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Tag: Suicide

  • Suicide: LUTH launches hotlines, support group

    The Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has initiated two help programmes to contain the rising cases of suicide in the country.

    According to the Chief Medical Director, Prof Chris Bode, suicide is preventable, but there is a lack of prevention strategies in most countries, including Nigeria. Consequently, LUTH has initiated a suicide prevention service called the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) and Staff Emotional Care Services (SECS).

    He stated this while unveiling the initiatives in Lagos.

    Bode said the events of the past few days had further underscored the need to commence these services immediately. The numbers to call are: 09080217555, 09034400009, 08111909909 and 07013811143.

    He said people should feel free to walk into any hospital and be seen by psychiatrists; “it is normal and not out of place. They are trained to help people live a normal life. Nobody should be stigmatised fordoing that.”

    He said it was hoped the programmes would help save lives and prevent death by suicide, locally and nationally.

    “We shall be collaborating with all relevant agencies to ensure that the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) goal of reducing suicide by 20 per cent by 2020 is achieved. Suicide cannot be eradicated in the country but it can be prevented with the right strategies put in place.’

    Consultant psychiatrist (Consultation-liaison Psychiatry/Emergency Psychiatry), LUTH and Coordinator, SURPIN/SECS, Dr. Raphael E. Ogbolu, said people give up when they are overwhelmed and cannot see any hope, “but in that moment of desperation and utter hopelessness, what people need is a listening ear and support to help them choose to live on. Many of those who are so saved have come to thank God they did not take their lives. This is why we must keep trying to reach them, especially at that moment by encouraging them to speak up and not feel ashamed. Stop seeing people who sleep all day long as being lazy. That is a phase of depression. Engage them in meaningful discussions and give them hope through word of encouragement,” said Dr Ogbolu.

    Consultant Psychiatrist, LUTH/ Senior Lecturer, College of medicine (CMUL) Prof Yewande Oshodi said religious leaders do play certain roles in the scheme of suicide prevention and there is the need to ensure adequate information, especially of encouragement is given out , “In our clime people find solace, encouragement and hope in religious places. Worshippers with depression who intend to commit suicide can be counseled back to life. That a person attempted a suicide once should not be brushed aside but closely monitored and receive support from experts,” said Oshodi.

  • Preventing suicide

    SIR: Is suicide a Nigerian problem? Is it not a problem of the Western world?

    On January 1, 2017, Punch reported how an Assistant Commissioner of Police identified as Christopher Osakue committed suicide in Benin by shooting himself in the head using his service pistol in his residence. Another incident was also reported on January 6, 2017, by Punchabout a 19-year-old 200 level, social work undergraduate of Babcock University, Ilisan Remo in Ogun State, identified as Verishima Unokyoh, who committed suicide by hanging himself, using his tie in his parent’s house in Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos. Vanguard of January 16, 2017, wrote about Mr Tope Afolayan, a Grade Level 12 civil servant in Ekiti State who committed suicide by hanging himself in his room because of huge debts and unpaid salaries. Add to these the widely publicised suicide of the medical doctor who jumped into the lagoon after asking his driver to stop on the Third Mainland Bridge. One could go on and on.

    From all indications, suicide seems to be on the rise in our society; the earlier we accept this reality, the better for us. Thanks to the Media (social, print, television and radio) which report these occurrences; and no thanks to the harsh economic conditions in the country.

    What is Suicide? The word Suicide (completed suicide) is derived from the Latin word Suicidium, meaning “the killing of one self.” So suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death either through harmful use of socially acceptable substances such as alcohol or illicit drugs like Cocaine, heroin etc or overdose of prescription medication. It could also be through very lethal means like use of pesticides, poisons, drowning, firearms or by hanging.

    Attempted Suicide or non-fatal suicidal act is the desire to end one’s life that does not result in death but self-injury and sometimes long-term disabilities. Suicide attempts are higher in females and young people while suicide completion is generally higher in males. Men tend to use more lethal methods ranging from hanging, jumping, drowning to using fire arms while women commonly ingest overdose of medication or pesticides and poison.

