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A great continent like Africa is home to millions of young people who can't afford a decent lifestyle. How can these young people change these narratives for themselves? Is technology a path for redemption or should they depend on their governments to rescue them? What are your thoughts?

PUNCH Newspaper *The unseen crisis facing Nigerian men (moment Otunba Kunle Akinyele collapsed)* *Message not just for Men alone, but for everyone* 5th May 2025. Ganiyu Olowu *When Otunba Kunle Akinyele, a respected hotelier in Lagos, slumped and died at his wife’s 60th birthday thanksgiving, the nation gasped in disbelief. One moment, he was celebrating life and love; the next, he lay lifeless at the altar of joy*. The video is haunting — *a man gesturing, gasping, reaching for help in a sacred space, surrounded by those he loved but alone in his final battle.* This was not just a death. It was a metaphor of silent suffering, buried exhaustion, and what men have come to normalise in the name of strength. Akinyele’s case is not isolated. It is one of many chilling examples of how Nigerian men, particularly in their mid- to late years, are collapsing under the weight of responsibilities, unspoken pain, and undiagnosed illnesses. According to the World Health Organisation, men in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, are 2.4 times more likely to die prematurely from preventable causes than women. This alarming disparity is fuelled by cultural and behavioural factors: men are less likely to seek medical help, more likely to suppress emotional turmoil, and often glorify suffering in silence. In Nigeria, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and untreated mental health conditions are among the leading causes of sudden deaths in men. So This Happened (215) Reviews Death Of Lagos... In 2019, Pastor Taiwo Odukoya—admired for his strength and spiritual leadership—passed away quietly after years of enduring deep emotional losses and reportedly ongoing health complications. His resilience was legendary, but it masked what many now see as untreated grief, intense stress, and likely silent medical conditions. Then came the sudden death of veteran broadcaster Ayo Oduleye, better known as MC Loyo, who slumped while compering an event in Ibadan. His charm and humour lit up stages, but in the blink of an eye, the microphone fell silent. Just like that. Similarly, the passing of Mr Ibu (John Okafor) in early 2024, after months of battling illness, reminded the country of how many male entertainers struggle financially and physically behind the scenes, putting on a show while their bodies deteriorate. Masculinity, when warped, can become a silent weapon—not just against others, but against oneself. *ENDEAVOUR TO TAKE GOOD REST PLEASE* Globally, the story remains the same. In 2014, beloved comedian Robin Williams died by suicide, a victim of masked depression. And in 2022, cricket legend Shane Warne died suddenly of a heart attack, a casualty of silent coronary disease and an overstretched lifestyle. Yet while statistics shock and headlines haunt, the everyday grind of the average Nigerian man tells an even sadder tale. Take Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital—the city that never sleeps, and where many men now barely do. A significant number of working-class men reside on the mainland or in Ogun border towns like Mowe, Ikorodu, Sango Ota, or Ibafo but must commute to the Island for work—a journey that often begins by 4:00 a.m. and ends by 9:00 p.m. on return. This is no exaggeration. Studies from the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority reveal that Lagosians spend an average of four to six hours daily in traffic—with many men doing these five to six times a week. That is over 1,400 hours a year lost in gridlock—time stolen from rest, from family, from reflection. For these men, the day begins before the rooster crows. They rush into overcrowded buses, endure fumes of frustration, only to return home when their children are already asleep. There is no room for hobbies, hardly any time for checkups, no outlet for pain. Sleep is a luxury. Rest is a myth. And joy is rationed, like fuel in a scarcity season. This modern man is constantly running on empty—physically present but emotionally absent, financially committed but spiritually depleted. And society applauds his hustle, without asking at what cost. The idiom says, “Heavy is the head that wears the crown,” but what if the crown is invisible, made not of gold but of expectations, bills, unspoken grief, and sacrificial silence? Men are praised for providing, for showing up, for being “rocks”. But even rocks erode—silently, slowly, and then all at once. The greatest tragedy is not that they die, but that they are dying unseen. Consider the tragic case of a 42 year old engineer in Port Harcourt who collapsed at his workstation after weeks of working overtime to meet project deadlines. His colleagues described him as “dedicated to a fault”, but his sudden death revealed the dangers of ignoring signs of burnout and hypertension. Another heartbreaking example is the story of a young entrepreneur in Enugu who passed away in his sleep after complaining of chest pains for weeks. Despite his family’s pleas, he refused to visit a doctor, citing his busy schedule and financial obligations. His autopsy later revealed undiagnosed cardiovascular disease—a silent killer that could have been managed with timely intervention. One unforgettable story is that of Samuel Okwaraji, the gifted footballer and patriot who gave everything to his country on the football pitch. In 1989, during a World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos, Okwaraji collapsed and tragically died of congestive heart failure at just 25 years old. His life, so full of promises, was cut short under the intense demands of national expectation. The harsh conditions of the game that day, combined with the immense physical and psychological pressures he faced, ultimately proved too much. These stories compel us to ask: What are we doing to ourselves in the name of strength? Why does the world celebrate silent suffering but frown upon seeking help? Dr Salawu Abiola, a psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital in Yaba, offers critical advice for men navigating these pressures. He emphasises the importance of prioritising rest, adequate sleep, and regular health checkups. “If you work and die today, someone will replace you at the workplace, but no one replaces you in the family,” he warns. Abiola advocates setting realistic goals, managing time effectively, and creating moments of joy and relaxation amid life’s challenges. He also highlights the need for men to engage in positive activities, such as exercise, hobbies, and socialising with supportive people, to release built-up tension and foster mental well-being. Check your vitals before you check your wallet. Monthly profit means nothing if your heart gives out unexpectedly. Your strength is not in how much you carry but in how well you manage your load. Therapy is not weakness. It is a repair. Just like a car needs servicing, your mind and soul need realignment. Build relationships where you are more than a provider—where you are allowed to cry, collapse, confess. A good name is better than riches, but good health is the foundation of both. As Chinua Achebe once said, “When the drumbeat changes, the dance must also change.” The drumbeat of life today is faster, louder, and less forgiving. Men must adjust their rhythm. Health is the new wealth. Silence is no longer golden; it is dangerous. *Ganiyu Olowu, a public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos*. punchng.com ©️ 1971- 2025 Punch Nigeria Limited *MAY WE ALL LIVE LONG IN JESUS NAME* 🙏 CULLED #olufaderomi #grace

