UI students use dance, dialogue to promote suicide prevention

More than 300 students of the University of Ibadan (UI) have participated in a mental health and suicide prevention programme designed to encourage openness, empathy and early help-seeking among young people.

The programme, the fourth edition of Matters That Matter (MTM 4.0), was organised by the Asido Campus Network, University of Ibadan (ACN UI), at the KAAF Auditorium of the university on Saturday.

Themed “MOVE”, an acronym for Mindfulness, Openness, Vulnerability and Empowerment, the programme used dance, creative performances, discussions and mindfulness exercises to engage students on mental health and suicide prevention.

ACN UI is the youth arm of the Asido Foundation, a mental health advocacy organisation focused on changing perceptions about mental health through advocacy, education and empowerment.

Seven student organisations also examined suicide prevention from different perspectives under the sub-theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.”

The organisations included the UI Students’ Union Mental Health Committee, Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), Junior Chamber International (JCI), AIESEC in Ibadan, Literary and Debating Society, Health Law Network and Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, UI Chapter.

The presentations explored the issue from legal, social, faith-based and medical perspectives, with emphasis on replacing stigma with empathy and more responsible conversations about suicide.

AIESEC in Ibadan, in one of the presentations, used a 40-second countdown to demonstrate the frequency of suicide globally, drawing from the World Health Organisation’s estimate that one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds.

The organisation said the statistics should not obscure the individual experiences and pressures behind suicide, particularly among young people.

The programme also featured creative performances by Noohrah, De Ultimate Steppers and BlessedSoul, all students of the university, as well as a solo music performance by Bethel.

The Ibadan Peace Club led participants through a mindfulness session involving breathing exercises and practical techniques for staying present.

At a panel session, writer and mental health advocate, Sapphire McLaniyi-Agbley; public speaker, Barnabas Michael; Research Fellow and psychiatrist-in-training at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Dr Rita Frinue Tamambang; dancer and filmmaker, Progress Adetula; and Miss Tourism Nigeria 2026, Rebecca Ogunnaike, discussed the challenges surrounding young people’s mental health.

The panellists urged members of the public to listen to people in distress before offering solutions, stressing the importance of empathy and early support.

They also noted that mental health goes beyond mental illness and should be treated as a responsibility shared by individuals and society.

On academic pressure and disappointment, the panellists encouraged students to develop supportive relationships, cultivate interests outside academics and adopt healthy ways of coping with setbacks.

Participants described the programme as impactful, with some saying the combination of dance, speeches and discussions helped them view suicide prevention from different perspectives.

One participant said the event reinforced the message that people should not carry their struggles alone, while another 300-level student, Rahmat, described the programme as “wholesome and amazing.”

The event was attended by representatives of the university’s Student Affairs Division, UI Health Services, Council of Faculty Presidents, hall chairmen and hall health ministers.

The programme ended with the induction of new ACN UI ambassadors, a development expected to strengthen the network’s mental health support activities among students on campus.

The Asido Foundation urged people experiencing emotional or mental health difficulties, or those concerned about someone struggling, to seek help through its helpline, 09028080416.