    In our clime, ingestion of poisonous substances, overdose of medication, hanging, jumping and drowning are most common. Firearms are rarely used perhaps because they are not easily available.

    Suicide is a global problem; about 12 out of 100,000 persons commit suicide every year. This constitutes approximately 0.5% to 1.4% of the population. However, there quarters of this number occur in the developing world (this calls for concern because Nigeria is included).

    Suicide can be caused by biologic, psychologic and social – economic factors. Genetics accounts for 38% to 55% of suicidal behaviours. Psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, alcoholism and substance use are also important factors in suicide. Other causes are impulsive acts due to stress from financial difficulties, homelessness, childlessness, chronic pain, terminal illness, trouble with relationship, gambling and bullying (especially teenagers). Having attempted suicide before is also a risk factor, 20% of completed suicide have made previous attempts.

    Preventive measures can be introduced to reduce the incidence of suicide. Prompt treatment of mental disorders as well as drug and alcohol addiction is paramount. Psychological interventions such as Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for those who have thoughts of suicide have good outcomes. Reducing access to certain methods such as poison, firearms, controlled access to certain medications, erecting barriers on bridges and having guards patrol likely sites where suicide can be committed can help reduce occurrence.

    We cannot overemphasise the importance of economic development in reducing poverty and consequently suicide. Participating in the annual World Suicide Prevention Day everySeptember 10 will also create more awareness and further educate people about suicide.

     

    • Mrs. M.B. Akinsanmi,

    Yaba, Lagos

  • Police confirms foiled suicide attack in Borno

    Police confirms foiled suicide attack in Borno

    The Police in Maiduguri, Borno State have confirmed the death of two suicide bombers near a fuel station in the state capital.
    The incident according to the Borno Police Public Relations Officer DSP Victor Isuku, the two bombers only killed themselves without causing any harm to the community apart from a nearby truck which was partly damaged.
    The statement read; “Today, at about 0438hrs, two male suicide bombers detonated IED strapped to their bodies by Alh Bukar Gujari Filling station in Muna Garage area, Maiduguri killing themselves alone. A truck was partly damaged.”
    “Also at Dusuma village in Jere LGA , a suicide bomber detonated IED strapped on him almost at the same time , killing himself, while one person was injured,” the Police said.

  • Do not legislate against suicide, experts tell National Assembly

    Do not legislate against suicide, experts tell National Assembly

    Experts in Psychiatry have urged the National Assembly to pass a law to tackle the rising wave of suicide in the country.

    In separate interviews, they said this became imperative because of the rise in suicide cases.

    The Nigerian 1958 Lunacy Act criminalises suicide. When the same person attempts suicide and does not succeed, the experts said the best way to assist the person is not to imprisonment, but treatment in a hospital.

    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

    Former Medical Director, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr Harry Ladapo, said it was time the National Assembly passed the Bill on the review of the 1958, 132 Lunacy Laws of Nigeria. This is because, he said, the rate of mental health disease has gained global attention.

    Ladapo said mental health contributed about 12 percent of world diseases and Nigeria was not an exemption.

    “Although considered as one of the countries in 2007 with lower prevalence of mental disorders as documented in a report by the WHO’s Mental Health Atlas Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, recent statistics show that the prevalence of mental health issues in the country remains unabated.

    ‘’A study by the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, said mental health issues ranked 20 percent among other health problems, yet the country is slow in meeting  global treatment standards adopted by United Nations on mental health policy as pointed out by the WHO in its ‘Mental Health: New Understanding New Hope in World Health Report’. Yet, the colonial law still governs mental health in Nigeria, he lamented.

    According to the Lunacy Law, anyone caught attempting suicide should be arraigned.

    Ladapo said the National Assembly should scrap the mental health legislation.

    The Bill, first introduced in 2003, laid fallow in the Senate until it was withdrawn in April 2009. At the moment, it is back to the Upper House.

