The importance of making a good choice in life has been re-emphasised by a Professor of Guidance and Counselling Psychology as a panacea for living a more fulfilling life.
This was the submission of Prof. Judah Tunde Bamisaye Oluwatimilehin at the 8th Inaugural Lecture of the Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijagun, with the theme: IT IS A MATTER OF CHOICE : REFLECTION OF A COUNSELLOR.
Prof. Oluwatimilehin disclosed that choice is part of life and it is unavoidable. A major choice one makes in life is that of choosing a good marital partner. He submitted that everything about marriage including spouse selection, the nature of marriage, the quality of marital life, the way and manner marital conflicts are managed and building a happy or a chaotic home is all, is a matter of choice.
He opined that physical attractiveness plays a major role in choosing a mate. Citing research he carried out in 1997, where it was discovered that being beautiful also affect chances of employment.
The Professor of Guidance and Counselling Psychology added that dominance and submissive factor also played a vital role in choosing a partner as couples with opposing needs will draw together in mutual satisfaction and people with similar needs usually will either be driven apart or will have consistent clashes.
He, however, warned couples to look critically at the mate’s family background before marriage as every aspect of a mate’s life, personality, traits, attitudes, character formation, values, and feelings are influenced by the family background, noting that the difference in family background may likely make the wedding to hit the rocks.
Prof. Oluwatimilehin debunked the idea that a tribe or race is superior to another as false, as there is no historical evidence to support such claim.
He further sounded a note of warning to youths who are about to get married to look closely at their proposed mate and be sure that they are compatible to avoid regrets that may lead to depression, while admonishing people not to marry out of sympathy.
“For a marriage to stand the test of me , the love triangle must be present.The love triangle entails three important ingredients namely, commitment, intimacy and passion”, Prof. Oluwatimilehin opined.
He urged Heads of Tertiary Institutions to give the necessary support to the Guidance and Counselling sections and to also give priority to adequate orientation services and Students awareness skills.
He extolled the Founding Fathers of the Institution for the innovation in teaching practice that has brought desirable improvement in the content of Teacher Education and also had increased the level of professionalism in teaching which he added should be emulated by other Teacher Training Institutions in Nigeria, noting that the approach had led to the production of professionals and academically sound teachers.
“The system of a longer period of apprenticeship (Teaching Practice) as adopted by Tai Solarin University of Education(TASUED) has an edge in professional preparation over the usual 12 weeks that obtain in other Faculty of Education” he further added.
Prof. Oluwatimilehin in his recommendations disclosed that for effective teaching and learning to take place in Schools, Teachers in training should re-orientate themselves towards effective understanding and use of identified characters, realising the distinct personality of Students, hence the need to respect individualism.
Other recommendations suggested by the expert includes the introduction of marital counselling into the higher degree counselling programmes to instill specialisation that will foster companionship in marriage relationship, investment of more funds, rebuilding lives and marriages through systematic pre-marital and marriage counselling amongst others.
The Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Wole Banjo congratulated Prof. Oluwatimilehin for successfully delivering his Inaugural Lecture.
While thanking him for his contributions to the field of Counselling Psychology in Nigeria. “Your contributions to teacher education in the state is commendable and has been consistent with the vision of the establishment of the University.
Prof. Wole Banjo, however, urged people to be mindful of the choices they make in life as it would play a vital role in modelling outputs in one’s life.
He further described the lecture as well thought out and is germane to human existence.
