By Aideloje Ojo
Minna
A veteran journalist and mental health advocate, Aisha Wakaso has revealed how she deliberately chose life defined by courage out of three suicide attempts.
Wakaso stated this in a motivational speech to over 200 women participants at an event organised by Kings Initiative to mark the 2026 World Mental Health Awareness Day at the weekend in Minna.
Aisha, the founder of the Kings Initiative a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) and also
Special Adviser on Print Media to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger state, explained that the women were brought together for a candid session aimed at turning personal pain into shared solutions for the mental health challenges many face across the state.
She said, ” I had stood at the edge of suicide three times and each time deliberately chose life, not a diminished version of it, but one defined by courage. Nobody, no situation is worthy of taking your life, consider the future roles you would never fulfil if you give up. Therefore be a lion, choose peace, happiness and above all choose life”.
The veteran journalist and mental health advocate explained that her decision to organise the programme stemmed directly from her own mental health experiences and the steady stream of messages she receives daily from women describing similar economic, psychological and physical pressures.
“Rather than leave those conversations private, I decided to hold the fitness gathering to create a space for discussions on coping mechanisms openly while commemorating the global mental health awareness day”, she explained.
While acknowledging the isolation many feel, Wakaso said, “Most times when I look at all of you, I notice that you are afraid. You don’t want to be judged and you don’t want to fail, but failure is part of growth”.
She urged women to set clear boundaries around their emotions and decisions, stop allowing external voices to define their worth while taking exercise and spiritual practice as daily anchors.
She encouraged participants to focus on self-management instead of waiting for perfect circumstances saying, “I expect that women are able to put their lives together and then manage their lives and cope through the stress that we face as women,” she said.
It was learnt that by combining personal testimony with concrete tools, boundaries, movement, spiritual grounding and mutual support, Wakaso has continued to position practical solutions to mental health within reach of those who need them most through the Kings Initiative project
