Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. One can commit suicide by hanging or by taking poisonous substance among others. Every suicide is a tragedy that affects families, communities and the entire society. It has long lasting effects. Stories abound of many Nigerians, as young as 20 and 18 years old, who have either ended their lives through suicide or attempted it.

Reports show that one of the victims, a 300 level student of Medicine and Surgery in a university, dived into a River and drowned after realizing that he was among the 22 students shortlisted to be withdrawn from the college for failing their exams. There was also a report of a girl at Lagos, who killed herself after her boy friend reportedly called their relationship off. Another one killed himself after failing the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME).

No doubt, the increasing rate of suicide among the youth is a reflection of the level of moral decadence in Nigeria. The decay is virtually at every level; from the family to governments. Family, as the first agent of socialization, provides the buffer for the individual. If you are traumatized from outside, you go home in the hope that there is a place for solace, comfort and succour.

Regrettably, most families no longer play that fundamental role. Parents seem to have given up on their responsibilities towards their children. They think that parenting is all about making financial provision and registering them in best schools. The psychological and emotional reinforcement that is derived from one-on-one interaction with them is lacking. Hence, when faced with challenges that seem difficult to overcome, some of them resort to suicide.

Again, youths in Nigeria are exposed to high pressure, relative to what their contemporaries in the past were exposed to. In those days, before one could finish from school, there were jobs waiting. No one needed, then, to know a Senator, Minister or any government official to get a good job in Nigeria. Today, reverse is the case. All these are getting on the nerves of young people. However, these do not justify one taking his or her life. There is nothing one is passing through today that others have not gone through before.

More so, desire to meet parent’s desire like excellent performance in school and personal quest to get rich quick put some youths under pressure. Thus, when they fail, it seems all hope is lost and they decide to take their lives.

To address these traumatic cases of suicide, the family must be alive to its social responsibility. Parents must give up some of the things they are chasing and be more available for their children. They should also desist from placing too much demand on them. They must be available to raise their kids in a manner that tomorrow they can look back and be happy.

Again, government must live up to its responsibility of creating employment and enabling environment for youths to achieve their potentials. If life is too difficult for them in their own country and there is no hope that it will be better in the future, they will be frustrated. There is also the need for establishment of suicide prevention hotline in Nigeria, as life can be saved through it.

Religious organizations should equally preach that suicide is a gateway to hell fire. They must mount sensitization campaign against issues that lead to suicide, by making the congregation understand that there is no condition they cannot overcome. Also, religious leaders should take care of the downtrodden in their mist by empowering them.

Similarly, school management should sensitize their students against suicide through moral instruction, while teachers should monitor them as it will enable them ascertain changes in their behaviours for prompt intervention. School curriculum should also be redesigned to make students job creators so that on graduation they can be self reliant rather than being idle since an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

For a youth that his case seems hopeless, look inwards, and explore your potential. Above all, lean on God and pursue things positively when they are going wrong, for the down fall of a man is not the end of his life.

No related posts.