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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

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?

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

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

Good morning 🌄 Africa. Nakupenda is here. Nke a bu nke anyi. @Uchmam #grace

Nigerians never Learn. This is the list of Ponzi schemes that have made away with Nigerians hard-earned money yet they still fall mugu MMM Nigeria – 2016 Ultimate Cycler – 2016 Get Help Worldwide (GHW) – 2016 Twinkas – 2016 Icharity Club – 2016 Crowd Rising – 2016 Claritta – 2016 Help2Get – 2016 Loopers Club – 2016 Givers Forum – 2016 NNN Nigeria – 2017 MMM Cooperation – 2017 GCCH (Global Crediting Cooperative Hub) – 2017 Money Riot – 2017 RevoMoney – 2017 SwissGolden (Nigeria version) – 2017 NNU (Nigeria News Update) – 2017 Peer2Peer Donation – 2017 Twinkas Reloaded – 2017 Donation Hub – 2017 MyBonus – 2017 ZarFund – 2017 Bitclub Advantage – 2018 Million Money – 2018 Helping Hands International – 2018 DGSOUK – 2018 Pennywise – 2018 Loom – 2019 Crowd1 – 2019 Lion’s Share – 2020 InksNation – 2020 Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative – 2020 Racksterli – 2020 86FB (aka 86Z) – 2021 Eagle Cooperative – 2021 Royal Q (Nigerian scam version) – 2021 FINAFRICA – 2021 Ovaioza Farm Produce Storage – 2022 QNet (Nigeria) – 2022 Afriq Arbitrage System (AAS) – 2022 MBA Forex – 2022 Chinmark Group – 2022 Inksledger – 2022 Axim Exchange – 2022 Compoundly – 2024 CALA (Cala Finance) – 2023 6Dollars Investment – 2023 Sidra Investment (cloned scam version) – 2024 WealthBuddy – 2024 BitFinance Global – 2025 CBEX-2025 How many of them duped you?#Olufaderomi#peejay

Until we begin to open our minds positively and start thinking of our neighbors in a positive light, Africa would not make it far.

Nakupenda is telling an African story of love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmjKUDo7gSQ

A Barrow Pusher Became Rich After Public Insults and Abandonment Episode 1 The sun was merciless that afternoon, pouring its heat down like punishment on the busy streets of Onitsha. Chijioke’s skin was browned from years of exposure, his hands calloused from pushing his barrow through tight markets and uphill roads. He had just finished delivering a load of yams to a woman in Ose Market and was making his way back, tired but hopeful. Business had been rough, but today, he had made a little more than usual. It was enough to buy garri, sugar and a little amount to send to his mother in the village. As he paused by a roadside kiosk to buy pure water, he heard a voice he hadn’t heard in years — sharp, familiar, and once dear. “Is that not Chijioke?” the voice echoed. He turned, and his heart thudded. Ada. Beautiful, proud Ada. The same Ada he had once given his heart to in their village school. Now she stood radiant in makeup and fancy clothes, flanked by two other girls. He smiled awkwardly, lifting his hand in greeting. “Ada, long time—” She cut him off with a mocking laugh. “Chijioke! You still dey push barrow? Haba! Na wa o. Look at your mates! They drive cars, they wear suits. And you?” Her friends burst into laughter. One even took out her phone to snap a picture. A small crowd began to gather. Traders stopped. Bus conductors paused their chants. People stared. Chijioke’s heart sank. He felt like the ground should open and swallow him. “I used to like you before,” Ada continued, “but now I thank God I said no to you. See your life!” He stood rooted, too stunned to speak. The bottle of water slipped from his hand. His eyes burned with unshed tears, but he wouldn’t let them fall. Instead, he picked up his barrow slowly, nodded once, and pushed it forward. Each step felt like a hundred lashes to his pride. People whispered, others laughed, some just watched. It was the longest walk of his life. By the time he reached the edge of the market, his legs were shaking. He veered off the main road, found a quiet spot behind an abandoned shop, and sat on a broken cement slab. For the first time in years, he let the tears come. He cried for his dreams, for his shame, for his father who had died too soon, for the mother whose body was fading from sickness. He cried for being mocked, for being poor, for being helpless. But somewhere in the middle of the tears, a thought began to grow. What if this was not the end? What if her insult was a mirror showing him who he’d become — and who he could still be? The pain turned into fire. A quiet vow formed in his heart: They will never laugh at me like this again. #worldwide #africanfolktales #Discipline #nakupenda

Hello everyone, Instead of saying Messenger. We would love to name it in an African language. Suggest a name that means. "Message me" And from which language?

What's your take on this? African parents go humble you 😂😂 #Grateful

#Waskydone #Grateful Nakupenda from Africa to the world. It's all about humanity changing the narratives and setting a new standard for social media.