UNILAG Hosts YLAH Lagos Summit, Spotlights Youth Mental Health and Creative Expression

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, hosted the Young Leaders for Arts and Health (YLAH) Lagos Summit, a youth-led initiative that explores the role of creativity in advancing mental health and holistic wellbeing.

Held at the Faculty of Creative Arts Hall under the theme “Reimagining Health: Creativity, Community & the Future of Youth Wellbeing”, the event was co-produced by the Global Arts in Medicine Fellowship (GAIMF), the Commonwealth Leadership Institute (UK), Uwevwi Studios, and UNILAG’s Faculty of Creative Arts. It brought together mental health advocates, healthcare professionals, art therapists, academics, and creatives committed to shaping a healthier and more expressive future for young people.

Notable attendees included GAIMF founder and Global Director of YLAH, Dr. Kunle Adewale; and the event’s Convener and Chair, Dr. Florence Nweke, who also represented Dr. D.K. Olukoya, General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, a key sponsor.

Representing the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade T. Ogunsola, OON, FAS, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development Services), Professor Foluso Afolabi Lesi, described the summit’s theme as “timely and necessary” in today’s youth mental health climate. He stressed that health “isn’t just the absence of disease” but “a complete state of wellbeing—physiological, psychological, and social,” adding that the arts now play a crucial role in healing and storytelling for patients.

Two panel sessions anchored the programme. The first, moderated by Mrs. Mitchel Adegbola, examined “Reimagining Health: Creativity, Community & the Future of Youth Well-being,” featuring social innovator Abraham Ologundudu; medical doctor Dr. Sanmi Oduntan; and Prefect Tour CEO, Chimaka Obuekewe. The second, “The Healing Power of Arts: Case Stories, Lived Experience,” spotlighted clinical psychologist Segun Odufuwa; mental health advocate Tosin Kolawole; artist and art therapist Iniabasi Leye; Harvard Mellon School alumna Dr. Toyin Olokodana-James; and filmmaker Amodu Adebayo.

Discussions confronted issues such as depression, trauma, sexual violence, and stigma, with candid accounts from panelists evoking emotional audience responses and turning the sessions into moments of collective healing.

Creative performances—including spoken word poetry, music, and contemporary pieces by young talents—punctuated the programme, reinforcing the summit’s message that art can be a powerful vessel for wellness and recovery.

In her closing remarks, Dr. Nweke described the gathering as “a living experience of ideas, emotions, and creative energy,” thanking sponsors, facilitators, UNILAG management, and the young participants whose energy defined the event.

The 2025 YLAH Lagos Summit, organisers noted, signaled a significant moment in Nigeria’s mental health advocacy by uniting diverse voices to redefine healing through creativity and community support.