Renowned Nigerian Mental Health Advocate, Dr Emmanuel Ahmadu, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Valeria Harper Cultural Competence in Mental Health Award by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NAMI is the largest grassroots mental health organisation in the U. S.

Ahmadu, in a telephone interview with NAN in Lagos on Thursday, said the award would be presented to him at NAMI Greater Cleveland’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2025, in Independence, Ohio.

NAN also reports that Ahmadu, who failed the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination 17 times before scaling through, had urged youths to remain resilient and never lose hope, regardless of challenges they faced.

Ahmadu was recently honoured with two doctorate degrees in the U.S.

According to Ahmadu, who is also known as “Mr Voiceover”, dedication and a strong belief in oneself are crucial in overcoming adversity.

He said the award recongnised individuals making exceptional contributions to culturally competent mental health advocacy.

Ahmadu said that the recognition by NAMI solidified his standing as one of Africa’s most influential voices in global mental health advocacy.

He said he would continue to serve as a top mental health influencer for the “Help Is Here” App, supporting college students in the U.S. and remaining at the forefront of shaping conversations on mental health, policy, and intervention strategies.

He said that the official award confirmation was sent by Lisa Dellafiora, Advancement Director at NAMI Greater Cleveland.

He said that his leadership in mental health interventions had played a critical role in suicide prevention, mental health awareness, and resilience-building programmes for young people.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/ahmadu-nigerian-mental-health-advocate-honoured-in-u-s/