    Ladapo said though suicide is criminal, “For somebody who has committed suicide and succeeded, there is nothing anybody can do. But if it is not complete, it is called para-suicide. This entails injuring oneself by overdosing on drugs, chemicals, sharp objects or resorting to other injurious acts that left him being rescued or brought back to life in, that is when he can be charged to court. This is different from suicide where a life is lost. The dead cannot be charged to court. So, the issue at stake is, why would anybody want to take his life?’’

    He continued: “One, when a person feels that life is not worth living, maybe as a result of a chronic sickness, terminal disease, and zero condition – for instance, the elderly or disabled, who can no longer add value to the society but sees himself as a burden may end his life, especially if he cannot do daily activities, such as bathing, brushing teeth, dress or writing without being aided. They can become depressed and keep asking  about  the essence of living.

    ‘’That brought the Principle of Euthanasia in Europe, where people ask a doctor to terminate their lives. So, how does one describe that? Is that a suicide or para-suicide? There, the government decided to legalise it. Meaning that as one is getting  old and cannot cope with daily living, one can request for termination of life.”

    He said in Nigeria, there are socio-economic reasons which push people into suicide. Recession per se is not responsible for it, “but it is surrounded by factors, such as debt, shame, loneliness, isolation, frustration, unfulfilment, not meeting set goals or substance abuse.  I must call attention to the fact that suicide is not new but the rate is escalating and must be halted. Among the Yoruba, we have seen monarchs who committed suicide because of shame, giving credence to the saying, “Emi … a tii gbo’ (Me … how come?). Even when subjects are not satisfied with rulers, they ask them to take the exit (Won sigba fun),” he said.

    He added that civilisation has played a major role in how sucide cases are handled. “The task is to be our brother’s keeper. Let us engage people in discussions. Find out what people are going through at their workplace, worship or residence. Be highly observant in your surroundings. If you notice in your office that despite being gaily dressed, or an extrovert becoming a recluse or somebody who is highly enthusiastic with his job  suddenly complaining of ill health; do not brush him aside and conclude he is being lazy or finding excuses, you may have a suicide candidate in your hand,’’ he said.

    “Signs of suicide include loneliness, withdrawal or isolation – all these can lead to weight loss, depression or oversleeping. Jumping into the lagoon is just a tip of the  iceberg because there are many reported cases  which take place at home. The way out is to improve the mental status of Nigerians, and the sector. Psychiatric health workers should  find out the  causes, and proffer solution.

    ‘’Do you know that lack of money is not the only cause of suicide? Some who  stole public money do it too. The money is there, but cannot spend it and they ask of the essence of life. It is high time the mental health team was encouraged. Recession and war should not make people to commit suicide. But there are circumstances beyond their control that prompt them to do so,” he said.

    Acting Head of Clinical Services, Federal Neuro-Psychiatry Hopsital, Yaba, Lagos, Dr Olugbenga Owoeye, said the criminalisation of suicide was predicated on the Lunacy Law made by colonial leaders.

    Owoeye said: “That is the law the government is still operating. Until it is repealed and a new one put in place, the country may not get out of the problem. The truth is that those who died of suicide or attempted it are mentally sick. It is when the mental state of an individual is not altered that such an individual will not consider suicide  to solve the problem. But when someone is mentally sick, he will not reason productively and may want to end it. So, suicide is a sickness and not a crime.

    “In other countries, when people are seen contemplating suicide, they are referred to the hospital for treatment. Once they are treated, the problems go, and life continues. So, it is wrong for us to criminalise suicide. By so doing, one is driving sufferers into further withdrawals and may attempt a suicide. This is based on the view, “Once I don’t succeed, I will be treated like a criminal, so I must succeed in ending my life. Or I attempted once but did not succeed, so the next attempt will kill it. I must succeed in this one. This is improper.”

    He said: “Our lawmakers should review the Mental Health Law in line with what obtains in other countries, especially developed nations. The bill is already with the Senate. They should make provision for the treatment of those who attempt suicide rather than get them arrested. As the law is being repealed, the government should also fund the psychiatry hospitals. There are fewer than 500 psychiatrists nationwide to take care of 170 million people. We even have fewer  clinical psychologists and psychiatrist nurses. These are not enough to take care of the psychiatry need of the nation.”

