The Thursday Tribune Series
Every Thursday, the Asido Foundation shares fresh perspectives, educational insights, and reflections on mental health through a nationally syndicated column in the Nigerian Tribune. Explore our archive of articles that shape conversations and challenge stigma.
Showing 1 - 10 of 247 articles
Lived Experiences Heard, Real Voices, Real Change – Asido Foundation’s Celebration of World Mental Health Day
October 29, 2026
The special commemorative edition of the interactive monthly community engagement (IMCE) series of the Asido Foundation was on the theme of this year’s world mental health day celebrations (October 10). It held virtually on the 22nd of October, bringing together over 130 participants from across Africa and beyond, including mental health professionals, advocates, caregivers, policymakers, and individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges. The session was hosted by Gbonjubola Abiri, Chief Operating Officer of the Asido Foundation, and featured four panelists with lived experience who shared personal journeys and recommendations for systemic change in mental health care across Africa.
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Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Kogi State: Is there a Need?
October 22, 2026
Ohunene, a lawyer in Okene, recently gave birth to her first child, a baby girl. She and her husband, a successful engineer, have been happily married for three years. Since the birth, however, she has often felt sad and exhausted, with little energy or motivation to get out of bed or manage household tasks despite being on maternity leave
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Grief and PTSD: Chimamanda and Nigeria
October 14, 2026
I read a profoundly thought-provoking article by Kay Lord, a gentleman whose views I follow and respect on Facebook, around this topic and it made me think some more about grief and PTSD, and how infrequently we discuss these matters openly. Like everything that touches on emotional wellness or mental health, it is frequently a hush hush topic, not to be spoken about. But this is very unhelpful. While his approach focused on health systems reforms and accountability within the health services to guarantee quality assurance, improve outcomes and reduce adverse events; my approach is to focus on the mental health aspects and promote understanding and empathy for the grieving process as well as PTSD.
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Nigeria at 66: The Mental Health State of the Nation
October 8, 2026
The most important resource for any organization or nation is her human resource – the people. It should therefore be a no-brainer that any organization or nation that desires to be successful and productive will invest in her human resources. They will ensure that they are equipped and provided the best tools to enhance the chances of success. The most basic of these investments will be to ensure that your staff or citizens are healthy and fit for purpose.
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How Religious Organizations Can Promote Suicide Prevention
October 1, 2026
Kunle is a married father of two in Ibadan. For the better part of the year, he had been struggling. His business had collapsed. He had borrowed money from people he respected and could not repay it. He felt like a man who had failed at everything that mattered, and he had begun to believe, quietly and with increasing certainty, that his family would be better off without him. He went to church as he had done every Sunday for fifteen years
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Olu Jacobs Legacy and Dementia Awareness in Nigeria
September 24, 2026
The legacy of Mr. Olu Jacobs is well established as one of the best stars of Nigeria’s movie industry. The power couple combination of the star power that he commanded so effortlessly, with that of his elegant wife, Aunty Joke Silva, an undisputed Queen of the screen in her own right, situates them as a couple to admire and hold up as models of excellence. They epitomized class, elegance, and stardom, untainted with scandals or hubris. Their place in the highest echelon is cemented in stone for all time. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace.
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Why Bother About Suicide Prevention?
September 17, 2026
Suicide was classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2012, as a public health emergency, for several reasons. It is a PREVENTABLE tragedy where an individual intentionally takes their own life. In many instances, it is on account of treatable situations such as mental disorders, commonly depression, or life stressors that can be mitigated.
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Decriminalization of Attempted Suicide in Nigeria: Congratulations to Asido Foundation and other Champions but What Next?
September 10, 2026
Kunle is an undergraduate who has been struggling with severe depression. He does not recognize that he is depressed but struggles to find any joy in life anymore. Contrary to common assumptions, nothing terrible was happening to him. He had a comfortable job, earned well and had a supportive family – parents and siblings. He just couldn’t shake the feeling of misery, and his performance began to drop at work. His supervisor told him to take 2 weeks off and go on a break until he gained his drive back. He started fearing that he may lose his job. Kunle became convinced that he is the black sheep of the family who has let everyone down. The family will be better off, and their lives will be perfect without him. He started contemplating suicide.
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The Emotional Impact of Gambling
August 20, 2026
Gani started gambling at the age of 14. It started with betting on ram fights. His uncle saw that he was pretty ‘lucky’ and started taking him to the lottery bet shops to pick numbers. Whenever they won, they would spend the money at the local bar. He would eat different types of food he typically couldn't afford. By the time he was 30, there was no type of gambling or Ponzi schemes he hadn't participated in. He recently lost all his savings towards buying a new taxi cab on gambling during the World Cup.
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Celebrating Asido Foundation @7: Seven years of reducing shame and stigma around mental health in Nigeria
August 6, 2026
Across Nigeria and indeed the African continent, a young child may be denied of the opportunity to attend school because the child has a seizure disorder. A young adolescent may drop out of the University because of psychosis. A female with mental illness may be taken to a traditional or religious healer where they are chained and may be sexually abused. Others may suffer food deprivation, physical beatings (purportedly for exorcism), and so on. Many affected families are stigmatized and ostracized.
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