Saratu Redemption Maikeffi, a 100-level student of Microbiology in the Nasarawa State University Keffi, took her life towards the end of last year. According to reports, the self-described actress, beauty queen and CEO of Rhina Bakery ingested a poisonous substance as a result of mounting emotional pain.
Her death continues what has become a silent but devastating trend among young Nigerians — taking their lives in the hope, or expectation, that things will get better elsewhere.
Those who take this path usually leave behind heartbroken family members and loved one. There was also the case of a gamble gone awry. As reported by some news outlet, a man in Anambra State took his life after the millions he borrowed went down the drainpipe of gambling.
Early this year, Amarachi Igwe, a female bank staff, took her life within the premises of the bank in Lagos. Her death, which sent shockwaves around the country was preceded by a suicide note in which she lamented the difficulties of living in Nigeria. The heart-wrenching note written clearly in a notepad was clear and startling in its despair and hopelessness.
For many years now, there has been a mental health epidemic of depression in Nigeria. This state of almost mass depression has been suspected for a while now but has only started to come to the fore recently thanks to increased sensitization, improved awareness and less stigmatization.
However, despite these, Nigeria remains a country where rampaging mental illness is rampant, and many are silently hanging on to dear life by the skin of their teeth. The situation is truly worrisome because if this number of Nigerians are at their wit’s end, then the end is frighteningly at hand.
Nigeria’s staggering struggles to build a country where everyone can lead a quality live is well documented. Insecurity, outrageous living costs, bad governance complete with calamitous government policies are just a few of the issues. Perhaps, the greatest indictment of just how difficult life is the fact that Nigeria’s youngest, those who carry the country’s hopes, are desperate to live in the country.
They also count among those taking their lives as things stand. Let down by a country where the fewest are the richest, they see no way out. It takes another level of desperation to take one’s life. Man’s greatest instinct is self-preservation. Thus, the moment one begins to entertain recurring thoughts of taking one’s life and goes to the extent of acting on it, the darkness within is at an extraordinary level.
There have been hilarious attempts by some state governments in Nigeria to preempt the happiness of their people. However, while happiness can be difficult to preempt, especially by policies born out of dubious politics, the ingredients that can go into making happy people have clear indicators.
A major indicator is good governance. When there is good governance in place, people-oriented policies are engineered and enforced. The ripple effect of this is that people find more satisfaction in their lives.
These feeling of satisfaction, no matter how intangible can keep the wolves away from the door. This is because experience has shown that it doesn’t take much to engender true happiness. Another key indicator is security. The logic behind this is simple. People will not easily slide into depression when they do not have to entertain ruinous rumination over the safety of their lives and property.
To keep Nigerians from getting consumed by what is a mental health epidemic, the government must do more both to improve the lives of Nigerians, but also to improve access to mental health services.
Ike Willie-Nwobu,