    Owoeye said, “More personnel should be trained. It is high time urgent attention should be paid to the mental need of Nigerians, instead of being considered as the least in the health services required nationwide. This is because out of every 100 Nigerians about 20 percent will have diagnosable mental health conditions, so there is the need for us to make adequate preparation to address the mental health issue. Counseling centres can also be set up nationwide so people can go to and un-bottle their minds. The recession going on also should be quickly addressed.”

  • How to overcome suicide and suicidal thoughts

    Suicide, taking your own life, is a tragic reaction to stressful life situations — and all the more tragic because suicide can be prevented. Whether you’re considering suicide or know someone who feels suicidal, learn suicide warning signs and how to reach out for immediate help and professional treatment. You may save a life — your own or someone else’s.

    It may seem like there’s no way to solve your problems and that suicide is the only way to end the pain. But you can take steps to stay safe — and start enjoying your life again

     

    Symptoms

    Suicide warning signs or suicidal thoughts include:

    • Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as “I’m going to kill myself,” “I wish I were dead” or “I wish I hadn’t been born”
    • Getting the means to take your own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills
    • Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone
    • Having mood swings, such as being emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next
    • Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence
    • Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation
    • Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
    • Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns
    • Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly
    • Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order when there’s no other logical explanation for doing this
    • Saying goodbye to people as if they won’t be seen again
    • Developing personality changes or being severely anxious or agitated, particularly when experiencing some of the warning signs listed above

    Warning signs aren’t always obvious, and they may vary from person to person. Some people make their intentions clear, while others keep suicidal thoughts and feelings secret.

    When to see a doctor

    If you’re feeling suicidal, but you aren’t immediately thinking of hurting yourself:

    • Reach out to a close friend or loved one — even though it may be hard to talk about your feelings
    • Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone in your faith community
    • Call a suicide hotline
    • Make an appointment with your doctor, other health care provider or mental health provider

    Suicidal thinking doesn’t get better on its own — so get help.

    Causes

    Suicidal thoughts have many causes. Most often, suicidal thoughts are the result of feeling like you can’t cope when you’re faced with what seems to be an overwhelming life situation. If you don’t have hope for the future, you may mistakenly think suicide is a solution. You may experience a sort of tunnel vision, where in the middle of a crisis you believe suicide is the only way out.

    There also may be a genetic link to suicide. People who complete suicide or who have suicidal thoughts or behavior are more likely to have a family history of suicide.

     

    Risk factors

    Although attempted suicide is more frequent for women, men are more likely than women to complete suicide because they typically use more-effective methods, such as a firearm.

    You may be at risk of suicide if you:

    • Feel hopeless, worthless, agitated, socially isolated or lonely
    • Experience a stressful life event, such as the loss of a loved one, military service, a breakup, or financial or legal problems
    • Have a substance abuse problem — alcohol and drug abuse can worsen thoughts of suicide and make you feel reckless or impulsive enough to act on your thoughts
    • Have suicidal thoughts and have access to firearms in your home
    • Have an underlying psychiatric disorder, such as major depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or bipolar disorder
    • Have a family history of mental disorders, substance abuse, suicide, or violence, including physical or sexual abuse
    • Have a medical condition that can be linked to depression and suicidal thinking, such as chronic disease, chronic pain or terminal illness
    • Are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender with an unsupportive family or in a hostile environment
    • Attempted suicide before

     

    Children and teenagers

    Suicide in children and teenagers often follows stressful life events. What a young person sees as serious and insurmountable may seem minor to an adult — such as problems in school or the loss of a friendship. In some cases, a child or teen may feel suicidal due to certain life circumstances that he or she may not want to talk about, such as:

    • Having a psychiatric disorder, including depression
    • Loss or conflict with close friends or family members
    • History of physical or sexual abuse
    • Problems with alcohol or drugs
    • Physical or medical issues, for example, becoming pregnant or having a sexually transmitted infection
    • Being the victim of bullying
    • Being uncertain of sexual orientation
    • Reading or hearing an account of suicide or knowing a peer who died by suicide

     

    Murder and suicide

    In rare cases, people who are suicidal are at risk of killing others and then themselves. Known as a homicide-suicide or murder-suicide, some risk factors include:

    • History of conflict with a spouse or romantic partner
    • Current family legal or financial problems
    • History of mental health problems, particularly depression
    • Alcohol or drug abuse
    • Having access to a firearm — nearly all murder-suicides are committed using a gun

     

    Lifestyle and home remedies

    There’s no substitute for professional help when it comes to treating suicidal thinking and preventing suicide. However, there are a few things that may reduce suicide risk:

    • Avoid drugs and alcohol.

