Aregbe’s Exit And Baba Sala’s Metamorphosis

Do you know that there are parallelisms between the end of the tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and the transition of our ace comedian, philosopher and actor, Moses Olaiya Adejumo, alias “Baba Sala” ?

Apart from the fact that the two philosophers hailed from Ilesa, are you aware that the two of them have special callings to heal insanity? Do you know that the comedies of Baba Sala were not just for humour but potent ‘Largactil’ to calm down nerves and reduce madness in all of us?

Are you aware that apart from Aregbe’s direct social protection at taking care of all mad men and women on the streets, have you ever wondered how he managed to turn many of the’ State Boys’ to responsible people in the State with his songs, dancing steps, banters and recognitions? We need more of Aregbe! We need more of Baba Sala! If you care to know more about this, come along, please. Walters, a co-founder of the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance Young Adults chapter in San Francisco, said: “Everyone is just a little bit mad. How much depends on where you fall in the spectrum. How much depends on how lucky you are.

Do you find time to laugh? Do you make people laugh at all? Do you know that making people laugh is a science? Yes! It is called Gelotology – or the study of laughter and the potential health benefits of laughing.

Do you know that Aregbesola is a political gelotologist, always designing programmes to making people happy, thus bailing them out of depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses? Do you know that evidence suggests that 450 million people worldwide are impacted by mental health? Do you know that major depression ranks fourth among the top 10 leading causes of disease worldwide? Do you know that within 20 years, mental illness is predicted to become the leading cause of disease worldwide? Do you know that women are more likely to have a mental illness than men? Do you know that one million people commit suicide every year and 10 to 20 million attempt it?

Are you aware that 20 million Nigerians are having mental problems? Are you aware that in a 36 State structure, that translates to 555,555 insane people in each State of the Federation, including the State of Osun. Which means that out of every seven persons in a gathering in our State, at least of them is mad. Comrades, we need more of Aregbe! We need more of Baba Sala! You care to know more? Come along, please.

It was Ryan Barrell. He conducted a research on how laughter and comedy can help with depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. He chronicled the health benefits of laughing. According to him, laughter releases endorphins, which make us feel happy, as well as other hormones linked with reducing stress, boosting immune response and strengthening social relationships. He added that when it comes to mental health, the release of these happy hormones are an excellent short-term relief, while a heightened level of social bonding can lead to longer term feelings of inclusion and the creation of support networks. Do you know that these are key elements in the fight against depression?

A Laughter Consultant, oe Bluett, a member of The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor (AATH) writing in a HuffPost UK blog, revealed how laughter has been helping in the therapy of patients having mental health challenges. He said: “Laughter has a way of instantly connecting people and is one of the most basic and fundamental ways in which we communicate as human beings. But more than that – laughter can increase confidence, self-esteem, creativity, positivity and resilience, bringing positive changes to all aspects of our lives.”

It must be noted that one study, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry found that laughter yoga was more effective in alleviating the effects of depression in older women than normal exercise. Equally, a report from Israel’s University of Haifa found it “surprising that it has not been widely applied and researched in psychiatric settings, especially since this population is most in need of cost-efficient means to improve quality of life, ….. the scientific community is clear that laughter is good for your mental health, but it does not simply stop there. There’s a lot more that comedy can do to help with mental illness.” Can you now spot the hand of Baba Sala here in his ‘Awada Spot and films?

Doug Segal and Mark Dolan declare in their studies that comedy industry helps people with mental health issues to normalise illnesses, showing sufferers that they are not alone and that they can be successful and lead normal lives while suffering from any mental disorder. They argue further that comedy improves our mental health in various ways as it offers an excellent outlet for people who need to get something off their chests, or take the power back by making light of their mental health problems. Laughter reduces mental tension and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more. Both sides of the brain are stimulated during laughing encouraging clarity, humor and creativity and better problem solving ability. The words of Catherine Rippenger Fenwick interlude: “Your body cannot heal without play. Your mind cannot heal without laughter. Your soul cannot heal without joy.”

