Causes, prevention of increasing rate of suicide among Nigerians

Mr Michael Anyaegbunam, a Social Psychologist, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said it is not a common thing for people to commit suicide in Nigeria. We are in a country where people have a high level of emotional resilience. Despite the sufferings, electricity black out and leadership issues, Nigerians mind their business. It is not a common phenomenon in Nigeria.

Most of the incidents we hear are stories that the person was murdered and they frame it to look like suicide. If there is any real suicide it is minute, especially people who have a high level of depression. If suicide has started occurring in Nigeria, we should look at the social and psycho biological influences.

Social in the sense that when we look at westernization (Globalization),the internet technology(social media, cable network etc.) you find out that anything that happens in United States, we  know it in Nigeria. Our thoughts are being influenced by western culture. 

For the psycho biological factors, we look at mental illness like depression, suicidal ideations(suicidal thoughts), these are within human being. There is a need for Nigerians, no matter the classification, educational background etc, to have routine psychological check up. Nigerians are used to doing general body check up, but they are not used to psychological and psychiatric check up to help with the problem that arise as a result of impairment in psycho biological functions.

 

In the recent recession experienced by Nigerians, there is need for the government to urgently restore the economy to arrest such occurrence. There is also the need for our leaders to show pro social behavior(altruism, empathy) and do away with selfishness and abuse of power in all ramifications.

 

 Mabia Chidozie. a psychologist, attributed it to religion where ones beliefs may lead to him or her to commit suicide. For instance, the Muslims believe that if one involves in suicide mission, he or she will go to heaven.

 

There is the issue of frustration, because when one's goal is defeated, like the goals you are aiming to achieve- may be academic or material, when it is not forth coming, it may lea someone to commit suicide.

On the traditional perspective, some people believe that no one should commit suicide, and for one to commit suicide, it to commit suicide, it could be remote controlled. They equally believe that suicide runs in a lineage and where once somebody has committed suicide and the family failed to cleanse or performing a sacrifice, the suicide may re-occur.

We need to mentor the society; especially the youth should be educated on this issue of suicide to save the coming generation. Religious leaders, including the priests, imams, pastors etc should inform their faithful that committing suicide is not the best step to take in life.

The media should sensitize the public and let them know that it is evil for someone to take his life. Also explain what will befall the victim. Also Christianity and Islam abhor it.  In Christianity, once you waste your life, you will go to hell. Igbo culture frowns at this. Such corpse like the doctor drowning in a river must be thrown into an evil forest, and no funeral rites will be performed.

For Mr Emeka Okeke, the cause could be through meta-physical or ignited through fetish means by enemies of the victim or those who do not wish him well. Through fetish means, the persons' sense of judgment or reality is distorted to the extent that he may see the act that could take his life as something not dangerous. He may believe that what he is doing is normal, not considering death as a negative consequence of his action.

As a remedy, you can only try to bring his mind back by sensitizing  and debriefing him to bring back his mind to reality, to convince that what he is doing is not proper. The persons' mind and sense of reasoning has to be subjected to psychotic analyses(involves the reactivation of the actual sense of reality in him.