    Alcohol and street drugs can worsen suicidal thoughts. They can also make you feel less inhibited, which means you’re more likely to act on your thoughts.

    • Form a strong support network.

    That may include family, friends or members of your church, synagogue or other place of worship. Religious practice has been shown to help reduce the risk of suicide.

    • Get active.

    Physical activity and exercise have been shown to reduce depression symptoms. Consider walking, jogging, swimming, gardening or taking up another form of physical activity that you enjoy.

     

    Coping and support

    Don’t try to manage suicidal thoughts or behavior entirely on your own. You need professional help and support to overcome the problems linked to suicidal thinking. In addition:

    • Go to your appointments.

    Don’t skip therapy sessions or doctor’s appointments, even if you don’t want to go or don’t feel like you need to.

    • Take medications as directed.

    Even if you’re feeling well, don’t skip your medications. If you stop, your suicidal feelings may come back. You could also experience withdrawal-like symptoms from abruptly stopping an antidepressant or other medication.

    • Learn about your condition.

    Learning about your condition can empower and motivate you to stick to your treatment plan. If you have depression, for instance, learn about its causes and treatments.

    • • Pay attention to warning signs. Work with your doctor or therapist to learn what might trigger your suicidal feelings.

    Learn to spot the danger signs early, and decide what steps to take ahead of time. Contact your doctor or therapist if you notice any changes in how you feel. Consider involving family members or friends in watching for warning signs.

  • Suicide: Psychiatrists urges quick passage of mental health bill

    Suicide: Psychiatrists urges quick passage of mental health bill

    Worried by increasing rate of suicides and attempted suicides, two psychiatrists have called on the senate to pass the Mental Health Bill into law to address mental disorders including depression.

    Dr Moruf Mustapha and Dr Oluwadamilola Ajayi said in Lagos that a mental health law would go a long way to address the huge burden of mental disorders and prevent suicides in the country.

    Mustapha and Ajayi jointly made the call in a statement they made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

    The doctors made the call against the backdrop of the March 19 suicide by a medical doctor, Dr Allwell Orji, who jumped from the Third Mainland Bridge into the Lagos lagoon.

    According to the doctors, mental health burdens are hidden and can culminate in suicide.

    “Mental disorders remain hidden, and as a result, such disorders are not being diagnosed and treated.

    “It is estimated that one in four individuals globally will go through a mental health challenge in their life time.

    “One of the commonest mental disorders with significant morbidity and widespread notoriety is depression.

    “Depression is not profound sadness; it is not just an inability to cope with life experiences; it is not caused by a character or personality flaw; it is not a moral failing, neither is it a spiritual affliction.

    “It is an illness, a mental illness, that may end in mortality, possibly through suicide,“ the doctors stated.

    They regretted that the Mental Health Bill had yet to be passed into law since 2008.

    “The proposed Mental Health Bill has been bouncing back and forth between the legislative and executive arms of the Nigerian Government since 2008.

    “In the meantime, Nigerians make do with an antiquated law, the Lunacy Ordinance, passed in 1916.

    “This outdated document provides outmoded procedures, terminologies and processes which, sadly, most states in Nigeria must use because this is the only legislative framework in mental health practice that our country recognises.

    Mustapha and Ajayi said that the Nigerians had been expressing divergent views on the possible cause of the March 19 suicide but talked little about the possibility of a mental disorder.

    The doctors said that more than four-fifths of all suicides could be attributed to mental illness, with depression having a large proportion of the statistic.

