When The Anchor Drifts: The Critical Need For a Guiding Hand

Across the world, countless young people carry silent battles behind their smiles. For many, mentorship can be the anchor that keeps them steady through life’s storms. But what happens when that anchor is missing?

A recent occurrence at Obafemi Awolowo University, shared by the Ife University Dental Students’ Association (IFUDSA), serves as a heartbreaking reminder. The association announced the passing of one of their own, a promising young mind whose life was cut short. In their words, it is a “painful reminder of the silent struggles many carry.”

This loss underscores a profound truth: without an anchor, even the brightest among us can be overwhelmed by the pressures of academic expectations, personal struggles, and the weight of isolation. These struggles can quietly grow into emotional emergencies, often unnoticed until it is too late.

Why Mentorship Matters

Mentorship is not just about teaching skills or offering opportunities — it can be a lifeline in moments of crisis.

A Safe Space to Unload

Sometimes, what’s needed most is a confidential, judgment-free place to share doubts, fears, or failures. A mentor can provide that space outside the pressures of family or peers.

Perspective and Resilience

Academic setbacks can feel like the end of the world. A mentor, having faced their own challenges, can show that failure is not final but a stepping stone. They nurture resilience and the courage to try again.

A Sense of Belonging

Silent struggles can be isolating. The consistent presence of a mentor builds belonging and worth that extend beyond grades or achievements.

A Call to Action

The recent tragedy at OAU is not only a call to institutions or communities, but also to each of us as individuals. Sometimes, it takes just one person, one anchor to make the difference between despair and hope.

You don’t need a formal title or structured role to step in. What’s needed is a willing heart and the courage to show up. Somewhere nearby, a boy, a young man, a student, may be fighting battles no one else sees.

Your presence could be the anchor that steadies him.

It’s time to be intentional. It’s time to be the anchor.

And no matter where you are in the world, mentorship remains one of the simplest, most powerful gifts we can offer a gift that can save a life.