May God bless Lee Berk,. He was a principal investigator in a study titled: “Therapeutic Benefits of Laughter in Mental Health: A Theoretical Review (Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2016, 239, 243-249). After the study, Lee Berk declared: “Laughter helps to think more clearly and have more integrative thoughts. A recent study showed that people who engage in joyful laughter produce brain wave frequencies similar to that of a true state of meditation.” His words resonate further:

“When there is mirthful laughter, it is as if the brain gets a workout because the gamma wave band (the only frequency found in every part of the brain) is in synch with multiple other areas that are in the same 30-40 hertz frequency. This allows for the subjective feeling states of being able to think more clearly and have more integrative thoughts. This is of great value to individuals who need or want to revisit, reorganize, or rearrange various aspects of their lives or experiences, to make them feel whole or more focused,” All hail Baba Sala!

Researches have shown that laughter breaks the cycle of psychological negativity. Individuals who laugh easily and frequently have better self-esteem and a much more positive outlook on life in general. Do you now see why Aregbe beams with infectious smiles whenever there is any difficult situation? In the bigger picture, laughter is a survival skill that relieves tension, keeping us fluid and flexible instead of allowing us to become rigid and breakable in the face of change. Laughter is a tool that can disarm, open doors and possibilities and enable other elements of levity such as play, wonder and celebration of life.

Whaoooh! Our king of comedy, the original manufacturer of humour is dead. Moses Olaiya Adejumo, alias ‘Baba Sala’ was born on 18th May 1936 and died on 7th October, 2018 (aged 82). He was a foremost Nigerian comedian, dramatist and actor who pioneered modern Nigerian comedy, alongside other dramatists like Hubert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola, Oyin Adejobi and Duro Ladipo. Baba Sala started his career in show business as a high-life musician. He founded a music group in 1964 known as the Federal Rhythm Dandies. Our Afro-Juju maestro, King Sunny Adé graduated from this music school. He was a prolific film-maker. He produced films which included: Orun-Mooru (1982), Aare Agbaye (1983), Mosebolatan (1985), Obee Gbona (1989), Diamond (1990 Home video ), Agba Man (1992, Home Video), Return Match (1993, Home Video), Ana Gomina (1996, home video, ) and Tokunbo (1985, TV).
Do you know that Baba Sala was a mobile library … one of our foremost intellectual property?

Do you know that in better climes, his house will be converted to a museum? Do you know that it was Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola that discovered the gold mine in him more in his dying days through the programme “Oro Iyanju Toni” featuring Baba Okoto Agba, a personification of original Ancient Yoruba Moral Philosophy? Do you know that the programme needs rebroadcast in all radio and television stations in Yoruba land? Do you know that the programme should be part of the curriculum in all our schools including our universities in the South West?

Do you know that Socrates did not do more than that? Do you know that Plato did not do half of that? Do you know that Aristotle of Stagira did not do up to that? We must thank Aregbe for giving vent to the rich philosophical mind of Baba Sala as our contemporary Socrates …. transforming comedy to another level to teach uncommon ancient moral philosophy of the Yoruba people. To Baba Sala, comedy was life.

Comedy is simply any discourse intended to bring humour. It is to induce laughter, especially in theatre, television, film, stand-up comedy, or any other medium of entertainment. There are two schools of thought about comedy. We have the Platonic School and we have the Aristotilian School. Plato taught that comedy is a destruction to the self. He believed that it produces an emotion that overrides rational self-control and learning. In The Republic, he says that the Guardians of the State should avoid laughter, for ordinarily when one abandons himself to violent laughter, his condition provokes a violent reaction.’ To Plato, the government of a community is such a serious business that should be tightly controlled if one wants to achieve the ideal state and humour or comedy is a distraction. On the contrary, Aristotle taught that comedy was generally positive for society, since it brings forth happiness, which for Aristotle was the ideal state, the final goal in any activity.

