ICN attributes incessant suicide cases to civilisation, education

The Institute of Counselling in Nigeria (ICN) has attributed the current spate of suicide and rape cases recently recorded in the country to civilisation, education and exposure to new choices.

The institute, which described the incidents as disorders and a case of mental imbalance, said there is an urgent need for persons involved to seek societal reorientation by approaching professional counsellors for guidance.

Speaking at the media unveiling of the institute in Lagos, Monday, Provost, ICN, Dr Tolulope Oko-Igaire, said counselling is the new generational skill for optimal performance and fulfilling destiny.

She explained that the institute was borne out of the passion to help people achieve their dreams of becoming a professional counsellor with the aim to fill the vacuum created by lack of access to standard education and inability to acquire a professional certificate in the field of counselling and psychotherapy in Africa.

Oko-Igaire, who bemoaned the problems of abuse to that of addiction, said the problem with Africans is that “we have left the Cultural values that use to shape us in the name of civilization (this might be inevitable anyway), sadly, we copied the western culture without providing the necessary cushion effect.”

Earlier in his remarks, representative of the Advisory Board, ICN, Lekan Ajisafe said the Institute has taken it upon herself to lead the crusade for mental wellness in Africa and to train legions of mental health experts that will storm the society to provide the therapeutic help the public needs.

“From the problems of abuse to that of addiction; from bad parenting to domestic violence; from corruption to power abuse; from paedophilia to rape; from depression to suicide; no one needs to be told that something is wrong with our society and we need therapeutic interventions now than ever before, “he added.