh said.

Legal pitfalls to prevent

Speaking on legal pitfalls to prevent, Legal Practitioner, Mrs. Nihinlola Aluko-Olokun, in her submission, urged men not to overburden themselves with societal expectations.

She stated that irrespective of status, there are legal issues like marriage, divorce, Will, and family that men should know about.

“Men should know about these legal issues. When a man writes his Will, it doesn’t mean he’s going to die but the Will dictates how his estate will be governed. Men should go for legal advice based on their circumstances,” she said.

Your health, your wealth

On her part, while acknowledging the roles played by men in families and society at large, Mrs. Funmi Agbesusi who is a medical practitioner, counseled that men should prioritise their health for effective and efficient performance.

She also opined that healthy living should be a continuous routine for men.

“Men should embrace healthy eating habits, water therapy to stay hydrated, and fruit intake at all times. Eating healthy is important as it plays a major role in their health.

“Men should engage in regular exercise as well as medical check-ups. Also, ensure you have adequate sleep and harmony at home,” she said.

Agbesusi maintained that stress management is important for men in order to live healthily.
She, therefore, advised them to empower their wives, so that they can be financially responsible in the family.

Securing the future

Speaking on the importance of having insurance policies Mrs. Julien Osamezu-Enogieru, an insurance specialist, reiterated that so much pressure is being put on men on a daily basis, which is why they must not only think of the future but have a retirement plan in place to secure it.

She said: “There is so much pressure on men. Everybody thinks about the future but nobody asked what are you doing for the future.

“There must be a plan for retirement to make life easier. When you have insurance policies, you secure your life, your family, and future,” she said.

IMD Nigeria Coordinator, Sanmi Falobi explained that the session was organised with the focus of raising public awareness and garnering upping support ahead of the International Men’s Day main event on November 19.