By Stephen Adeleye
When we talk about African excellence, we often focus on music, fashion, sports, or politics. But a quiet revolution is also happening in the world of science and mental health—and it’s being led by African minds. One such mind belongs to Dr. Kennedy Oberhiri Obohwemu, a Nigerian-born physician and academic who is making waves from his base in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Obohwemu has developed the Self-Comforting and Coping Scale (SCCS)—a first-of-its-kind psychological tool that measures self-soothing behaviours. These are the simple yet powerful ways people calm themselves during emotional distress—whether it’s through prayer, journaling, deep breathing, or inner reflection. While these behaviours are often dismissed as routine or even “soft,” his research shows they are essential to surviving—and thriving—in a stressful world.
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But Dr. Obohwemu didn’t stop there. He also introduced a new psychological model: the Self-Comforting and Coping Theory (SCCT). It argues that people who actively engage in self-comforting are more likely to bounce back from hardship, regulate their emotions, and avoid burnout. In other words, this theory puts everyday African resilience on the scientific map.
And that matters.
Too often, mental health tools developed in the West fail to reflect the lived experiences of African people—whether on the continent or in the diaspora. Our ways of coping—our spirituality, storytelling, silence, and collective strength—are rarely captured in psychological research. Dr. Obohwemu’s work is different. It is rooted in our reality and designed for global application.
Born and raised in Lagos State, Nigeria, with strong Delta State roots, and now teaching in the UK, Dr. Obohwemu embodies the best of the African diaspora: grounded in heritage, but fluent in the language of global science. His work speaks not only to African communities dealing with mental health stigma, but also to policymakers and practitioners who are finally waking up to the importance of culturally sensitive care.
His tool, the SCCS, is already being validated through international research (ISRCTN12254719) and has been published in a respected academic journal. It measures 13 types of self-comforting, from mindfulness to emotional regulation—behaviours that are familiar to anyone who has ever faced adversity without access to formal mental health support.
And let’s be real: for many Africans—at home or abroad—formal support isn’t always available. Our coping has often come from within: a grandmother’s wisdom, a silent prayer, a deep breath between hardship and hope. Now, that inner strength is being recognised not just anecdotally, but scientifically.
Dr. Obohwemu’s work is a bold reminder that mental health research doesn’t have to erase culture to be rigorous. In fact, it becomes more powerful when it reflects our real lives.
As Africa’s mental health movement gains momentum—from Lagos to Nairobi, Accra to Johannesburg—we need more tools like the SCCS. We need more theories like SCCT. And we need to celebrate the African thinkers who are building them.
Because when Africans lead, the world listens. And with minds like Dr. Obohwemu’s at the forefront, the future of global mental health might just have a distinctly African voice.
Stephen Adeleye is a Nigerian journalist and mental health writer passionate about stories at the intersection of science, identity, and African innovation.
