By Noel Attah

Across Africa and beyond, Seye Omiyefa has dedicated himself to the cause of public health advocacy and behavioural health practice. For over a decade, he campaigned for a strengthened community health system and promoted preventive health interventions.

Omiyefa’s career in public health advocacy and community development began with his passion to stop tobacco addiction especially among young people in Nigeria. Omiyefa leading coalition of advocates successfully led campaigns that restricted tobacco advertising to young people, he led the advocacy for the domestication of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO), Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and was a key voice in the advocacy for the passage of a national tobacco bill.

That was when he gained national prominence in Nigeria championing stronger policy action and public education on the dangers of smoking. As Executive Director of the Centre for Health and Substance Abuse Prevention (CHEASAP), he also led several initiatives focused on raising awareness about tobacco-related diseases and encouraging stronger enforcement of Nigeria’s tobacco control policies.

But over the years Omiyefa’s work has increasingly focused on addressing the social and behavioral factors that influence addiction, mental health outcomes, and community well-being, with a career that reflects a combination of grassroots advocacy, policy engagement, and clinical practice aimed at improving the health and resilience of vulnerable populations.

Through public engagements, media advocacy, and collaboration with civil society organizations, Omiyefa consistently called on government institutions to increase taxation on tobacco products, strengthen enforcement of tobacco control regulations, and expand national public health education campaigns aimed at reducing smoking among young people. His organization’s advocacy efforts were reported in several Nigerian media outlets, which highlighted calls for stronger government action to curb tobacco use and protect public health. These efforts frequently aligned with global public health observances such as World No Tobacco Day, during which Omiyefa and his organization emphasized the link between smoking and several life-threatening illnesses, including multiple forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease. His advocacy helped amplify national discussions about preventive health strategies and the importance of addressing lifestyle-related risk factors within Nigerian communities.

Beyond tobacco control advocacy, Omiyefa has also been a strong proponent of youth empowerment as a critical component of public health and national development. Through community engagement initiatives and policy discussions, he encouraged government agencies and development partners to prioritize youth skills development, employability training, and civic participation as pathways to sustainable development. His advocacy has consistently emphasized that youth empowerment plays an important role in reducing social vulnerabilities associated with substance misuse, crime, and economic instability. By promoting youth-focused development strategies, Omiyefa helped draw attention to the broader social determinants that influence health outcomes in many communities.

Seeking to deepen his work in behavioral health and addiction prevention, Omiyefa later expanded his professional engagement into clinical behavioral health practice in the United States, where he pursued advanced training in social work and mental health services. During his professional placement with Wellpath at the Dane County Jail in Madison, Wisconsin, Omiyefa worked as a mental health professional supporting incarcerated individuals experiencing complex behavioral health challenges. In that capacity, he participated in mental health assessments, therapeutic engagement, and multidisciplinary collaboration aimed at improving access to behavioral health services within correctional settings. Following his placement, Omiyefa continued his professional engagement at Dane County Jail in Madison, Wisconsin, where he works as a Mental Health Professional, supporting incarcerated individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges. His work within the correctional system focuses on improving access to behavioral health care, strengthening therapeutic support for vulnerable populations, and promoting rehabilitation-oriented approaches within justice settings.

Omiyefa currently also serves as a Community-Based Clinician at RISE Wisconsin, a nonprofit behavioral health organization providing mental health services to children, adolescents, and families across Wisconsin. In this role, he delivers community-based therapeutic interventions for youth experiencing emotional and behavioral challenges while supporting families navigating complex social and psychological stressors. Using evidence-informed approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, motivational interviewing, and trauma-informed care, Omiyefa works closely with youth and caregivers to build resilience, strengthen coping skills, and improve long-term mental health outcomes. His work often takes place directly within community settings, including homes, schools, and neighborhood environments, enabling families to access mental health services in the spaces where they live and interact daily.

Across both his public health advocacy and clinical practice, Omiyefa has consistently emphasized the importance of integrating prevention, community engagement, and accessible behavioral health services. He believes that addressing substance abuse and mental health challenges requires coordinated action involving public policy reform, community education, youth engagement, and effective treatment systems. By bridging public health advocacy in Nigeria with behavioral health practice in the United States, Omiyefa represents a growing generation of Nigerian professionals contributing to global conversations on addiction prevention, mental health care, and community health development.

Observers note that his work demonstrates how professionals with interdisciplinary experience can help strengthen both policy and practice within public health systems. Through his continued advocacy, clinical engagement, and research contributions, Omiyefa remains committed to advancing community-centered approaches that prioritize prevention, equity, and human dignity. As governments and health systems continue to grapple with the complex challenges of addiction, mental illness, and health disparities, advocates like Seye Omiyefa are helping to highlight the role of community-driven leadership in building healthier and more resilient societies.