Let's talk about ponzi schemes in Nigeria Ponzi schemes have devastated many Nigerians and Africans causing financial losses and eroding trust. Despite the risks, many still fall victim. Let's discuss The Impact. The causes Prevention. #FINANCIALMINDSET #WHICHWAY #QUICKMONEY #PASSION #GROUPD

THE IGBO ENTREPRENEURSHIP SYSTEM - The Strategy That Built Obi Cubana Have you ever wondered … How did the Igbo people rise from losing everything after the war, to becoming one of the most entrepreneurial tribes in Africa? Let me tell you a story. So After the Nigerian civil war, the Igbos were left with nothing. According to history, people who had thousands in their accounts were only given £20. Businesses destroyed. Hope shattered. That’s how the new system treated them; broke, broken, and abandoned. They didn’t sit down and complain. They started again. From scratch. From the ground up. That's the spirit of the Igbo Chi. But they didn’t do it alone. They used a system, one powerful principle: “Never Leave Your Brother.” If you’re selling biscuits and need to buy Lipton, you go to your brother’s shop. Even if his price is a bit higher ; you still buy from him. That’s how Igbos built their own economy from inside. They called it “Onye Aghala Nwanne Ya ” - "Don’t leave your brother behind." This was more than business. It was survival. It was loyalty. It was strategy. They built communities. They trained one another through apprenticeship (Igba Boi). They lifted each other from trenches to triumph. They created chains of value - and chains of trust. And no one represents this model today better than Obi Cubana He started small - one nightclub in Abuja. But he didn’t rise alone. He surrounded himself with people he empowered , and they, in turn, empowered him. Today, many of his “boys” are millionaires, and they’re all still connected. That’s what made his mum’s burial a historic moment it wasn’t about showing off, it was about community wealth. Now His 50th birthday was a blast. From Business Men to superstars to sports players they all gathered to pay homage . You might wondering what a popular pastor was doing at the event ? He is Igbo right ? He came to pay homage to his brother who built from scratch. That’s the Igbo system. Build. Empower. Don’t leave your brother. That's why Anywhere you see an Igbo person there must be a community. That's how the Igbos grow ❤️ That's how they were able to bounce back and become the most proporous ethnic group in Africa As Obi Cubana celebrates his 50th birthday, I see more than a successful man. I see a case study of Igbo resilience, strategy, and communal growth. If you're building something today, I want you to ask yourself: Are you lifting others as you rise? Are you creating value or just chasing money? Are you building a system, or are you walking alone? Because wealth built alone is fragile. But wealth built in brotherhood is eternal. Obi Cubana didn’t just make money. He made men. He made systems. He made history. And that, my friend, is the secret of Igbo entrepreneurship. Start now to build men. #Utom58 #De_NextVerYou