    They also decried dearth of psychiatrists in the country.

    “There are less than 500 practicing psychiatrists in Nigeria, which has a population of more than 180 million people.

    “This gives a ratio of one psychiatrist to about 360,000 citizens.

    “The panoramic picture of mental health in Nigeria is not only gloomy, it is dire.

    “In the middle of this challenge, doctors, old and young, specialists and generalists, surgeons and physicians, are negotiating their way out of the country’s borders,’’ they added.

    NAN reports that less than a week after Orji`s death, the police rescued a 58-year-old textile merchant on Lagos Island , Mrs Titilayo Momoh, on the same bridge from jumping into the lagoon over an N18 million debt.

  • Suicide: Teacher harps on engaging counsellors in schools

    The Head Teacher, Caleb International Primary School, Mrs Stella Quadri, has said that schools without qualified counsellors are incomplete and cannot have quality products.

    Quadri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Saturday that all schools required counsellors as many students showed signs of mental imbalance brought about from their various homes.

    The teacher made the statements against the backdrop of reports of suicides or attempted suicides in the country.

    “Advice on future vocation, career and calling in life ought to be taken early in life.

    “Students are likely to derail if not properly guided by expert counsellors from inception,’’ Quadri said.

    She said that depression was rampant in the country, and urged governments to invest more in training psychiatrists, guidance and counselling experts as well as psychologists.

    “The state of affairs in the country today requires deployment of more experts in mental health and psychology or psychiatric-related disciplines,’’ she said.

    The head teacher said that guidance and counselling professionals were few compared to the number of students requiring their help.

    Quadri blamed the under-recognition of guidance and counselling experts in Nigeria to alleged absence of coordination in their training.

    She added that Nigeria did not have a catalogue of practicing guidance counselors.

    “Academics in universities and colleges of education need to synergise to standardise the discipline of guidance and counseling.’’

  • Revealed: Family pressure that pushed Lagos doctor Orji into suicide

    Revealed: Family pressure that pushed Lagos doctor Orji into suicide

    Colleagues recall his last day at work

    Doctors explain his condition

    FRESH insights have emerged as to why Allwell Orji, a 35-year-old medical doctor with the Papa Ajao branch of Mount Sinai Hospital, decided to take his own life by jumping into the lagoon in Lagos last Sunday.

    A close associate of the deceased doctor told The Nation that he (Orji) once confided in him that he was fed up with life and “wanted to end it all.”

    He said: “We were close and we often discussed about his life. He was a brilliant young man and he liked helping people. He was in the habit of taking part in free medical outreaches and he loved to study.

    “Despite his condition, he was still studying further. He ought to be rounding off his post-graduate studies which would have enabled him to become a consultant,” the young associate said.

    Although it was gathered that the deceased medical practitioner was a sickle cell anaemia carrier, the associate, who pleaded not to be named, said the deceased doctor sometimes had moments of mental instability.

    The young man added: “Sometimes it happened like a convulsion, and it even embarrassed him at his place of work while he was busy with a patient. Although the family did their best to manage the situation, there were times when he and some members of the family exchanged words because they taunted him for acting abnormally.

    “His frustration heightened when his father died about four years ago and some family members believed the burden of his health condition contributed to the father’s death. These were some of the reasons he told me at that time that he wanted to end it all, but I tried to encourage him with the word of God”.

    The close ally also said that the late doctor’s mother had tried to get him a wife but it did not work out. He said the mum, a wealthy woman who owns a number of vehicles, also hired a driver for the doctor as a way of monitoring his movement to prevent him from taking his own life since he had exhibited such tendencies.

    “The jeep (SUV) he was riding belongs to the mother and she also got him a driver to take him around. The mother tried to arrange marriage for him at a time but it did not work. The deceased’s younger brother is already married and his sister is also a medical doctor,” the source said.

    When one of our correspondents visited the Odunukan residence of the deceased on Thursday evening, a sober atmosphere pervaded the entire street. One of the residents, who identified himself simply as Mr. Oluwole, recalled that Oluwole had attempted suicide about four years earlier, adding that he saw Dr. Orji walking past the Saturday before his death.

