There has been an undoubtedly disturbing rise in the reported cases of suicide in Nigeria. The shocking death of a young medical doctor, Allwell Orji, in March, seems to have ignited a firestorm that has so far refused to be doused. Since his demise, many heartbreaking cases of suicide and attempted suicide have also been reported, creating a serious disquiet in a society that is not accustomed to a frequency of such occurrences.
Reports had it that the doctor had ordered his driver to stop midway into a ride on the Third Mainland Bridge after allegedly receiving a phone call. He, thereafter, walked out of his Sports Utility Vehicle, climbed the railings, before taking the fatal plunge into the lagoon. As the search for his lifeless body commenced, a woman who also attempted to take her life in a similar manner a few hours later, by jumping into the lagoon at the Maza-Maza Mile II area of Lagos, was lucky to be rescued.
In another shocking incident, a senior naval officer also reportedly took his life when he was alleged to have fatally shot himself last week. Daniel Ikoli, a Rear Admiral, was until his death the Commander of the Nigerian Navy ship, Beecroft, under the Western Naval Command, Apapa, in Lagos. Colleagues and family of the deceased are, however, disputing the suicide story. But, before him, there were also other reported incidents of suicide and attempted suicide: another woman was stopped before she could jump to her death, while a 500-level student of the Ladoke Akintola University, Adesoji Adediran, was not so lucky, as his lifeless body was found dangling in his room after reportedly hanging himself. These are but a few examples, which represent a very disturbing trend and a clear indication of a society where things have gone awfully amiss.
Many are quick to cite the current economic downturn as the reason for the unwholesome trend. But the example of Ikoli, a Rear Admiral in the Nigerian Navy, is also enough to show that other reasons play some role in suicidal decisions. Risk factors include limited access to mental health care, social alienation, drug abuse, childhood sexual and physical abuse.
Medical experts are agreed that mental disorders, particularly depression and alcohol abuse, are by far the foremost risk factors in suicidal decisions. It is believed that only very few people in firm control of their minds can undertake such an action, which is said to happen impulsively in situations where a person finds it difficult to handle such life stresses as financial problems, relationship break-ups, chronic pains and illness.
Although the recent upsurge in reported cases of suicide is likely to arouse interest in many quarters, it is a phenomenon that has always been around and which humanity should learn to deal with. Suicide is committed across the world without respect for the economic status of such countries. For instance, available statistics show that South Korea, one of the most rapidly developing and technologically advanced countries in the world, has a very high rate of suicide, as does Japan, the third largest economy in the world. While Guyana, a poor country in the northern part of South America, tops the list with 46 cases per 100,000 people, Korea and Japan have 36.1 and 21.7, respectively and Nigeria has about 6.11 cases, in the World Health Organisation rating. A report says that every 12 minutes in the United States, a man or woman will take his or her life – and every year, more than 1 million people will attempt to do the same. No doubt, the suicide rate also rises when times are hard.
Fortunately, suicide can be prevented through comprehensive and coordinated actions by multiple sectors of the society, including the training of health workers in the assessment and management of suicidal behaviours and early identification, treatment and care of people with mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and acute emotional distress. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention says suicide can be prevented by reducing ‘‘factors that increase risk and increase factors that promote resilience or coping.’’
According to WebMD, an online health publication, warning signs that someone may be thinking about or planning to commit suicide include always talking or thinking about death; clinical depression -deep sadness, trouble sleeping and eating – that gets worse; having a “death wish,” tempting fate by taking risks that could lead to death, such as driving fast or running red lights; losing interest in things one used to care about; making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless; putting affairs in order, tying up loose ends and changing a will.
Other signs to watch out for are when someone is saying things like “it would be better if I wasn’t here” or “I want out”; sudden, unexpected switch from being very sad to being very calm or appearing to be happy; talking about suicide and visiting or calling people to say goodbye.
Like every civilised country, we need a suicide prevention plan. WHO has set a target of 2020 for at least 10 per cent reduction in suicide rate. Nigeria has to key into this target and ensure that lives are not lost needlessly. There is a need to raise awareness in communities about what could be done to reduce suicide rates, especially targeting people who had attempted it before and failed.