The art of comedy was popularized in Ancient Greece as satires performed by the comic poets at the theaters to correct some vices in their leaders and followers alike. Popular among them was Aristophanes, (425 BCE). He wrote and acted 40 comedies in the ancient Greek Theater Comedy was popular during Renaissance. The advent of cinema in the late 19th century, and later radio and television in the 20th century broadened the access of comedians to the general public. Today, comedy is a huge business. “Basket Mouth” of Nigeria and other new era comedians are now seriously dollar-denominated and heading their own in the comity of successful people. Do you know that apart form the economic values of comedy, it has healing effects? Yes!

Writing in a Huff-Post UK blog, Laughter Consultant Joe Bluett said: “Laughter has a way of instantly connecting people and is one of the most basic and fundamental ways in which we communicate as human beings. But more than that – laughter can increase confidence, self-esteem, creativity, positivity and resilience, bringing positive changes to all aspects of our lives.” He declared further:
“A number of my laughter club regulars have embraced huge positive changes in their lives – e,.g losing weight, returning to work after years of illness and/or depression; coping with serious health diagnosis and grief; coping with the isolation and stress of being a full time career.”

One study, published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, found that laughter yoga was more effective in alleviating the effects of depression in older women than normal exercise. A report from Israel’s University of Haifa found it “surprising that it has not been widely applied and researched in psychiatric settings, especially since this population is most in need of cost-efficient means to improve quality of life. So, the scientific community is clear that laughter is good for your mental health, but it doesn’t simply stop there. There’s a lot more that comedy can do to help with mental illness.” Can you now see that Baba Sala was not just a comedian, but a mental therapist? Abi! How do we situate a situation of an administration having billions of Naira worth of Water Project, in a town having major water problem for decades, yet such administration receives less patronage in terms of voting for continuity? A parody of a comedy?

Maintaining good mental health is crucial to living a long and healthy life. It can enhance one’s life and psychological well-being. According to WHO, mental health includes “subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, inter-generational dependence, and self-actualization of one’s intellectual and emotional potential, among others.”

World Health Organisation states that the well-being of an individual is encompassed in the realization of their abilities, coping with normal stresses of life, productive work and contribution to their community. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how “mental health” is defined. Do you know that there is a difference between mental health and mental illness? Yes! You care to spot the difference? Come along.

According to the U.K. Surgeon-General (1999), mental health is the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and providing the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity. The term mental illness refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders—health conditions characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior associated with distress or impaired functioning. A person struggling with their mental health may experience this because of stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety, relationship problems, death of a loved one, suicidal thoughts, grief, addiction, cutting, self-harm, self-Injury, burning, various mood disorders, or other mental illnesses of varying degrees, as well as learning disabilities.”

We remember William Sweetser. He was the first to coin the term “mental hygiene”, which can be seen as the precursor to contemporary approaches to work on promoting positive mental health. Isaac Ray, one of the founders and the 4th President of the American Psychiatric Association, further defined mental hygiene as “the art of preserving the mind against all incidents and influences calculated to deteriorate its qualities, impair its energies, or derange its movements.”

Dorothea Dix (1802–1887) was an important figure in the development of the “mental hygiene” movement. Dix was a school teacher who endeavored throughout her life to help people with mental disorders, and to bring to light the deplorable conditions into which they were put. This was known as the “mental hygiene movement”. Before this movement, it was common that people affected by mental illness were neglected, often left alone in deplorable conditions, barely even having sufficient clothing. Dix’s efforts were so great that there was a rise in the number of patients in mental health facilities, which sadly resulted in these patients receiving less attention and care, as these institutions were largely understaffed.

After the second world war, references to mental hygiene were gradually replaced by the term ‘mental health’ due to its positive aspect that evolves from the treatment of illness to preventive and promotive areas of health care. Marie Jahoda described six major, fundamental categories that can be used to categorize mentally healthy individuals: a positive attitude towards the self, personal growth, integration, autonomy, a true perception of reality, and environmental mastery, which include adaptability and healthy interpersonal relationships. It is discovered that adults and children with mental illness may experience social stigma, which can exacerbate the issues.