FROM ANOTHER PLATFORM By Obi Nwakanma And I hear you, bro. But think about it: from 1970- 1979, the generation of the Igbo who had fought and funded the war, were not talking of marginalization. They took on the task of restoration. I remember the story the late Mbazulike Amaechi told me when I once visited him in Ukpor. At the end of the war, the Igbo business elite who had been in PH, and whose property had been forcibly acquired by the new government in Rivers state went to Asika to intervene. Asika sat with them and urged them to seek the intervention of the courts and make this a seminal case on the defense of Igbo property rights in Nigeria. He did not want to seem to put undue pressure in a very sensitive time on the government of Rivers state. The Igbo were being harassed and stopped from work and resuming their life in PH. Asika encouraged them to seek the legal benefits of Awolowo who was the most powerful politician in government at the time. These Igbo businessmen met Awo, in Lagos, and after he heard them, Awo demanded that they go and pay 1 million pounds into his Chambers account, before he would could take on their plea. The Igbo business men asked Awo where he thought they could get one million pounds, having just come out of a devastating war. He said it was their business and dismissed them. The men later met in ZC Obi’s home, and after rounds and rounds of discussions, they agreed at ZC Obi’s urging, that they would no longer pursue the matter. ZC Obi said, “ let us ge back to work. Let us send our young men back to work. We shall build Aba until it gets into Port Harcourt, and no one will know the difference.” And that was precisely what they set out to do, and were about accomplishing that feat up till 1987. By 1979, the Igbo were powerful enough to ge a serious factor in Nigerian politics. Between 1979-83, the Igbo were not talking about marginalization. They were engaged in restoration . Mbakwe had asked Ihechukwu Madubuike as minister for education, to place as priority the establishment of another federal university in Igbo land. Thus FUTO in 1980. Between he and Jim Nwobodo, they launched an industrial policy that quickly turned the East once more into an active economic belt. They did not wait for the federal government. Imo state University and Anambra state university of Technology were the first state universities to be established under the state laws. I was reading the Imo State University Act that established the charter of the old Imo state university the other day, and I am still utterly impressed by the quality and precision of thought that went into organizing that university under the inimitable MJC Echeruo, one of Igbo lands sharpest minds of the 20th century. The same goes for ASUTHEC. Nwobodo went specifically to Harvard to make Prof Kenneth Dike to return to Enugu and establish ASUTHEC. Now, compare that Igbo, to this generation of the Akalogoli. Mbakwe took Shagari specifically to Ndiegoro, in Aba, wept publicly with dramatic impact , and forced Shagari to promise to establish the ecological fund to deal with places like Ndiegoro in Igbo land. He compelled Shagari to understand that Gas and Petroleum were abundant natural resources from Imo state, and that Imo deserved and must be given new shares/ consideration , if the federal did not want Imo to sue, and even begin to raise questions about the federal government’s s seizure of Eastern Nigerias oil and gas investments, like the PH refinery for which no compensation has even to this day, been paid. Mbakwe pushed the oil issue and said to Shagari that the proposed Petrochemical Plant must be located in Imo, otherwise he would begin to build the Imo Petrochemical Industries himself . The grounds had been cleared by October 1983, and work started at the Imo Petrochemical Plant at Izombe by the time the military struck on Dec. 31, 1983. It was Buhari who later relocated that plant to Eleme. Mbakwe began the first Independent Power company with the Amaraku power station under Alex Emeziem at the Ministry of Utilities. The father of my high school buddy at the Government College Umuahia was the project manager who designed and installed the power station at Amaraku and had begun work at the Izombe Gas power station; all with engineers and technicians from the Imo state ministries of work and public utilities. They did not go to China to sign a contract. They just went to South Korea to procure the parts they designed and which they installed themselves! By 1981/2 most towns in Imo state had electricity under the Imo state Rural Electrification project. Same with the Five Zonal water project under the Mbakwe program. The project manager was Engineer Ebiringa. They did not go to China or America or wait for the federal government. 