Internationally celebrated Kogi-born graduate of University of Benin (UNIBEN), Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, currently seeks employment for sustainability of his vision, partnership and financial aid to drive his innovative solutions to restore hope to young people in schools, campuses, communities amongst other platforms in Nigeria and beyond.
Ahmadu has represented his University, Kogi State and Nigeria to win numerous outstanding achievements and award competitions around the world, besides his internet viral story that made headlines globally, serving as a source of hope to millions of people who are going through difficult times and emotional traumas on his huge success against all the odds of writing O’level exams 17 times in 5 years before securing admission into the University without quitting.
“I have conceived the initiative of reaching out to victims in a bid to co-labour with other survivors and advocates to zero the trend of depression and suicide in our nation and beyond through my Non Governmental Organization (NGO).
“I am also looking forward to a book on my story published, translated in various languages and adapted by exam bodies to inspire and restore hope to young people in secondary schools, campuses and communities; a cinema movie on my full story to encourage and re-awaken victims, a weekly national radio and TV programme where experiences of survivors and their success stories are shared; a telecommunication network brand to partner with my vision to provide support for victims.
“These initiatives all face the same hurdle which is finance and exposure to helpful hands or platforms. It is with hope in my heart that I seek the assistance of well-meaning citizens and stakeholders to help me bring these visions to pass and consequently to zero the trend of depression and suicide in our society and globally,” he said.
Mr. Emmanuel Ahmadu, identified by his twitter handle – @mrvoiceover1, recently represented Nigeria in Bangladesh, India, on 28th July, 2020 via Google Meet virtual conference along side Indian professors and mental health advocates, where he spoke on “Suicide Prevention” as an offshoot of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He completed his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme winning national, state and NYSC commendations and multiple awards for the impact he made that restored hope to students across 50 secondary schools through mental health awareness and sensitization programmes with medical doctors, mental health advocates, survivors focused tackling the menace of depression and suicidal tendencies among young people.
This is aside the recent distribution of free Covid-19 preventive kits to 500 community households in Kwara State; projects he solely spear-headed in Kogi and Edo States before he got mobilized for NYSC programme.
World Health Organization (WHO, 2018) identified that depression and suicide has positioned Nigeria as the number 15th country worldwide claiming 17,710 lives of the Nigerian population in 2016 and still increasing day by day. Global prediction by WHO revealed that depression will rise in 2020 worldwide, leading to astronomical increase in mental insecurities, social misconducts, suicide menace and others.
Burdened by the desire to solve societal challenges, especially the recent heightened problem of depression that have affected both the young, old, poor and the rich as a result of Covid-19 pandemic, Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, being a survivor of depression, having written o’level exams 17 times in 5 years and had a share of the storms of life, seeks support from national and international stakeholders, donors, survivors, advocates and well-meaning citizens globally to tackle this menace.
We gathered that Mr. Ahmadu’s vision and impacts is one that is helping young people in the country and across Africa to regain hope. People like this whose story and impacts have portrayed the country’s image on positive light deserves beyond being celebrated by all and sundry without the show of financial aid towards his selfless national service. He deserves government’s support and employment offer to keep his vision running and to assist his widow mother.
