“Suicide Survivors Need Care, Not Condemnation” — Dr. Ogenna Walter Ekwubiri

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

The Founder of Motivating African Youths Initiative (MAY-I), Dr. Ogenna Walter Ekwubiri, has called on the Nigerian government to prioritise mental health, economic empowerment and accountable leadership following controversial remarks attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio during deliberations on the Suicide Prevention Bill 2026.

Walter Ekwubiri, who also serves as Country President of World Women Leading Change Nigeria and is a Pan-African entrepreneur, described the criminalisation of attempted suicide as a public health and human dignity concern requiring compassionate, evidence-based intervention.

“Suicide survivors need care, not condemnation; rehabilitation, not incarceration; hope, not further despair,” she stated.

Highlighting Nigeria’s socioeconomic challenges, Ekwubiri referenced United Nations estimates indicating approximately five suicide deaths per 100,000 Nigerians in 2021, alongside the National Bureau of Statistics’ 2022 report identifying 133 million Nigerians, representing 63% of the population, as multidimensionally poor.

She further noted that a UN-supported food security assessment projected 33.1 million Nigerians facing acute food insecurity during the 2025 lean season, underscoring the urgency of addressing economic vulnerability alongside mental health.

“We cannot continually demand resilience from citizens while failing to demand responsible stewardship, accountability and measurable improvements in their welfare from those entrusted with leadership,” Walter Ekwubiri emphasised.

The MAY-I founder acknowledged Senators Asuquo Ekpenyong and Dayo Faduyile for supporting a healthcare-centred approach to suicide prevention, while urging lawmakers to strengthen legislative protections for vulnerable Nigerians.

Speaking on the implications for Africa’s development, Walter Ekwubiri stressed that sustainable progress cannot be achieved without deliberate investment in young people, women, healthcare, education, entrepreneurship and inclusive governance.

She called for the decriminalisation of attempted suicide, improved access to affordable mental healthcare, expanded economic opportunities for women and youth, and stronger accountability mechanisms for public institutions.

According to her, these priorities align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 — Good Health and Well-being; SDG 5 — Gender Equality; SDG 8 — Decent Work and Economic Growth; and SDG 16 — Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

Through MAY-I, Walter Ekwubiri continues to advocate youth leadership, women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and sustainable community development as interconnected foundations for Africa’s transformation.

“Nigeria cannot legislate away despair while neglecting the conditions that deepen human suffering,” she stated.

She maintained that Africa’s development agenda must extend beyond economic indicators to include human dignity, social protection, inclusive opportunities and the well-being of its people.

“Leadership must never lose its humanity. The true measure of governance is not merely the laws we enact, but the lives we protect and the dignity we preserve.”

Walter Ekwubiri concluded by urging governments, civil society organisations, development partners and the private sector to collaborate in building a Nigeria—and ultimately an Africa—where vulnerable citizens receive support, young people have opportunities to thrive, and women are empowered to participate meaningfully in development.

“A life saved is a future preserved.
A people protected is a nation strengthened.”