Students in tertiary institutions are worried by cases of suicide. They have, therefore urged the authorities in these institutions to address the issue. CLARION OLUSEGUN (AAUA) and PRECIOUS AKINTULUBO (OOU) report.
Many students in tertiary institutions across the country have either attempted suicide or committed it. They commit suicide as a result of depression arising from frustration, failed promises, inability to pay tuition, academic failure, among others.
Recently, a National Diploma 1 Marketing student of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Yaba, Lagos, attempted suicide.
The student was said to have been dumped by her boyfriend, and went to her hostel to drink a chemical substance suspected to be sniper. But she was quickly rescued following an alarm raised by her roommate.
Spokesperson of the institution, Mr. Joe Ejiofor, said: “She attempted to drink Sniper and her friend quickly notified her colleagues who took her to the medical centre where she was stabilised and is responding well to treatment. Her family members have been contacted and they are there with her at the military hospital.
“She did not commit the act because of examination malpractice. She has a domestic problem which made her run into depression. She even took a picture of herself while taking the substance.
“The Dean of Students has visited her and talked to her. The college counsellor also counselled her and let her realise that suicide is not an option.”
Also, late last month, a 300-Level student at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, Oluwapelumi Joseph Olona, committed suicide.
He was said to have hung himself in his room with the aid of buckets.
Students within his neighbourhood linked the incident with depression arising from financial constraints.
However, suicide among students remains a worrisome issue that needs to be properly addressed. Students believe the leadership of all tertiary institutions need to tackle it headlong by coming up with deliberate and effective measures.
Gabriel Alison, a 400-Level student of Federal University, Oye Ekiti, said frustration from meeting school demands can make students resort to suicide.
His words: “The public tertiary system is designed to mess up with students’ heads. Issues like extortion, harassment by lecturers and harsh academic environment can make one commit suicide. I was a student in FUOYE and this was my experience year in and year out.
” Also, emotional stress in student-student relationships is part of the problem. In the middle of all these, students don’t have anyone to talk to except their fellow students who many times might not be able to give appropriate advice.”
Advising school authorities, he said: “To stem the tide, schools should set up a functional counseling department, where students can speak with professional counsellors in confidence.
“There was a time I visited the school medical centre and a lady was rushed in. She took a battery solution because her boyfriend broke up with her. I was shocked by the attitude of the doctor. He said if she wanted to die,she should be left alone. I think the medical staff in tertiary institutions can do better in dealing with students as well. Surprisingly, this also happened to my cousin in South Africa; he committed suicide as well by drinking insecticide last year.
“A functional counselling department and routine sensitisation workshop should be considered by schools to address the issue.
For Charles Ademola, a 300-Level student at Obafemi Awolowo University,Ile-Ife, Osun State, there is no justifiable reason for a student to commit suicide.
His words: ” Life is beyond just getting A’s in school. It is in this country that you can graduate with great grades and still not get a satisfactory or befitting job. So, school or schooling system doesn’t worth you committing suicide on.”
“The person thinking of suicide should rather think of trying something different from school, the person might succeed in that. School isn’t the only way. Being poor while in school, does not make you poor in your entire existence on earth. It is just school, so just find what you are good at.
“Being broke as a student? Whatever it might be, it is not a concrete reason to commit suicide. Anyone that does that, haven’t seen the better part of this life.”
According to him, poor schooling system, grading system, pressure from lecturers, are the major causes of suicidal thoughts on campus.
While admonishing students never to think of committing students, but allow God’s plan come to fulfilment, urged that school system be made favourable for students to help them build and balance their mental health.
“Well, if the schooling system can be made favourable, less stressful, but is that possible? So, if the university environment can be made conducive for students to understand and build on what they are taught, maybe students will do well.
“With my own experience so far, failure in a course makes students commit suicide, so I feel, students should be educated that suicide is never a solution to anything, rather you only cause someone or some people lifelong pain and prevent the plan of God for you. Either you are an A student or F student, God has got plans for all. People should know this and stay at peace,” he added.
Emmanuel Oluwadola, a student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko,said: “A student who is faced with family predicaments and failed relationships may tend to consider suicide as an option if he or she doesn’t have the mental strength or emotional intelligence to control his or her actions. The thought of committing suicide may set in when a student has low self-esteem and has preconceived ideas or thoughts about himself or the people around him. Also, academic failure, depression and fear of the unknown can make a student attempt suicide.
“I notice that most tertiary institutions only organise orientation when it’s time to matriculate new students, which is supposed not to be. Management should always organise engaging programmes, where students will be educated on how to manage their entire well-being while on campus. To be sincere, trying to manage academic stress with other life activities can be frustrating at times. But when students have that proper education about life, they won’t consider suicide as the only solution to unavoidable daily challenges. There should be a platform students can trust enough to express their thoughts and the unpleasant conditions they are in. I mean, the counselling unit in schools should be active in responding to students’ voices.”
On her part, Omowumi Fasina, a fresh graduate of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, said inability to handle lack of love and challenges from families and friends sometimes lead to depression which could make one opt for suicide.
“The reason can be from home, if one is not well catered for or frustration from friends in the sense that maybe someone was asked to join the school bad gang and he or she is not ready to do so, is a primary reason for most students committing suicide.”
She urged institutions to establish functioning counselling units that give audience to students and allow them speak out their minds.
Okewusi Daniel, a student of Urban and Regional Planning at Obafemi Awolowo University, stated that orientation programmes through the creation of functional guidance and counselling department that is accessible by students remained a good solution to end suicide in higher institutions of learning.
Salau Titilayo, an HND 2 student of Mass Communication at Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic(AAP), Ogun State, said: “The reason could be that he or she(the victim) got frustrated or depressed.The person can also be passing through a lot based on family issues or loneliness.
“Tertiary institutions should organise educational seminars about suicide. This will make the students understand what could cause suicide and then flee from it.”
According to Boluwatife Oyedokun, a student at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, failure in exams, broken relationships, among others, are major causes of suicide.
“A student attempted suicide when I was in 200-Level just because he failed a course.Poor result is one of the major reasons students commit suicide these days.Many students also commit suicide because of failed relationship. They over-think and fail to look at what is waiting for them in the future,” she said.
Meanwhile, she advised that suicide is never an option in these cases, adding that schools should familiarise students with counselling unit so they can lodge any complaint.
Ajayi Praise Mayowa, a 400-Level student at Lagos State University (LASU), said: “There are so many reasons why anyone would attempt suicide- students inclusively. There are so many reasons anyone could want to end his or her life.
“Depression can arise from academic pressure, financial setback, heart break(by one’s lover), family issues to mention but a few. Although suicide is not a good option, not everyone can resist the temptation. I personally, have been depressed and I tell you, the thought of suicide was not far fetched. It took the grace of God and intervention by friends, family members, organisation and so on to stop it.
“Tertiary institutions should actually put up awareness programmes cum seminars about depression and how to handle it. It would really go a long way in addressing the situation.”
Mally Mary Delali, a student at Olabisi Onabanjo University, urged schools to establish an outreach or centre for depressed students.
“A student could attempt suicide due to a lot of reasons like financial problems, peer pressure, depression, hence, an outreach should be created for depressed students,” she said.
