The Chairman, Okun Traditional Council of Obas and Obaro of Kabba, Oba Solomon Dele Owoniyi has commended the Kogi-Born international award winning graduating student of University of Benin, Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, popularly known as Mr Voiceover, for thinking out of the box.
Oba Owoniyi made this known while delivering a speech at the mental health awareness and sensitization campaign organised by Mr Voiceover in Kabba.
The revered monarch celebrated Mr Voiceover for organizing the innovative campaigns across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.
The Kabba mental health awareness programme focused on tackling the menace of depression and suicide in Nigeria.
Represented by Oba Olurinjon Olushade Tanimowo, Obaro of Kabba said: “the country needs youths like Mr Voiceover who would think out of the box to proffer solution to national problems”.
He encouraged the government, private and public organization, corporate bodies, non governmental organization, well-meaning Nigerians and the media to do all they can to support him on his campaign to tackle the alarming rate of depression and suicide in Nigeria.
In an interview with the convener, Mr Voiceover, who is a survivor of depression and suicide contemplation, spoke on what motivated him to organize the national campaign.
“I have great burden for youths who are going through hard time because I know what it feels to be depressed, which sometimes could lead to suicidal thoughts,” he said.
In line with his success story which has gone viral on both local and international media, and has been a source of inspiration to millions of people across the world, which has also got him interviewed on various national newspapers as well as on BBC and ongoing on CNN, on how he wrote o’level exams 17 times, attended 16 primary schools, enrolled in 14 secondary schools and took the University matriculation examination 5 times before gaining admission into the University. This led to serious depression and suicidal thoughts, but he was able to overcome it.
“I am using my story to give ray of hope to people who are going through various challenges and are depressed and are contemplating suicide,” he said.
