Asido Foundation, a leading not-for-profit mental health organisation, took to the streets on October 10, 2023, in a grand commemoration of World Mental Health Day 2023.

In line with the global theme, “Mental Health as a Universal Human Right,” the foundation carried out an eye-opening street sensitisation campaign in five different cities across Nigeria : Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Owerri, and Maiduguri.

On the streets of these cities were members, volunteers, and supporters of the Asido Foundation, generously offering valuable information, resources, and encouragement to the public.

In Ibadan, volunteers paraded through the lively streets of Sango, the University of Ibadan, and down to the Bodija axis.

They engaged passers-by and commuters in meaningful conversations about mental health while displaying colourful banners and placards with inspiring messages about the subject.

Led by Tunji Ayoola, Toluwalope Orotoye, and other members of the foundation, the sensitisation campaign in Ibadan which held in collaboration with Free Tribe Network; the Medical Women Association of Oyo State, led by Dr. Oyindamola Adeyemi; and the State Primary Healthcare Development Board of Oyo State, received overwhelming support from the community.

In Lagos State, the foundation gathered at two meeting points— Sabo Roundabout at Yaba; and Supreme Education Foundation School at Magodo, spreading awareness about mental health.

The partnership of Supreme Education Foundation School with the Asido Foundation led by Dr. Gbonjubola Abiri, Ronke Oginni, Maryam Gambo, and other coordinators of the Asido Foundation, was instrumental in making the campaign in Lagos a success.

In Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, the foundation conducted a colourful display of posters, banners, and interactive sessions.

Facilitated by Pharm Joseph Olasupo and Dr. Chibuzor Anoje, the campaign engaged adults, young adults, adolescents, and children in discussions about the importance of mental health.

In Owerri, the foundation collaborated with Dr. Sylvia Anthony-Eweputanna of Rotary International, further reinforcing the importance of collective action in promoting mental health, and in Maiduguri, Dr. Asmau Dahiru and other coordinators in partnership with the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, FNPH, Maiduguri, held successful campaigns that ignited conversations about mental health and shattered the stigma surrounding it.

In his remark, Dr. Jibril Abdulmalik, Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Asido Foundation, spoke passionately, saying, mental health is a universal right for everyone.

He said: “No one should suffer in silence, and our mission is to create an environment where everyone takes their mental health as important as their physical health. Suicide is preventable. Life is irreplaceable and so all hands must be on deck towards promoting mental health.”

He further called for a general mindset shift in the perception of persons battling with mental health issues, adding that it is crucial everyone recognises mental health not just as a topic of discussion but as an inherent human right.

World Mental Health Day serves as a global reminder of the critical need for the awareness and promotion of optimal mental health for all, regardless of age, gender, background, or circumstance.

According to the World Health Organisation, one in every four persons will experience a mental illness at some point in their lives.

Globally, about 270 million people between the ages of 15 and 64 abuse psychoactive drugs, and about 1 million people die from suicide every year; which implies that every 40 seconds, someone somewhere dies from suicide.