A 25-year-old man, Joseph Abodunrin, from the Dagbolu community in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State, has tragically taken his own life after months of publicly voicing his struggles with mental health on social media.
Abodunrin’s distress was evident in his series of haunting posts dating back to January 2025, where he spoke about his overwhelming despair, hopelessness, and an increasing sense of isolation. His messages, filled with pain and frustration, were desperate cries for help—cries that seemingly went unheard.
A Timeline of Agony and Silent Desperation
On March 9, Abodunrin made a chilling post, hinting at his final decision:
> “I’m in a very tight place right now!! This week is forcing me to make a decision and never look back! I have asked myself several times why I should fight and keep fighting to stay alive, and I have not gotten any meaningful answer ever since.”
Five days earlier, on March 4, he alluded to his suffering and sense of helplessness:
> “But March is a decision month. None of what I am experiencing and feeling is my fault… I didn’t create myself, no power over the gene I inherited or the parents I was born through… I have tried to seek help but absolutely made it worse.”
In what appears to be his final farewell, he expressed acceptance of his fate:
> “In everything, I give glory to God. I have run my race and I gave it everything in me. Finally passing on the baton. Nothing much to say again… My passwords are in the first page of my diary. Goodbye!”
Abodunrin’s struggle was not sudden—it had been a prolonged battle. His social media posts, spanning months, reveal a young man who felt deeply misunderstood and unheard, even by those closest to him.
On February 20, he criticized his family’s approach to emotional struggles:
> “I will never understand why my parent, most especially my mum, is happy to keep my pains and strong emotions repressed. She did a good job of raising presentable kids with no sense of self, cut away from their individuality.”
On February 14, his desperation was raw and unfiltered:
> “Help meeeeeee. I still need help!!!”
Three days earlier, on February 11, he reflected on the futility of suicide:
> “Suicide doesn’t end pain – it ends possibility. Hmm.”
Yet, his suffering persisted. On February 9, he revealed his struggles with seeking support:
> “The problem about reaching out is that people try to counsel you back into embracing the very hellish life that drove you suicidal in the first place.”
His battle with existence itself was evident in a post from February 6:
> “Ask me what I want right now, I just want to forget about existence!!!”
And in what may have been a desperate attempt to escape his mental anguish, he tweeted on January 31:
> “I need drugs, I need to do drugs to be able to escape this constant mental torture. The alternative to this is death.”
Family’s Heartbreak: A Grief That Came Too Late
Following his passing, his cousin, Abodunrin Grace, expressed deep sorrow and regret, revealing how he masked his pain behind smiles and laughter:
“I still feel shattered, many words but unprocessed. You were the best brother, you encouraged us all, but you went to voice out in a space we couldn’t think of. You hid it all from us, you went all about with fake laughter and smiles. Now we can’t get over it.”
“None of our laments can bring him back. The tagging is too much! I personally have to be strong. No one’s fault. Please, if there’s one or two, please and please try to heal—it is needed. We’re all striving!! It’s not easy for anyone.”
Abodunrin’s tragic death underscores the silent battles many face and the urgent need for increased mental health awareness and support systems in Nigeria. His words were a plea, not just for help, but for understanding, for change, for compassion—a plea that society must no longer ignore.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, please seek professional help. You are not alone, and there is always hope beyond the pain.
PIONEER NEWS 