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 231 articles
Beyond Awareness: Making Elder Abuse Prevention Work.
June 18, 2026
At age 74, Mrs Adeleke believed her retirement savings would support her throughout her later years. Her husband had died in a road traffic accident 25 years earlier and she took care of the children till they became self-sufficient. She and her husband had always planned to grow old and not be a burden (financial or otherwise) on the children. However, after entrusting a relative who was an investment consultant with managing her finances, she discovered that a significant portion of her savings had been withdrawn without her consent. The financial loss left her unable to meet basic needs and caused severe emotional distress. She became withdrawn, stopped attending community activities, and developed symptoms of depression. This resulted in other health complications and worsened her health. She stopped going for her regular medical checkups until she suffered a stroke and was admitted in hospital. An 82-year-old widower, Mr Bilal, relied on a family caregiver after suffering mobility challenges. His children placed the family caregiver on a comfortable salary to take good care of him and assist him around the house. Over time, the caregiver began using threats, insults, and intimidation to control his daily activities. His other family members noticed that he had become unusually quiet and fearful. The family sent both of them away to the village for a weekend and used the opportunity to secretly install cameras around the house. What they saw and heard over the next few days shocked them to the marrow. They arrested the family caregiver and made alternative arrangements. Mrs Akpan is an 88-year-old woman living with early-stage dementia. Her children are living abroad, and she lived alone until last year, when she was admitted to a residential care facility, where the GP that reviews the residents periodically identified signs of neglect after a few months in the facility. She had been missing her medications, had poor nutrition, and had limited social engagement, which contributed to worsening cognitive symptoms and increased confusion. Following comprehensive audit investigations, care standards were improved, staff received additional training, and regular monitoring systems were introduced. Her physical and emotional well-being subsequently improved, highlighting the importance of accountability and quality care systems.
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When Provision Becomes a Prison: Financial Pressure and Men's Mental Health Crisis
June 11, 2026
Kunle killed himself just before Christmas. He was a 35-year-old poultry farmer living in Lagos. He was living in his parents’ house since he graduated from the university eight years before his death, due to the high cost of rent in Lagos. He has been responsible for the family’s finances since he was 21-years-old. As the eldest son of five children, he was expected to provide for the family. The financial pressure has been overwhelming for him over the years, and he has been feeling hopeless. He kept postponing marriage until his siblings graduated from university and were financially stable. He was anticipating relief soon when he heard that his youngest sister at the university had gotten pregnant, and he is now expected to fend for her and the unborn child. While managing this unexpected news, he postponed his planned introduction to his long-term girlfriend’s family. He had a big argument with his girlfriend, only to get to his poultry farm to meet hundreds of dead poultry. Only a few had died the previous day from an infection, and he thought they had protected the others via an expensive treatment by the veterinary doctor. He had been looking forward to making a tidy profit from Christmas sales. The seemingly hopeless situation overwhelmed him, and he developed severe depression. He ended it all a few days later when his siblings kept calling him for one financial assistance or the other. Chinonso is a 40-year-old man who has worked as an engineer for 12 years. He has an excellent job, a good salary and a clear career path. His entire identity is that of a successful engineer who can provide for his family. He took immense pride in his hard work and ability to provide financially, and he felt those who were unemployed or struggling were simply lazy or not as good as he was. Until his company downsized, and he was retrenched. His entire sense of self and his world came tumbling down. He had an immediate identity crisis and started wondering who he was without his job and ability to provide. During the eight months of being unemployed, he had severe depression and panic attacks. He also started to drink heavily and socially became withdrawn. Even though he eventually got another job, his identity damage remained, and he continues to struggle with a fear of permanent failure. Aliyu started using drugs three years ago and is now addicted. It started as a coping mechanism. His colleagues suggested it to boost his productivity at work. Soon, he began to use it even when he was not working, as he realised it took his mind off stress and struggles. Now, the drug he started using to work more, so he could make more money for his family, is costing him over 50% of his income. He is unable to work as much as he used to, but the cost of drugs keeps increasing, and he has started starving himself to afford the drugs. What sort of man would he be if he could not pay the bills of his family?
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Sincere Listening is an Act of Kindness
June 4, 2026
Afolabi and Faruk are roommates at the university. Afolabi is in his final year and is really troubled by financial worries. His father has passed on after a road traffic accident and he is the firstborn. His mother is devastated, and her petty business can hardly sustain the family. He is worried about his younger siblings and how he needs to graduate soon and hopefully start earning a salary so he can support his mother and younger siblings. He has been so engrossed in his sad thoughts that he was unaware that Faruk had been speaking to him…until he came and tapped his shoulder. He was jolted out of his reverie and asked Faruk what he wanted. Faruk simply pulled a chair close to his bed and asked him what the matter was. ‘Afolabi, I have been speaking to you, but you appeared oblivious. I have also noticed that you have been very moody the past few weeks. I can imagine the pain of your father’s sudden demise must really hurt. How are you really coping? How are things with your Mum and the rest of the family?’
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Flourish and Thrive: Investing in Boys for Stronger Families and Communities
May 21, 2026
Chidi is a 16-year-old boy who was always emotional as a child. He cried easily, loved his mother intensely, and enjoyed art and music. His father hated this. "You're too soft. Too feminine. I need to toughen you up." With this, his father began beating him for crying, forced him into sports he hated, and compared him to his more ‘masculine’ cousins. With time, Chidi stopped crying and participating in his interests. He also stopped showing any emotion and started fighting at school. He has now started self-harming and using drugs to numb his emotions. His family says he needs more discipline and tougher love. The reality is that he's a traumatised teenager with severe depression and substance use, dying inside while everyone tells him to be a man.
