The University of Nigeria Nsukka with the unbeatable motto of restoring the dignity of man has suddenly turned to a suicide den as the phenomena is becoming rampant in that institution of late. Writes CHUKS NWEZE.
Suicide is a very terrible thing. People probably resort to taking their own lives when they feel that there is no hope for them on this planet earth.
While God condemns killing, it is even despicable that one should take own life. “Thou shall not kill” is a scriptural admonition by God Almighty but some people still disregard the injunction and kill others or oneself for whatever reason.
There is no limit to the age of people that commit suicide because people of different ages have committed suicide in the past. Virtually, in every city in the world, people take their own lives adducing one reason or the other for why they embark on that meaningless adventure.
Some people, out of frustration in business, academic pursuit, marriage decide to terminate their own lives instead of facing what to them seems a grim situation.
Those who commit suicide adopt various means. While some tie ropes to their necks and strangle themselves, some advertently run into a fast moving vehicles to be crushed.
Still some shoot themselves with guns or stab themselves with knives, while some others eat inedible items so that they will die.
The most common and what seems like the simplest is when one takes one’s lives by drinking insecticides and other poisonous substances which are popularly known as sniper in modern times.
Investigation shows further that those who want to end it quickly drink cement concoction or acid so that they will not live to witness the unpalatable situation that led them into committing the suicide.
People who wish to commit this crime but lack the will power ask some others to shoot them or to thrust a knife into them.
The bravest ones put long knives or spikes into the ground and run into them with closed eyes to end quickly before any help could come.
Ordinarily, investigation shows that no one would like to kill oneself but occasions force people to terminate their lives.
Examples
A painful example of people who were forced to take their lives is the suicide committed recently but two students of the University of Nigeria (UNN), an institution that many a youth crave in to be educated but only few make it.
The most recent is a 25-year-old final year student of the Department of Religion and Culture of the university by the name Samuel Elias who allegedly committed the crime by emptying the bottle of sniper into his mouth.
According to Madam Kate, Samuel’s mother, and a staff of the university, the unfortunate incident happened on Monday June 17 around 5.30pm in her house at Justina Eze Street, Nsukka.
Mrs Elias said she came back from work on that fateful day and discovered that the mood of her first child was bad and he was staggering when he came to collect a bottle of coke from the refrigerator.
“I followed him immediately to his room and started talking to him but he could not respond and when I looked closely, I discovered that his teeth had tightened up.
“As I looked around, I saw an empty sniper bottle and at this point, I raised alarm and my other children rushed to the room and we tried to give him red oil but his clenched teeth did not allow the oil to enter his mouth.
“We immediately rushed him to Faith Foundation Hospital in Nsukka and were later referred to Bishop Shanahan Hospital where he eventually died.”
That was how the tearful and sorrowful mother of seven described her son’s death. She stated that her son may have died of depression, noting that he had been lamenting of his inability to graduate from the university because of his final year project which had been holding him back.
She disclosed that her son had not been happy how his late father’s family had abandoned them since their father died.
“I know two things he usually complained about. These were his inability to graduate from UNN since 2016 because of the project that he has not finished as his classmates have all gone for their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“Also, how his father’s family in Ihechiowa in Arochukwu local government Area of Abia state abandoned us after their father died.
“Whenever he complained of these things, I usually advised him to trust God who is capable of solving every problem.
“I did not know why he will go to this extent of committing suicide. I have seven children and he was my first child. It is still like a dream to me that my first son and first child has died,” she lamented. Just as if suicide is a culture at UNN, on April 13, 2019 to be precise, another final year student of the university, Chukwuemeka Akachi also committed suicide.
Akachi, a 400-level student of the Department of English and Literary Studies ended his own life after taking a bottle of sniper. He was said to have had health challenges, according his suicide note.
The story had it that he went to an uncompleted building within the university town and drank two bottles of substances suspected to be sniper and thereafter went into coma from where he eventually kicked the bucket.
Residents say it is an unfortunate situation because these are leaders of tomorrow taking their own life in their prime of their age.
The big question people are however asking is why that should be happening to the university consecutively.Experts give reasons for menaceAccording to a lecturer in the Department of Psychology of the university, Mr Tochochukwu Nweze, the number of suicide cases in recent time among young Nigerians is disturbing and alarming, saying it is attributable to mental health challenges faced by young people.“Mental health problems are real and it is imperative that we recognise that every person is vulnerable at one point or the other in life. This knowledge will help any person facing challenges to seek for help at the appropriate place, rather than opting to take his/her life.
“We have increasing number of clinical psychologists who work both in private and public clinic and are specifically trained to provide intervention to those facing depression which is usually the leading cause of suicides or any other mental health issues.
“Frustration from economic hardship, unmet academic expectations and uncertain future has taken its tolls on young Nigerians and many see suicides as fast exit from the world. However, it’s important that youths realise that rather than contemplating or attempting suicides, that there are professionals who have been trained to help them function optimally again,”
Nweze said further “Students in universities should ensure that they go for periodic mental health examination and counselling sections which are usually provided at free cost in the respective medical centres.
“The psychology department of every universities on the other hand must ensure that they create sufficient awareness about the dangers of untreated mental health problems around their campuses and provide further information about their possible counselling sections.
“People outside the university community should look out for the nearest psychological counselling centres when they notice some symptoms of depression which can include fatigue, insomnia (difficulty with sleep), loss of interest in food or sex and occasional suicidal thoughts,” he admonished.
The analyst said that to check the cases of suicide, people should try as much as possible to be their neighbours keepers and watch out for family and friends who have socially withdrawn themselves without any tangible reason, saying they may be facing one difficulties or the other.
