As the world continues to tumble into a plethora of social and economic problems, diverse views have been formed on how to steer humanity from falling off the cliff. Although some of these views have potential, most are just bombastic noises emanating from a myopic view of the human condition.
In Abeokuta, recently, a group of people came together to mark a day special to them. And they, too, have a message.
Their message was not complex. Their message was that the average man on the street has immense potential. Their message was that government should not hesitate to invest in their people, as they are the fulcrum of society. Their message was that widespread crime and poverty will remain with us, if governments do not pay adequate attention to the welfare of the poor and less privileged.
This group of people were social workers, under the umbrella of the Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASOW), Ogun State chapter. But does their message have merit?
“This is a profession that seeks to enhance the coping capacity of groups in the society,” Adegbola Mujaheed, the Undersecretary of NASOW in Ogun State, told THISDAY during the World Social Work Day on March 17. The sun was blazing hot as the NASOW members prepared to go on a rally across the streets of Abeokuta. Social work is neither just about sweeping the streets nor doing charity; it is more than that,” Mujaheed said. “We are social engineers, and we enhance the proper functioning of individuals, households, communities and nations.”
In most developed countries, social work is an institutionalised instrument of the state to facilitate social and economic progress. The underlying philosophy of social work is that government must create a better environment, where every individual, regardless of economic or social factors, can have the opportunity to maximise his potential.
“There are problems everywhere,” Chairman of NASOW in Ogun State, Balogun Olukunle, said. “In Nigeria, only a few enjoy, while the rest wallow in poverty. This wide inequality has led to widespread crime, unemployment, and so many social problems. And this is in large part because the government is not supporting and recognising social workers.”
According to Wikipedia: “in the UK, the title “Social Worker” is protected by law (under s.61 Care Standards Act 2000) and only those who have undergone approved training at university either through a Bachelor or Master’s degree in Social Work and are registered with the appropriate professional regulatory body (the Health and Care Professions Council in England, the Scottish Social Services Council in Scotland, the Care Council for Wales, or the Northern Ireland Social Care Council) may practice social work and be called a social worker. To do so otherwise is a criminal offence.”
But in Nigeria, social workers are not even protected by the law, and their jobs can be done by even untrained persons.
“That’s part of the problem,” Balogun said. “We are not recognised. If you go to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, most of the people there are not trained social workers. Some of them read Mass Communication. They just believe that anyone who has gone to school to study anything can do the work. But that’s not true. The least you can have as a social worker is a diploma in social services.”
Balogun is right. Social work is a distinct profession where research and practice focus on areas such as: mental health, assessment and diagnosis, human development, sociolegal, psychosocial, issues related to diversity, marginalization and oppression; psychotherapy, counselling, social policy, public administration, social program evaluation, child welfare and community development. It is an interdisciplinary field that incorporates theoretical bases from economics, education, sociology, law, medicine, philosophy, ecology, politics, anthropology, and psychology.
Making a Case
Capitalism, in theory, scorns social work. In practise, it should not. This is because pure theoretical capitalism assumes that all men are born equal, and have the same opportunity to maximise their potentials. Obviously, all over the world, even in the most advanced countries, this is not the case. This is why governments must serve as equalisers, ensuring that every individual, irrespective of economic and social background, can use the ladder of social mobility.
Sadly, this has not been the case. Staunch capitalists believe that poor people are responsible for their own fate, even though this view does not correlate with the economic facts and figures. The near collapse of the global financial system between 2008 and 2009 was triggered by greed on the part of elite American bank executives who thought that house prices would never go down. It went down. The global economy melted. Ordinary people lost their jobs, and times have become harder.
It is no more news that the lacuna between the rich and the poor continues to widen every day, triggering a variety of social upheavals and discontent. A declining middle class means that more people cannot afford to put food on their table, wear good clothes. Many are seduced to go into crime, even terrorism. Not a few give in to that temptation.
Boko Haram and ISIS are believed by some to be products of religion. But a lot of social commentators have observed that religion is only a symptom and not the cause. These terrorist organisations are a result of certain social and economic problems, most of which are directly linked to unequal access to basic resources and infrastructure like education and good health systems.
This is where social workers come in: to provide the kind of social engineering that reduces economic and social inequality.
“And the truth is that social work is part of our culture,” Mujaheed said, lamenting Nigeria’s neglect of social welfare. “In Yoruba culture, farmers help each other to till their lands, children are raised by the entire communities. And I believe there are other good examples like that in other Nigerian cultures. So, in the real sense, social work is not unconnected to our traditional welfare system.
“Quote: It is just that we have a nonchalant government. In South Africa, social work is already institutionalised. You can hardly see madmen on the streets in the country, or see people begging on the street. And that’s because South Africa has a working social system.”
According to a report released by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW), Africa has witnessed a period of significant economic growth, driven largely by rising commodity prices, but the fruits of this growth have been shared unequally and the distribution of wealth has become more unequal within most countries. Social development activity is well-recognized throughout the continent, delivered by a range of agencies and professionals, including social development and social work practitioners. And, although social work is established, it mostly an unregulated profession, as it is the case in Nigeria.
Raising the Awareness
In their concerted efforts to continue promoting the invaluable contribution of social workers in Ogun state, NASOW Ogun held a series of events on March 17, which had been earmarked as World Social Work Day across the globe. The theme for the day was ‘Promoting the Dignity and Worth of Peoples’.
After a short rally across the streets of Abeokuta, the group converged inside a hall at the Abeokuta South Local Government office.
“Our job is to improve the quality of social welfare delivery,” Balogun said in his presidential welcome address. “And we also have to sensitise the general public to be selfless.”
Pointing out that the major challenge of the organisation was the paucity of funds, Balogun called on groups, organisations, governments, who share the same vision of social progress, to extend hands of fellowship.
The keynote speaker for the day was a lecturer at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Dr. Muyiwa Adeyemi, who titled his paper ‘Enhancing Human Dignity and Worth Through Social Work Approaches’.
“Everybody deserves respect and has worth,” Adeyemi said. He defined dignity as ‘value’, and noted that that “value is found in our thinking and feelings.” Using that as a backdrop, the widely read scholar explained that the physical environment, culture, and the attitudes and behaviour of other people can have effect on the dignity of an individual, positively or negatively.
Adeyemi went on to enlighten his crowd of social workers on the code and conduct of their profession. He observed that an excellent social worker must treat people in a caring and loving fashion; must take note of individual differences; must be grounded in how the social system works; and must ensure that the interest of clients are protected, although not at the risk of infringing on other people’s rights.
After outlining several academic approaches through which social work can be carried out, Adeyemi implored the government to make functional policies that will project and recognise the importance of social workers and their indispensable role in a modern society.
After the keynote speech, awards were presented to selected members of the high table for their outstanding contribution to social work in the state and beyond. Prominent awardees included the Local Government Chairman of Ewekoro, Ogun state, Zaccheus Soluade and the Local Government Chairman of Abeokuta South, Lanre Edun. This was followed by a call for donation, the investiture of the NASOW Ogun Executives, and goodwill messages from the awardees.