Nigeria’s never-say-die spirit played out in the life of international award winning graduate of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Benin (UNIBEN), Emmanuel Oluwasayomi Ahmadu, who has been mobilised for the National Youth and Service Corps (NYSC) programme for 2019.

Popularly known by his Instagram handle, @mr.voiceover, Ahmadu’s inspiring success story recently broke the internet and inspired millions of people globally and got him featured on several national and international media channels worldwide, including the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

He enrolled into 16 primary schools, attended 14 secondary schools, repeated junior and senior classes severally, lost his dad along the line, took the University Matriculation Exams five times and wrote ‘O’ Level exams 17 times in five years before he secured admission into the University, all due to a broken home.

Mr. Ahmadu, a professional voice-over artiste, Nollywood actor, writer, entrepreneur and humanitarian, who will be 30 years by December this year, expressed his feeling on his mobilisation for national service to our correspondent during a telephone interview.

He narrated that “although life felt hopeless and very depressing for me during the countless setbacks and unfortunate events that befell me, … I am glad today that I did not succumb to suicide and it has paid off. I had thought University strikes would not allow me to serve, but God showed me favour, because He wanted my story to inspire the world afterwards. Indeed, perseverance, focus and God made my story change.”

Ahmadu is currently using his life’s story as a quintessence to be observed in tackling the prevailing global menace of depression and suicide, which by 2020, will become the second most prevailing health problem in the world history, according to World Health Organization (WHO).

He said: “My passion and vision towards solving the global menace has prompted me to use my inspiring story as a focal point to organise ‘community mental health awareness and sensitisation programme’ geared towards tackling depression and suicide across Nigeria.

“I'm also working to have my full story published in a book and being adapted into a cinema movie to serve as a ray of hope to tackle depression and suicide, prevalent amongst youths across the world.”

Ahmadu stated that his calling is to contribute his unique experience towards maintaining a sustainable health development for women, youths and children, especially in achieving the SDG's third goal in tackling the prevailing rate of depression and suicide, which is a major health problem in the world.

Meanwhile, he solicited for support from well-meaning citizens, non-governmental organisations, government parastatals, national and international humanitarian agencies to achieve this sustainable development programme in the country.

•Contributed by UNIBEN Mass Communication students on the platform of CampusPressNg.

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