More Nigerians’ll commit suicide –Sociologist

…Says women experience insanity than men as a result of conjugal troubles

BY MOSHOOD ADEBAYO

A don, has raised the alarm that more Nigerians will commit suicide unless there is equitable distribution of wealth of the land as well as the style of political strucutre.

Nuhu Aliyu, a Sociologist in the Department of Sociology/ Psychology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State who spoke against the backdrop of the rising cases of suicide in the country also lamented that Nigerians were no longer their brothers’ keepers.

Although the sociologist de­scribed suicide as part of life, he added that the nefarious activity is usually aggravated by poor structure of government, like social and political structure as well as frustration and depres­sion.

According to him, the current trend in the country appears to favour few people more than majority, which often lead to frustration and depression and subesequent suicide.

According to him, both males and females as well as young and old world-wide, would want to commit suicide.

His words. ‘’In the past, it was a taboo for Africans to commit suicide, but it is worrisome to note that the rate of suicide today in Nigeria, the most populous in the African race is alarming”.

However, he stated that every individual anywhere in the world has the inclination to commit suicide.

“A society can actually induce, perpetuate and aggravate suicide because it is not something that happens on its own even though it happens to an individual.

“Suicide can happen as a result of tension in the family, it can also happen as a result of tension in the society. When the structure of a society does not give opportunity for people to achieve what they want, this can actually assist in inducing suicide”.

Aliyu noted with regret that the Nigeria structure as at today is such that a lot of people are suffering from poverty, unem­ployment among other societal problems.

“This kind of structure will induce suicide because the same society that expects so much from such an individual to get married, buy a car, own a house and do some other things like taking care of their nuclear and extended families can’t provide job for such an individual to do so. It becomes a burden for that individual and if he is not be able to reconcile the demands of the society, viz-a-viz, his own desire to fulfill the desire of the society, he may become depressed from where it graduates to suicide.

He said: “ordinarily, it will look like no sane person would want to embark on suicide mission, but sociologist and psy­chologist have established that both people who are sane and insane engage in suicide’’

‘’Those that are sane may have some mental problems which lead to the possibility for them to want to take their lives because of their mental state. Some how, the normal people that we consider normal people may also be affected by issues in the society that may lead them to also desire to take their life as a way of escape from the pressures in the society or the situation and circumstances that they might not be cope with. So they take their lives as a way of escape. That’s why both sane and insane people engage in suicide anywhere in the world.

Different type of suicide

There many forms of suicide, namely, Egoistic, Altruistic, Anomic and Conjugal and among others. The egoistic suicide results from lack of integration of individual into the society. For example if some­body is suffering from isolation, rejection from his or her families or group, there is tendency for such a person to desire suicide.

The other suicide that has been identified by scholars in Sociology is what is called Albeen identified by scholars in truistic Suicide which results in an individual taking his life because of higher command­ment, either those of religious sacrifice or unthinking polit­ical allegiance. There are a number of people often called ‘’Very Important Personality’’ that have committed this type of suicide in Nigeria. The cat­egories of people in this type believe that they rather exit from the world than go down from the higher pedestal that they have reached in life. ­

The second sociological popular suicide is known as Anomic which occurs where­by the society is facing a lot of challenges and a lot of dis­organization. When society is confused, and the government is not doing what is generally expected of them through pro­vision of social amenities as well as employment, security among others, people in such a society tend to see suicide as an escape route. Lacks of adaptation to the disorder by member of a society often lead to suicide.

The Altruistic type of suicide is when sometimes a person makes so much money that he can’t adjust to the wealth, this can also lead to suicide. For example, like a young person who made so much money, but unfortunate­ly could not adjust to the new status may end up committing suicide.

Life is such that things are done step by step. For example, if a boy of 18 years old suddenly hit money, running into about N20 to N30 million, he may not be able to conduct himself in the appro­priate manner that matches that amount of money, he may mis-be­have in such a way that may lead to his sudden death through suicide. I don’t want to mention names; there are quite a number of young Nigerians that have passed on as a result of their inability to manage their new status of wealth they acquired suddenly.

Another form of suicide is the Conjugal Anomy which is common among couples arising from tension and irreconcil­able difference among them. A husband who is facing serious challenges in his family is most likely when he is actually anxious and depressed to commit suicide.

On the other hand, the wife in such a situation that led to her husband committing suicide may not commit suicide, but go insane. It has been established that there are many women experiencing insanity than men as a result of conjugal troubles.

How to stop suicide in Nigeria

It has to be the collective re­sponsibilities of both the govern­ments and members of the society. Aside from the federal govern­ment addressing the down trend in economic situation in the country, Nigerians on their own must be theirself keepers. We must encour­age one another to want to live rather than wanting to die through suicide. It is very unfortunate that many Nigerians unlike what obtained in the past now prefer to run individualistic life. This is not good for their fellow Nigerians. Depression in an individualistic life, often lead to depression and subsequent suicide. It is unfortu­nate that the family is no longer as cohesive as before to give their members psyche-support. The structure of the society affects the collective inclination and individ­ual inclination of such a society.

The Boko Haram and MAS­SOB issues are societal and sociological problems that must be addressed urgently. What is happening in the Northern Eastern part of our dear country is a reac­tion against the structure. It has been noticed with su4prise that rather than the suicide bombers reducing, they are increasing. This is a result of the possibility of sharing death facilities. Some people in despair, but unable to commit suicide alone, takes delight in suicidal companion. That’s what is sustaining suicide bombers in Nigeria.

December Deadline for military to end Boko Haram?.

This is merely a wish by the federal government, because it is something unrealizable. The activities of Boko Haram, I mean the general attack and suppres­sion may be suppressed within the time frame, but definitely the suicide bombing will continue to increase because the structure that led them to the societal problem many not have been addressed. Since they have companion in the dying process, I am sure they will continue to choose death rather than live.

How to stem suicide

Government should make sure that the income of an average Nigerian is equitably distrubutted such that a group of people do not have more than others. What people have a source of livelihood, it makes life easier for them. If you are living under a good condition, you are unlikely to contemplate of commititing suicide. When the economy is well run, mem­bers of such a society will not consider the option of commit­ting suicide

Politics is so badly run in this part of the world that it is only politicians that amazed wealth to the deteriment of the masses in the society, who are actually living, while others only exist. As long as that continues, there will definitely be consequences manifesting in form of suicide. Government must change the structure. For suicide to be re­duced, because it can’t be erased completely from the society.