THE SILENT BURDEN: EXPLORING MEN'S MENTAL HEALTH IN CAMEROON AMIDST SOCIETAL PRESSURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, A CONTEMPORARY LYRICAL-INFORMED ANALYSIS USING DANIEL NWOSU JR AKA DAX’S SONGS - 'FROM A MAN’S PERSPECTIVE', 'LONELY DIRT ROAD' AND 'TO BE A MAN'

Abstract

This paper explores the intersection of masculinity, emotional suppression, and socio-economic responsibility in shaping men’s mental health outcomes in Cameroon. Drawing inspiration from the lyrical works of Daniel Nwosu Jr aka Dax ('From a Man’s Perspective', 'Lonely Dirt Road', and 'To Be a Man'), we conduct a thematic analysis linking artistic expression to psychosocial constructs such as provider-role strain, isolation, and emotional inhibition. This conceptual analysis examines how expectations of strength, provision, and emotional stoicism contribute to stress, anxiety, and potentially unaddressed mental health issues within the Cameroonian socio-cultural context. These lyrical insights are examined in relation to empirical research on emotional suppression and health consequences Chapman et al. (2013), Tyra (2024), economic stress Ridley et al. (2020), and masculine norms in African sociocultural contexts Ezeugwu (2020), Baranov et al. (2024). We integrate Cameroonian health-system data and suicide case series Keugoung (2013), World Health Organization. (2020) to highlight gaps in service delivery and male vulnerability. Findings suggest that normative expectations of stoicism and financial provision amplify stress, inhibit help-seeking, and contribute to elevated risks of depression and suicide. Policy implications include culturally sensitive mental health interventions, a re-evaluation of harmful masculine norms in the Cameroonian context, promoting gender-sensitive outreach, integrating mental-health care into primary care systems, and addressing economic determinants of distress. This interdisciplinary synthesis bridges art, psychology, and sociology to illuminate men s lived mental-health struggles in sub-Saharan Africa.