MENTAL HEALTH FESTIVAL
AFRICAN FOUNDATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY:
GIANT STRIDES TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH CARE AND SERVICES FREE IN NIGERIA
Greetings friends!
I am Victor Daniel, your mental health champion and the African face for mental health advocacy.
From the 26th day of March, 2016 when our foundation officially flagged off its campaign across Africa at 26 Morka Street (Redemption Center and old Bishop seat of Church of God Mission Anioma Bishopric) in Boji-Boji,Owa, Delta State after due incorporation in December, 2015, thanks to our Legal Consultant, Barrister Victor Agbogwu of IGS (Ika Grammar School) Class of 90. I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that our NGO will play a major role towards the total transformation of mental health in Africa for Africa and Africans in the Diaspora.
My family, extended and immediate especially, my nuclear family (of Tonia my perfect size wife and lovely daughters; Victory- Missionary, Journalist and Lawyer and Hadassah- Missionary Accountant and Medical Doctor) have made the most sacrifice enabling me to free up resource for this mental health transformation across Africa.
No doubt, I truly enjoy the journey the past five years, the tear and wear in it not withstanding.
On August 5th, 2019, the occasion of my 45th birthday which was held at our 21 Convent Lane Boji-Boji Owa, Delta State, head office. I truly offered myself and reechoed my desire to see that the Nigerian Government passes the new mental health bill – we are still using the old lunatic act of 1959 left for us by our colonial masters. I further devoted my life to the Lord upon hearing our guest speaker on that birthday celebration, Dr. Nonso Amechi of CAPRO speak on Disciplines and Devotion of a Disciple. 14months thereafter, the signs are very clear that I will live to soon see that dream of a new mental health bill for Nigeria, the giant of Africa come through. Indeed it’s a vision worth living for and a vision worth dying for.
Whereas, I don’t won’t to make public, our strategies as a foundation to leading this lobby before the 9th National Assembly open in public space permit me to THANK the fearless tiger Human right Lawyer activist of Ika ethnic nationality, Barrister Ifeanyi Williams Aghaolor for such a strategic push at this phase of my life and ministry. Barrister Ifeanyi Aghaolor, (Na man you be) – The fearless lawyer son of a lawyer from Owa Kingdom, Delta State.
I appreciate the concerns of several friends who want me to reach out to His Excellency, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi A. Okowa the executive Governor of Delta State.
Whereas I admire his political strides and sagacity from my days in Ika Grammar School, I want to state clearly that I don’t necessary need to visit Delta State Government House or ASO Rock before reaching my goals. Yes during our May Mental Health Palliative 2020, my foundation got cash gifts from two of his political Aides.It was in their capacity as my personal friends and not my NGO being a friend of Government House, Asaba.
All my life, I have never met one on one with Mr. Governor and I am not in a hurry over that. Both the Governor and his Dad together with my Dad (Chief Daniel Agbobu, the Obanor of Owa Kingdom) are members of Owa Council of Chiefs. Whereas I am proudly an Owa man; it’s not so necessary to see the Governor of Delta State before reaching my goals. (Those of you giving me pressure to see him, please direct your pressure to him directly to give Delta State it’s State owned psychiatric Hospital. In the oil rich South South only Akwa-Ibom and Rivers States have their own state psychiatric Hospital. Why is Delta State an exception?).
I am proudly a mentee and disciple of Prof P.N. Ebeigbe since 1986 and I respect and have regards for his principles that promotion comes from God.
It is my firm resolves that rather than criticize from the background as an advocate, I would rather “force government” by example to make mental Health care and service free for all Nigerians home and abroad.
Consequently, I have agreed to hold a major public fund raising for my foundation (I have been very reluctant about this)Come December 19th in Boji-Boji, Agbor Delta State to raise N200,000,.00(Two Hundred Million Naira) that will enable us by January, 2021 begin our mental health hospital/ rehabilitation home in Delta, Edo and Plateau States of Nigeria where care and service are free- funded by our donors and the Network of my ministry friends and partners – the POEMS (Professionals Oriented for Evangelism Missions and Strategies) Associates.
I am convinced, that when we do this in the first Quarters of 2021; from the second quarter of 2021, I can boldly “Confront”, “Persuade” the Nigerian Government to follow same.
This indeed for me is a vision worth “Living for” and also “worth dying for”.
Exceptional THANKS to IGS (Ika Grammar School) Class of 91 under the Leadership of Austin Oyor Onyero for their overwhelming support for the past five years. I am proudly IGS Class of 91.
Great time to you all in November.
Yours for Mental Health,
Victor Daniel
(Secretary Board of Trustees)
African Foundation for Mental Health Advocacy
4th November, 2020
Victor Daniel