Mental health can be seen as an unstable continuum, where an individual’s mental health may have many different possible values. Mental wellness is generally viewed as a positive attribute and it is associated with tripartite model of mental well-being, namely: emotional well-being, social well-being, and psychological well-being. It is discovered that mental illness affects not only the person themselves, but the people around them. Friends and family also play an important role in the child’s mental health stability and treatment.
Prevention is beginning to appear in mental health strategies, including the 2004 WHO report “Prevention of Mental Disorders”, the 2008 EU “Pact for Mental Health” and the 2011 US National Prevention Strategy. The popular prevention requires the regular consultation of a physician for at least twice a year to detect any signs that reveal any mental health concerns.

Do you know that all of us need to adhere to this prevention therapy? Do you know that we have to popularise Baba Sala’s comedy as a therapy too? Do you know that the madness which Baba Sala’s comedy cannot cure is cured by Aregbe’s social protection programme? All hail Rauf! Do you notice that the population of insane people on our streets are reducing by the day?

Are you aware that Aregbe has a social protection programme specializing in taking care of the insane people on our streets and getting them fully rehabilitated? Do you know that many of them who had been written off by their families in terms of mental health have been taken care of by Aregbe and are now heading their own in our society today? Do you know that this is the first time a Chief Executive Officer of a State in Nigeria will take up such responsibility as a deliberate policy of government and an object of worship? Do you know that we must appreciate this political icon more for opening our collective eyes to this snag of abandoning our fellow men and women that are mentally challenged? Are you aware that many of us are having mental health challenges, minimum of five hundred and fiftyfive thousand people in our State alone according to Statistics? Do you know that mental illnesses are more common than cancer, diabetes, or heart disease? Can you believe that World Health Organisation report estimated the global cost of mental illness was at nearly $2.5 trillion in 2010, with a projected increase to over $6 trillion by 2030?

Do you know that evidence from the World Health Organization suggests that nearly half of the world’s population are affected by mental illness with an impact on their self-esteem, relationships and ability to function in everyday life? Are you aware that an individual’s emotional health can also impact physical health and poor mental health can lead to problems such as substance abuse? Do you know that there is a rising tide of this menace already in all our towns and villages? Do you know that we must join Aregbe in the rehabilitation of these mentally challenged persons and engage all efforts to stem the menace down? Do you know that the exit of Aregbe and the transition to eternity of Baba Sala should not affect our mental health negatively?

Hurray! The World Health Organisation has declared 10th October of every year as the World Mental Health Day. This is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health to celebrate this annual awareness programme to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples’ life worldwide. The theme for 2018 celebration is “Young people and mental health in a changing world”. Do you know that a significant percentage of our youths is glued to habits that will jeopardise their mental health?

Do you know that the OYES programme of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola must be respected as a giant initiative? Why? Do you know that the programme has an in-built mechanism to reduce mental illness? Yes! The American Psychiatric Association declares that unemployment has a negative impact on an individual’s emotional well-being, self-esteem and more broadly their mental health. Increasing unemployment has been shown to have a significant impact on mental health, predominantly depressive disorders. This is an important consideration when reviewing the triggers for mental health disorders in any population survey.

According to a study on well-being by Richards, Campania and Muse-Burke, “mindfulness is considered to be a purposeful state, it may be that those who practice it believe in its importance and value being mindful, so that valuing of self-care activities may influence the intentional component of mindfulness.”
Emotional mental disorders are a leading cause of disabilities worldwide. In 1998, World Health Organisation established World Mental Health (WMH) Survey Initiative, The survey reveals: “Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide, accounting for 37% of all healthy life years lost through disease. These disorders are most destructive to low and middle-income countries due to their inability to provide their citizens with proper aid. Despite modern treatment and rehabilitation for emotional mental health disorders, “even economically advantaged societies have competing priorities and budgetary constraints”.

