Varsity Don Advises Social Workers On Professionalism

A senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work at the University of Ibadan, Dr Abimbola Afolabi, has advised Nigerian social workers to treat their clients in line with the principles and ethics of the Social Work profession.

Afolabi gave this admonition in Ibadan while delivering a paper as one of the guest speakers at World Social Work Day, organised by the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), Oyo State chapter.

The don, while speaking on this year’s theme “Co-building hope and harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society”, called on Nigerian social workers to treat and relate with their clients without fear or favour.

She said, “We should treat and relate with people not based on their ethnicity, religion, or language. There are many divisions in Nigeria, which give us, as social workers, more work to do.

“These inequalities are causing more social problems in our society for us to solve. Social Work is preaching unity and not disunity. No matter your religion or ethnic background, we have to preach unity. When there is a conflict, it will affect everybody.

“As social workers, we have to encourage unity and discourage disunity. So everyone has a role to play. We must carry out our duties responsibly. As social workers, you are not there to add to the problems, you are there to provide the solutions to the problems”.

The second guest speaker, Dr Victoria Iyanda from the Department of Behavioural Science, Lead City University, Ibadan, called on governments at all levels to engage more social workers in tackling the social problems facing citizens and the country as a whole.

She also called for a trauma-informed social work practice, saying that trauma affects everybody in society.

Iyanda said, “Government should involve social workers in the North, at IDP camps, the government should engage the social workers. Nigeria is more divided now. Are we not divided? We see that individuals, families and communities experience trauma. That is why we need trauma-informed social work practice across all settings.

“Social Workers operate in Social welfare settings. We are using the same pattern. You can practice anywhere. Trauma affects everybody. Trauma-informed social work is what we should advocate for.

“Collaborate, refer when you don’t have the capacity to help. Social Workers are change agents. Trauma-informed care should be integrated in our practice”.

NASoW National President, Alhaji Mashood Mustapha, who was represented by the association’s National Public Relations Officer, Mr Musliudeen Adebayo, in his goodwill message, congratulated Social Workers in the state on the occasion of another Social Work month.

He said that the essence of World Social Work Day was to recognise the contributions of social workers worldwide and raise awareness of the profession.