There is an urgent need for targeted, hyperlocal, and pro-poor mental health education and support systems for men, a narrative communication expert and social reform advocate, Dr. Steven ‘Aanu Adesemoye, has said.
He made this plea during the Achievers Crew annual retreat on Friday, 19th June, 2026, underscoring the importance of addressing men’s mental health. In his presentation titled ‘The Unspoken Battle: Understanding Men’s Mental Health’.
Adesemoye, who is the immediate past Head of Department of Mass Communication at the Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH), Ikorodu, tasked critical stakeholders on the need for urgent action through the creation of interventions at the ward level with dedicated help desks and experts.
Citing a mix of stark statistics and lived realities, Adesemoye laid bare the crisis of mental health among Nigerian men, a demographic long conditioned to mask vulnerability behind the facade of strength and success, saying: ‘The silence in this room right now is the data,’ he told an audience of high-performing men, highlighting that societal rules like ‘Big boys don’t cry’ and ‘Man up’ have created a culture where emotional suppression is rewarded, and professional help is shunned.