    Oluwole said: “We were here four years ago when he wanted to jump from the top of the storey building owned by his family. His family members do not relate with other people in the neigbourhood, and it was the same thing with the late doctor. I often saw him walking on the streets bespectacled on days he was not on call at the hospital. He walked like someone who was thinking too much.”

    Oluwole also believed that things could have turned out differently if the deceased doctor’s family had not changed his driver.

    He said: “It won’t be out of place to describe him as a recluse. He was not on the social media, neither did he engage in any social activity.

    “I believe things would have turned out differently if the family did not change his former driver. The former driver would have suspected and could have tried to stop him once he ordered him to stop on the   bridge.  I am not sure his new driver was well briefed on his medical condition.”

    Colleagues recall last day at work

    It was just like any other Friday when the late Orji resumed work at the branch of Mount Sinai Hospital on Ojekunle Road, Papa Ajao, Mushin, on March 17. The storey building housing the hospital overlooks the dual carriage road that is popular for the spill-over of heavy commercial activities from the nearby Ladipo Market. Although it is sandwiched by two very close buildings, Mount Sinai Hospital wears a bright colour that makes it easily noticeable.

    It was here that Orji reported last for duty as a medical doctor before he gave it all up two days later on a bright Sunday afternoon. He was said to have stopped his driver on the Third Mainland Bridge, got out of the vehicle and jumped into the Lagos lagoon.

    A colleague of the deceased, who did not want to be named, said that Orji’s last day at work was like every other.

    He said: “He was cheerful on that day and attended to patients in his usual cheerful manner. There was no slightest indication that something was amiss or anything to indicate that he was depressed or bothered by something. If there was any sign, it was not obvious at all. If there was anything amiss, that would be his personal life which, of course, we couldn’t have been part of,” the colleague said.

    A nurse at the hospital, who fought back tears as she spoke, also described the deceased Orji as a cheerful individual. “Everybody here will miss him. He was a jovial person. He loved his work. He was someone we enjoyed working with. That Friday was his last day at work here,” she added.

    One of the doctors, who appeared shocked by the incident, referred our correspondent to the Communications Manager at the Surulere branch of the hospital.  “It is the Communications Manager who has the mandate to say anything about the late Orji. I am sure that the hospital will communicate an official position about the incident in due course,” the doctor said.

    At the Surulere branch of the hospital in Lagos, however, the Communications Manager was not available to speak with reporters. But an official of the hospital who would not disclose his name said that while he shared the sense of loss, he would not answer questions concerning Orji’s personal life.

    He said: “As for his official life here, I can tell you that he didn’t show any sign that he had any issue whatsoever. He was at work on the Friday before the incident. He was a likeable fellow, cheerful, had a good working relationship with his colleagues and he was well remunerated. If he had personal problems, I wouldn’t know. It didn’t show.”

    Doctors explain his condition

    In a bid to get to the heart of the matter concerning what could have caused the young, promising doctor to ‘end it all’ with suicide, The Nation sought the views of some established medical practitioners.

    The Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State Chapter, Dr Babajide Saheed, believes it could have been a case of depression, saying a psychological factor could force him to end his life.

    Saheed said: “An act of suicide of such could be caused by stress. The medical profession is well known for its stress factor; the hours of work which he had to combine with other societal duties. Abroad, the case of doctors committing suicide is not as alarming as it is here because the people out there understand the stress level inherent in the profession.

    “Also, that kind of suicide could also have been caused by financial, family or social factor. In the case of finance, he might have been under pressure to spend what he did not have, while in the case of family, faulty relationships could lead to it.”

    Saheed noted that many doctors in developed countries are known to have marital or relationship problems due to the demands of their work often have to battle depression.  “They struggle to build relationships that could lead to marriage. Then on the social factor comes the depression that could arise from a girlfriend who jilts him for a man who may not even measure up to his societal status. Any of these factors could put undue pressure on a young man,” said Saheed.

