At the National Arts in Health Week, Experts Mull Nigeria’s Effort Towards Best Practices.

Yinka Olatunbosun

The third edition of Nigeria Arts and Health Week held in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Art and Creative Economy, The Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship and the Who- Jameel Arts and Health Lab has since ended but the memories still linger.

A unique experience, the 2024 edition explored arts and community building, arts and mental health, arts and environment, arts and rehabilitation, arts and maternal health, arts and wellbeing featuring poetry, guided meditation, storytelling, book review, book launch, art therapy, dance, origami, gaming, hospital murals, recycling, community arts engagements amongst others.

At the Opening ceremony, the Honourable Minister of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa described the event as ‘a testament to the unwavering commitment to fostering community wellbeing through the transformative power of arts.’

“It is a celebration of intergenerational, intercultural and interdisciplinary collaboration that intertwines arts and health, leaving a tapestry of healing and hope all across our nation,” she said.

Since its inception, the National Arts in Health Week has evolved into a beacon of light, illuminating the path to holistic health and wellness in Nigeria.

In the same vein, Prof Ali Pate, the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Welfare said: “For us in the health sector, we consider health as a complete state of mental and physical well being not merely in the absence of disease or infirmity. In the context of our agenda in Nigeria, the role of arts and the creative sector aligns with three of our key objectives: reducing pain, producing physical and mental health and spiritual wellbeing.”

The opening ceremony had more international speakers and Nigerians in the diaspora, one of whom was Dr Yewande Okuleye, poet, cultural producer and humanities specialist (UK) who spoke on the topic ‘Journey to Mindfulness: Exploring Time, Presence, and Emotion through Poetry.’

Christopher Bailey, the WHO Arts and Health Lead in his remark said: “My interest in Nigeria is not just supporting the development of the wellbeing of Nigerians but to have the honour of having your knowledge shared so that I can let other people know about the wonderful practices that you are doing for the benefits of all.”

The National Arts in Health Week third edition also had activation of diasporans for Arts in Health in Nigeria (DAHN), led by Kunle Adewale, Nigerian-born UK Arts in Health Practitioner, alongside others in the United Kingdom and the United States. According to Kunle, “The diaspora communities are richly blessed with exceptional Nigerians doing great work in these countries. We need to come together and think of what we can do back home to support the development and advancement of Arts and Health Practices. We must nourish our roots so the world can continue seeing Nigeria’s beauty at home and abroad.”

The event, which featured the Steering Committee for the Nigeria National Orchestra for Music and Health, was a multi-layered spectacle. Emotions were heightened by a multi-cultural performance from the National Troupe of Nigeria led by Hajja Kaltume Bulama Gana, Artistic Director, National Troupe of Nigeria, alongside Churemi, a Musician and Global Arts in Medicine Fellow from Port Harcourt.

The opening ceremony also had a solo art exhibition by Adejuwon Adewale, 4-year-old Nigerian-born Manchester artist, with over 40 digital works on display. The compere for the event includes Ms. Oyindamola Faithful, Artistic Director CCA Lagos and Mira Idris Ibrahim, SA, to the Honourable Minister of Art, Culture and Creative Economy.

The National Arts in Health Week Nigeria was a nationwide event with conferences, healing hubs across hospitals and communities, arts and health café featuring interdisciplinary professionals, book reviews, performances, art therapy workshops led by cultural organisations, academic Institutions, and public health institutions, among was the Scrap Art Museum, Auchi Polytechnic; Lagos University Teaching Hospital; Garki Hospital, Abuja, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Mud Art, Kaduna, among others.

Participants in this year’s edition are estimated to be 2000 people. The regional participation led by Professional Artists, South West Nigeria, focused on Arts and Environment with a Conference at Scrap Art Museum led by Nigeria South West Chair, Dotun Popoola, North West focused on WE CREATE TOGETHER, Dance, Music, Storytelling and Poetry in Kaduna led by North West Chair, Ochai Ogaba and the South-East focused on The role and impact of human hands-on health in Edo State led by SouthEast Chair, Ambassador Kent Onah.

The National Arts in Health Week Nigeria also featured a global round table and the launch of the first-of-its-kind global evaluation of the impact of murals on hospitals, led by the Jameel Arts and Health Lab and NYU Steinhardt in collaboration with the World Health Organization and featuring Nigeria, Slovenia, the United States, and the United Kingdom.