The conversation around mental health in Nigeria is finally getting louder, but according to media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo, it is still not loud enough, not honest enough, and not urgent enough.
At a recent book event in Lagos, Jideonwo, founder of the #WithChude platform, urged Nigerians to stop treating mental health like a soft topic and start seeing it as a daily necessity. His message is simple but heavy. You cannot spiritualise what is psychological, and you cannot pray away what needs care, support, and professional help.
He is speaking from experience. Jideonwo has openly shared his own struggles with depression, describing moments where he felt isolated, overwhelmed, and afraid of what he might do to himself if left alone with his thoughts. And he is not alone in sounding the alarm. Experts estimate that tens of millions of Nigerians are currently living with mental health conditions, with a huge treatment gap driven by stigma, misinformation, and a shortage of professionals.
In Nigeria, mental health is still often misunderstood as spiritual weakness, personal failure, or something you “snap out of”. That mindset delays help, deepens suffering, and isolates people who are already struggling. But the shift is happening. Slowly. Public conversations, digital platforms, and cultural voices are forcing the topic out of silence and into everyday language. Still, awareness alone is not enough.
Because awareness without access is just noise. The real question is not whether Nigerians are talking about mental health anymore. It is whether they can actually get help when they need it, without shame, without delay, and without having to break down completely first.
And as Jideonwo’s message cuts through the noise, one thing becomes clear. Mental health is not a trending topic. It is a national reality.