Specific strategy recommended for nations is the development of a mental health policy. This is a framework of the government highlighting its vision towards dealing with mental and neurological disorders in Nigeria. Though there are policies aimed at addressing mental health issues in Nigeria, in-depth information on mental health service in Nigeria is non-existent. This makes it difficult to identify areas of needs, coordinate activities of advocacy groups, and to make informed decision about policy direction. In effect, there is continued neglect of mental health issues as well as the many challenges that result from it in spite of existing government policy.

Do you know that there are about 20 million Nigerians suffering from mental illness? Do you know that a good number of them go without professional assistance? The first mental hospitals in Nigeria were the Calabar Lunatic Asylum, and Yaba Lunatic Asylum. The latter, renamed Yaba Mental Hospital in 1961, and again given its current name Yaba Psychiatric Center in 1977, admitted its first badge of 14 patients (8 women and 6 men) on 31 October 1907. Do you know that Yaba Lunatic Asylum was situated in the former headquarters of the Nigeria Railways? Do you know that in 1915, it became overcrowded, and some cells in Lagos prison were turned into Lunatic Asylum? Are you aware that Dr. Crispin Curtis Adeniyi-Jones, a Nigerian Physician and also an official of the Lagos Medical Service became the first Director of the Lagos Lunatic Asylum? Are you aware that as at now in Nigeria, with our 200 million population? there are only 130 psychiatrists in Nigeria to take care of 200 million people? Why are we so blessed in the opposite? No wonder that mental cases are referred to faith clinics in churches and mosques. Some of them fall as easy prey for rape, torture, forced labour and rituals. We need more of Baba Sala’s comedy as our alternative therapy and the kind heart of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola.

Our national approach to mental health has been sanguine, to say the least. The World Health Organization estimates that only about 3 per cent of the Federal Government’s budget on health goes to mental health. Nigeria’s mental health policy was first formulated in 1991. Its components include advocacy, promotion, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. In 2003, a bill for the establishment of Mental Health Act was introduced by Sen. Ibiabuye Martyns-Yellowe and Sen. Dalhatu Tafida but was later withdrawn in April 2009 without being passed at all. Four years later, precisely on March 20, 2013, the bill was re-introduced to the National Assembly by Hon. Samuel Babatunde Adejare and Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola. The Bill protects the rights of persons with mental disorders, ensures equal access to treatment and care, discourages stigma and discrimination and sets standards for psychiatric practice in Nigeria. The bill makes provisions for access to mental healthcare and services, voluntary and involuntary treatment, accreditation of professional and facilities, law enforcements and other judicial issues for people with mental illness, mechanisms to oversee involuntary admission and mechanism to implement the provision of mental health legislations.

It is a regret to note that over 15 years since the bill was introduced to the National Assembly, it is yet to be passed into law. In the absence of this act, traditional and spiritual healers relate most mental illness to spiritual attacks, with no diagnoses. This has created avenues for the dehumanization and extortion of mentally challenged in the country. On 18 February 2016, a neuro psychiatrist Dr. Memumah Yusuf Kadiri appealed to Nigerian lawmakers to expedite action on the mental health bill pointing out that Nigerians still see mental health as a taboo because the country still adheres to the Lunatic Act of colonial legacy.

Osun remains the only constant State in Nigeria that takes mentally challenged people from our streets, treats them and gets them fully rehabilitated. It was in the spirit of this legacy that we campaigned for continuity. We are happy that we won. We congratulate every one for supporting this initiative of Aregbe and for allowing our patrimony to continue in Ileri Oluwa. We want to thank God for the legacy of Baba Sala in all his comedies. We congratulate Osun for being the birth place of Baba Sala. We must thank Aregbe for promoting that Omoluabi Philosophy in Oro Iyanju Toni of Baba Sala. As your administration winds down, your works are cast on the rock in our hearts. Your debt is paid. Your account with history is settled. Wilfred Scawen Blunt says:
“Each in another’s eyes finds light…
Each in another’s eyes finds compassion.
This is the moment of pity…
This is the moment of love.”