85% of the Imo Water project had been completed by the time the soldiers struck. There are still giant iron pipes buried underground in almost all the towns in the old Imo state under that project which was designed to give Imo the first constant, clean water of any state of Nigeria. Only a phase of the Owerri water project was completed by the time Mbakwe was kicked out of office, but even so, Owerri had the cleanest, most regular water of any city in Nigeria. Imo organized her public schools. Imo organized a first class public health system. My own father was commissioned under the Health Management board as the government’s Chief Health Statician, to conduct the first broad epidemiological survey of Imo state in 1982. I saw him at work. They were serious and professional men, who took their duties very seriously because they were highly trained. The Imo state civil service was possibly the finest civil service in West Africa; finer than the federal service, because they had a highly selected and well trained pool of civil servants who delivered value to the people. They were not talking about marginalization. You may say what you like today about Jim Nwobodo, but he started the independent satellite newspaper In Enugu, which balanced the story coming out of Lagos. No one was talking about marginalization until Chuba Okadigbo, rightly used that word to decribe the way the federal military government of Nigeria was treating the Igbo, in terms of access to real power. There were not enough Igbo officers represented in the organograms of the military governments, and yes, that word was apt, in that period . But we have taken it too far, and turned it into an excuse for our intellectual and political indolence. The Igbo have waited for their comeuppance on Nigeria, but shit ain’t happening. Nigeria is moving on without us, for better or worse. We must now recalibrate and engage. Let us use the final gas in our tanks, all of us now, between 55-75 years, to complete the work of restoration which the last generation began but which we have abandoned because we dropped the ball. We may weep all we want and complain that Nigeria is unfair, but the universe is indifferent. I dare say, Nigeria actually has no capacity to marginalize the Igbo. We better stop marginalizing ourselves or risk our children and their children inheriting the slave’s mentality!! That’s the danger we court with this story of Igbo marginality, which is actually self imposed, and self indulgent! I pray we rise again!!!! Happy New Month to us all!!! #Discipline

Have seen so many write-ups/post about "NAKUPENDA" So in one word tell me how you view NAKUPENDA 🎤? ME: African YOU: how about you 🎤 #de_listener #banjodx #grace

I love the fact that this is coming from Africa. The idea is brilliant.

This App is making me to love Africans more. This is our own

Wizkid on this week's Billboard Chart. • Morayo has now spent 19 weeks on the WBBA✅️ • Made in Lagos has now spent 149 weeks on the WBBA✅️ MIL remains the longest Charting African Album in history.Wiz is the only African artist having 2 albums currently on the chart✅️ #Favour #tessy_rich

#Grateful, it can always get better with Nakupenda we African's can make a very big difference in the social media space. Let's make it happen. #Grateful#

Africans we are unique. So many languages and cultures. The Hadzabe tribe of Tanzania have some of the most difficult names to pronounce. Imagine if we gave this our wonderful platform one of these names to showcase or African origin. Naa, Nakupenda is okay. For the love of Africa! #chinosky #grace

We could make a better world if we make life in Africa an all inclusive project.