    Dr Idowu Ogunkoya, a Naturopathy specialist, said he did not believe the late doctor was battling with financial challenges, given that he had a car and a personal driver.

    “How many doctors have a driver?” he queried. “I don’t think he was poor or affected in anyway by the recession. Whatever bothered him to the extent of telling his driver to stop on the Third Mainland Bridge and then jumped into the lagoon is more than money matters.

    “I also do not think it had to do with his work. My guess is that it possibly had more to do with domestic affairs. And if we look at it from a bigger picture, domestic affairs come in different forms.”

    An Abuja based doctor, Dr Eno Assam, in a chat with The Nation decried the fact that people generally assume that doctors are comfortable.  Stating that doctors are not super humans, he said the problem with the late Orji might have been that he tried to please people.

    He said: “I read somewhere that he was the type that loved to please people. You can’t please the world. Like pastors, people expect that we can’t be faulty. But we are no super humans. We are also affected by everything that affects the general public.

    “As a matter of fact, people expect too much from doctors. Most doctors carry a string of dependants, and due to their calling, they seek to please everybody and get professionally stressed.”

    As a means of preventing a reoccurrence of such incident in the future, Dr Assam called on government to establish centres where counsel can be offered to people who are depressed.

    A psychologist, Dr. Okonkwo Leo, who spoke against the popular belief that doctors are comfortable in Nigeria, offered that the late Orji’s case would have been caused by more than one factor.

    He said: “There could have been more than one factor or one factor that spiraled into others. It’s true that we are in a time of recession, but things that lead to suicide could be more than recession, because it is a higher state of depression that leads to suicide, which is an aggression turned inward.

    “Suicide also could be caused by hearing voices, hallucination. What I can advise at this point is that in whatever ways we can, we should help people who seem depressed. Give them more ears, listen to them, talk to them and encourage them. Deep depression needs to be treated too.”

  • Suicide: Two women stopped from jumping into Lagos Lagoon

    Suicide: Two women stopped from jumping into Lagos Lagoon

    Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos state Police Command on Friday morning prevented yet another woman from committing suicide by leaping into the Lagoon.

    One Mrs. Abigael Ogunyinka had also been rescued earlier  by fishermen in Lagos Lagoon Friday morning,

    The second lady, Taiwo Momoh, 58, a textile dealer in Lagos Island, had reportedly put off her shoes and was wrapping her dress around her when men of RRS men prevented her from jumping.

    The lady, who lives in Lekki Lagos, disclosed to RSS officials that she was pushed to committing suicide in order to put an end to her constant sleeplessness and shame occasioned by her indebtedness to three Swiss textile dealers.

    She said her  problem started sometimes in 2015, when a Bureau De Change dealer carted away her N18.7 million she wanted to change to pay her foreign creditors.

    “As you are seeing me like this, well dressed, you would think am living fine. But in my heart is a heavy burden. A burden of huge debt, disappointment from trusting people and abandoned by a son I love and bought a car for. I am a moving corpse,” Momoh stated.

     

  • Four die in bomb attack attempt in Borno

    Four die in bomb attack attempt in Borno

    The Borno Police Command on Sunday confirmed the death of four persons after an attempt by some suspected suicide bombers to infiltrate Maiduguri in Borno.

    Mr Victor Isuku, the spokesman of the command said in a statement in Maiduguri that three bombers had attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri at about 9.00 p.m. on Saturday.

    “At about 2100hrs of Saturday, three suicide bombers, a male and two female, attempted to infiltrate Maiduguri town through Umarari village in Molai general area.

    “They were sighted and challenged by civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) member, a government-approved militia group,’’ Isuku stated.

    He the bombers detonated the improvised explosive device strapped to their bodies while running in different directions and four persons died in the process.

    “Four people, including a civilian JTF, a woman and her two children died while eight others sustained injuries’’, Isuku said.

    The Boko Haram insurgency has killed more than 15,000 people since 2009 and forced some two million to flee their homes.

    Although the Nigerian army, backed up by neighbours, has retaken most areas held by the group, the jihadists still operate in the area of Rann, slipping over the porous Cameroon border after attacks.(NAN)