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Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing
May 14, 2026
The population of children and adolescents aged 0-17 in Nigeria is nearly 107 million, almost half of Nigeria’s population, according to UNICEF Nigeria. UNICEF Nigeria also reports that 67.5% of children between the ages of 0 and 17 in Nigeria live in multidimensional poverty. This means they lack adequate nutrition, healthcare, education, housing, water and sanitation. It is also reported that 1 in 3 children in Nigeria are out of school. Children are also not exempt from the humanitarian crises in the country and form the highest percentage of people who need mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS). Considering that 75% of mental health issues start before the age of 18 and suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents, children's well-being and the impact of the increasing inequalities in the country become glaring. The 15th of May is the International Day of Families. The 2026 theme, Families, Inequalities and Child Wellbeing, focuses on the increasing inequalities, gaps in healthcare and other resources and the influence on the well-being of children.
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Emotional Impact of Marriage Pressure in Your 30s and Beyond
May 7, 2026
Folake is a 34-year-old successful lawyer who is well-travelled and has a thriving career. Despite this, at every family gathering, she braces herself for the interrogation. Last Christmas, her aunt pulled her aside with concern: "We're worried about you. You're becoming too successful. Men are intimidated. You need to tone it down if you want to find a husband." Another relative suggested, "Maybe you should stop being so selective. Time is running out." Her mother cries sometimes, asking what she did wrong, that her daughter is "still single at this age." Folake has developed severe anxiety. She avoids family events. She's seeing a therapist for depression triggered by constant feelings of failure despite professional success. She has started questioning her self-worth and wondering if she should just settle for just anyone available, even if it is against her better judgment due to lack of compatibility. Perhaps that way, she can just get the pressure off her back.
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Strategies to Ensure a Healthy Psychosocial Working Environment
April 30, 2026
Every Sunday evening, Kunle's chest tightens. By 8 PM, the anxiety is in full force with a racing heart, shallow breathing, and a knot in his stomach. He can't sleep. He lies awake dreading Monday morning, replaying his boss's criticisms, anticipating this week's impossible demands and inevitable humiliations. On Monday mornings, he drags himself to the office feeling nauseated. He works in a constant state of hypervigilance, waiting for the next public dressing-down, the next unreasonable deadline, the next reminder that he's replaceable and should be "grateful to even have a job in this economy". He developed high blood pressure at 32, and he is on antidepressants. His relationship is suffering because he's irritable and emotionally unavailable. He fantasizes about quitting but can't afford to because he has family depending on him, bills to pay, and limited job options. Adaeze is a 34-year-old woman who worked at a mid-size company in Lagos. Her boss was a verbally abusive tyrant who fired people on a whim and rehired them when he is in a better mood. Adaeze developed severe anxiety. She couldn't eat breakfast because she'd vomit from stress. Sunday evenings were torture with panic attacks, but she stayed because she earned well and needed to support her family. After three years, she had a complete breakdown and was hospitalised for stress-related illnesses and diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Umar is a Resident Doctor with a verbally abusive Consultant who calls them names and frequently insults even their parents for any mistake. He was on call and had just finished sorting out three cases in the Emergency Room at 9pm. He suddenly realized that he had not eaten at all, as he has been on his feet all day since 7.30am. Suddenly his phone rang and it was his Consultant. ‘Useless human being, why have you not sent in the case report I asked you to prepare this morning during the round’? He thundered. Efforts to explain that it has been a busy call since completing post round duties were shut down with insults and then a threat to give him extra calls if he didn’t submit by midnight. Yes Sir, he mumbled, as he hung up. He suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired and he sat on the steps of the corridor, alone, as hot tears welled up in his eyes.
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Mental Health Challenges of “That Time of the Month” for Women
April 23, 2026
Tola is a 29-year-old banker in Lagos. For most of the month, she is calm, efficient, and well-liked at work. But about a week before her period, everything changes. She becomes intensely irritable. Small things like a delayed email or traffic can trigger disproportionate anger. She snaps at her colleagues, avoids calls from friends, and withdraws from her fiancé. Last month, she almost resigned from her job after a disagreement with her Manager. Three days later, after her period started, she couldn’t understand why she had reacted so strongly. She felt embarrassed and ashamed, apologizing repeatedly to everyone she had hurt. This pattern has repeated itself for years. Tola has been told she is “overreacting,” “too emotional,” or simply being difficult. She has tried to “be stronger,” to pray more, to ignore it, but every month, the same overwhelming emotional storm returns.
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Caregiver Burnout: Protecting Your Mental Health While Caring for Others
April 15, 2026
Aunty Beatrice has been caring for her aged mother with dementia for four years, after they realised that she could no longer live alone. She also works part-time (from home now, after being fired from her office job for too many absences), manages her own household, cares for her teenage children, and somehow finds time to be the family member everyone calls when they need something.
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Menopause and Mental Health: The Transition Nobody Prepares You For
April 9, 2026
Hajia Laraba is 51 years old. For the past two years, she's been crying at random moments, while cooking, and in the middle of work meetings. She forgets words in mid-sentence, names of people she's known for years, and where she placed her phone five minutes ago. She wakes at 3 AM drenched in sweat, heart racing with inexplicable panic. Some days, she's so angry she wants to scream at everyone. Other days she feels empty, like she's disappearing. She has been moody. Her family thinks she’s losing it and might be under spiritual attack by jinns.
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