Nigerian singer Mohbad, formerly signed to Naira Marley’s Marlian Music label, died at 27 on Tuesday. The circumstances leading to his death are still unclear.
Mohbad had been open about his struggles with mental health, and an old video of him narrating how some show promoters dropped him due to things his former label said about him is trending.
In the video, Mohbad claimed that his former label always claimed he had issues and was going through a lot, which scared promoters away.
In another old video, singer Bella Shmurda narrates how Mohbad attempted suicide due to personal issues with his former label. The video resurfaced after his death.
In the interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Bella Shmurda revealed that Mohbad tried jumping down from their building. He backed out of the suicide attempt after his girlfriend walked in.
Mohbad’s death has highlighted Nigeria’s lack of access to mental health services.
Read also Nigerian singer MohBad dies at 27
According to the Nigerian Postgraduate Medical Journal, depression is a significant public health problem with a prevalence of 4.4% in the global population and 5.4% in the African region, affecting about 322 million people globally.
The publication noted that depression, like in other regions of the world, is more common among females (5.9%) than males (4.9%) in Africa.
The prevalence of depression in Nigeria is estimated at 3.1%, while the incidence increased worldwide by 49.86%, from 172 million in 1990 to 258 million in 2017.
A Psychiatrist at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr. Odete Williams, said in an online report that the stigma associated with depression is one of the reasons people don’t seek help for mental health issues.
Mohbad’s death is a tragedy, a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and access to care. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please seek help.
