How My Grief Became a Bridge for Mental Health Advocacy
Grief shattered my world, but from the wreckage, I built a bridge not just to leave behind my own pain and reach the shores of healing, but to carry others from darkness into light.
The day I lost my father — February 2, 2008 — I didn’t just lose a parent; I lost my sense of safety. For years, February, a month that is considered a time for the expression of love, became a month I endured, not lived.
But grief, I’ve learned over time, doesn’t just wound; it can also carve out spaces for purpose. That purpose found me in the lecture halls of the University of Uyo, in the quiet confessions of students who whispered,
“I’ve felt this way too,” and in the energy of students who showed up when we decided to take action around mental health within the school community.
Turning Awareness Into Action
In 2021, alongside fellow psychology students, In partnership with the National Association of Psychology Students (NAPS), Uniuyo Chapter, I initiated and organised mental health outreaches that went beyond conversations.I wanted to meet people where they were — literally.
We organised a Mental Health Awareness Walk through the main campus and annexe, where we carried signs with messages like “Your Pain is Valid”, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay.” “Overthinking no fit solve problem.” Students from different departments joined, some hesitant at first, but then, with growing confidence, we had more than 500 participants. And that was the birth of Safeplace Africa.
I also vividly remember “A Picnic for Healing”, where we sat on mats under the trees at Brook Street Uyo, sharing stories and coping strategies. Laughter mixed with tears as people realised they weren’t alone.
To bolster our initiative, I was active in stakeholder engagements as well — I met with school administrators, local NGOs, and even government health workers to gather support for the student community. We secured educational materials, trained peer counsellors, and made sure every student knew where to turn for help. One moment that has indelibly stayed with me? A student pulled me aside after an outreach and said,
“I was planning to drop out because I couldn’t handle the pressure. Today, I feel like I can breathe again.”
Why This Work Matters — No One Should Suffer Alone
I know what it’s like to carry grief in silence. It was barely two weeks after I got admission to study Electrical and Electronic Engineering that I lost my father. At Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, I struggled alone, convinced no one would understand. That isolation nearly broke me. Now, I’m determined to ensure no student feels that way.
The future? Intervening early — by meeting pain with action, one school at a time. We start by:
- Partnering with secondary schools to train teachers as mental health first responders.
- Creating student-led support groups where young people can speak freely.
- Developing culturally relevant resources — because mental health isn’t “foreign” or “un-African.” Pain is universal, but healing must meet people where they are.
Grief as My Guide
February will always hurt. But now, when it comes, I light a candle for my father — and then get to work. Because the boy who sat on that bus - his dying father in his arms - to four different Hospitals in 2008 needed someone to say, “You won’t always feel this broken.” Today, I want to be that voice for others — whether in university campuses, secondary schools, or anywhere pain tries to isolate people.
We’re a little lost, but that’s alright," Night Birde reminds us. So let's walk together, through the uncertainties and the pain, because even in the darkest nights, we carry each other’s light. The way forward isn’t found alone — it’s built step by step, voice by voice, until no one has to whisper their struggles in shame..
— and as NAPS Mental Health Advocate of the Year (2022 and 2023), I’ve learned this truth deeply. Healing begins when we stop pretending to have all the answers.
About the author
Prince Nnanna Daniel is an award-winning mental health advocate, psychologist, and author who transformed his battle with depression into impactful change. As founder of SaferPlace Africa and member of Nigeria Mental Health, he combines advocacy, writing, and psychology to break stigma across Africa, earning recognition as NAPS Mental Health Advocate of the Year (2022 & 2023).
Photo Credits:
Prince Nnanna Daniel
