Lagos speaker laments alarming rate of suicide

Speaker of Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, has lamented the alarming rate of suicide, which was hitherto alien to Nigerians.

He urged every Nigerian to return to the era of brotherly love to curb the increasing rate of suicide across the country.

Obasa said this yesterday in a message to mark the World Suicide Prevention Day held globally on September 10.

The speaker also said it was saddening to note that people took their lives over flimsy reasons, which could be resolved with the determination to succeed.

He, however, said it was a bit soothing that Nigeria was not among the high-risk countries on the suicide rate.

He advised the youth to avoid get-rich-quick syndrome and learn the ropes to success.

“There is hardly anyone who became rich overnight; there are ladders that must be climbed,” Obasa said.

Meanwhile, a call has gone to families, churches, civil society groups, and school authorities to collaborate and save students and youths from depression and attendant suicide.

The World Suicide Prevention Day was marked in Awka, Anambra State, with a group of placard-wielding young people marching through major streets to create awareness of the event.

Some of the placards read: ‘” Say No To Suicide”, “Suicide Will Never Solve The Problem”, “A Problem Shared Is A Problem Solved” and “Suicide Is For Fools”.

Spokesman of the group, Prosper Ikechukwu, told newsmen after the peaceful march yesterday that the march was aimed at creating awareness on the ugly development.

The 300-Level student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, lamented that suicide cases had been on the increase and called for concerted efforts among the youth, schools, churches, media and civil society groups to help curb it.

Ikechukwu said: “We should reach out to especially young ones who are depressed on account of rising poverty, economic hardship, personal relationships and disconnect with parents and guardians.

“We should hear them out to know what they are passing through and share their problems, rather than being judgemental.

“Those who die are fools because they die with their vision, ideas, and dreams.”