Prof. Funmi Togonu-Bickersteth of the Department of Psychology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife,
has stressed the need for increased public awareness on the effects of suicide, and close monitoring of suspected individuals.
She made the appeal in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
She defined suicide as the the act of intentionally causing one’s own death, noting that mental disorders such as depression, bipolar
disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders and substance abuse are risk factors.
Suicide cases are gradually increasing in the country in recent times, with university students committing the act in confusing manner
that is hard to understand, when they should be in high spirit and promising.
On May 4, 2019, a 22-year old lady, Kenile Nwauzor, reportedly committed suicide by consuming sniper, an insecticide, leaving a
note that she was troubled by protracted disagreement with her boyfriend.
Around the same period, Uzaka Ebeweri, a 300-level medical student of Niger Delta University in Bayelsa, drowned in a river for
failing in examination and was asked to withdraw from the course.
There was also the case of Chukwuemeka Akacha, a final year English student of University of Nigeria, Nsuka and 17-year-old Amos
Ibrahim in Jos, Plateau.
Both of them reportedly took their own lives for different reasons.
Togonu-Bickersteth, therefore, said access to emerging trends to suicide and media reports should be scrutinised, while tools
used to commit the act closely monitored to check prevalence in the country.
She explained that “suicide is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death in the United States. Its effects go
beyond the person who acts to take his or her life.“We need a Suicide Prevention Strategy which should include elements of surveillance, restricted access to old and new and
emerging means of suicide, media guidelines for reporting suicide.“Also, stigma reduction/mitigation community level programmes, public awareness on the issue and development of human
capacity to work on the issue, as well as training for health workers, teachers in educational institutions, labour organisations,
law enforcement officials and traditional rulers.“Universities and research centres must conduct necessary studies to promote better understanding of the issue by providing
empirical data to inform evidence-based policies and programmes.
“Also, our educational system may need to allow, encourage and facilitate opportunities for students to take leave of absence
from school when feeling overwhelmed or stressed.”
According to her, persons who feel unable to accomplish the desirable developmental tasks at the societal approved time
period like gaining admission, job or getting married are more prone to suicide.
The don said that persons with signs of social withdrawal or depression should be closely monitored as they were symptoms
of suicide.
She listed some other symptoms to include social withdrawal, depression, increase in use of alcohol, excessive sleeping or inability to
sleep.
She, therefore, advised parents to develop good relationship with children, especially undergraduates, stressing that
“parents should let their wards know that they love them in spite of their weaknesses and low scores in school.
“Parents should also exhibit the love anywhere, anytime and be aware of children’s friends.”
