By Chinaguh Emmanuel
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde has received the final report of the research team on Health Communication, led by the Vice-Rector of Pan African University (PAU), Cameroon, Prof. Bolanle Akeredolu-Ale.
The project, titled “Facework for Mental Health: A Pragma-Linguistic Study of Community/Medical Social Support in Dealing with Covid-19 and Other Life Stressors,” was funded by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) and was officially presented to the University Management on June 13, 2024, at the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment (CEADESE) Conference Room, International Scholars’ and Resource Centre (IS&RC), Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).
The Vice-Chancellor who was represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Development), Prof. Kola Adebayo highlighted FUNAAB’s global recognition, including being named Africa’s best University of Agriculture earlier in the year and ranking 3rd among Nigerian universities in recently released 2024 Global University Impact Rankings by Times Higher Education (THE).
While presenting the report, Prof. Akeredolu-Ale, the Principal Investigator reviewed the project goals, impact, and methodology, summarising key findings such as crisis communication strategies during COVID-19, regional infection rate variations, facework in psychiatric consultations, and developing a Mental Health Facework (MHF) tool.
Prof. Akeredolu-Ale also, a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), noted that the Team revealed that the MHF tool was a web-based application that seeks to assist mental health professionals with additional screening capabilities.
She, therefore, expressed gratitude to TETFund, the University Management, and the Directorate of Research, Innovations and Partnerships (DRIP), for the opportunity to carry out the national research project.
She also acknowledged the support of the Deans, Heads of Departments, Ag. Director, Health Services, and the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta.
In his remarks, the Director, DRIP, Prof. Mutiu Busari, commended the Research Team for being the first among its batch to have completed their project and submitted the final report.
He recognised the project’s cross-cutting impact, extending beyond agriculture, while suggesting to the Team to seek more funding to take the project output to the next level.
Attendees included the Dean, College of Agricultural Management and Rural Development (COLAMRUD), represented by the Deputy Dean, Prof. Bosede Sotiloye; the Head, Department of Communication and General Studies, Prof. Onyekwere Nwaorgu; the Ag. Director, Health Services, Dr. Oluseyi Anjorin, and a member of the Research Team from Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Dr. Olanrewaju Sodeinde, as well as other staff members within the University Health Services and beyond.
