INCREASING SUCIDE CASES: NIGERIAN ENGINEER, FALOBI CALLS ON SOCIOLOGISTS, PSYCHOLOGISTS TO RISE TO CHALLANGES

The Managing Director of Kresta Laurel in further reactions to the suicide incident and others across the country, lamented that the death of Mesioye who was well known to him beats his(Falobi) imagination, and brings to the fore the challenges of mental health in the country

‘The death of this young man who was well known to me personally beats my imagination and brings to the fore the challenges of mental health in our country. He was a dutiful, cheerful and seemingly stable man that I had interacted with in the course of his duty’, Falobi wrote.

The administrator of the Penpushing platform said, nothing suggested that, the deceased was under influence of committing suicide, until the incident of the bus, recalling that, during the fire incident he was reported of attempt to jump into the burning bus but prevented

‘Nothing outwards showed any sign of being remotely capable of committing suicide. Nothing, at least until the incident with the bus, when I learnt that he actually wanted to dive inside the burning bus. I learnt that he also attempted suicide after the incident and he was restrained’.

Penpushing further reports that, Falobi said the university authorities according to investigation also attest to the character and consistent good behavior of the late official, hence, he saw no reason to have terminated his life

‘The panel in itself was an administrative process and I learnt that his bosses even went to attest to his character and consistent good behavior. So, he had nothing to fear. A loss of job was not imminent. How could he have ended it like that? There must have been underlining issues that had preyed his mind’.

‘The burnt bus might have been the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Our nation needs to take mental health more seriously. The economy has been consistently bad for some for some time. Domestic challenges are also rife. Sociologists and Psychologists should begin to evaluate the impact of various challenges on the populace’.

The Engineer also called on the media to be up to the task of educating those in silent agony, while government at all levels should set up counseling centers so that those in mental distress can seek counsel and succour while those in imminent danger are referred to competent institutions for proper treatment.

 ‘The media should kindly help by speaking more to those in silent agony. Governments especially at Local government level should set up counseling centers so that those in mental distress can seek counsel and succour while those in imminent danger are referred to competent institutions for proper treatment’.

Penpushing reports that, the Ijesa born Engineer  emphasized that churches  and mosques should not be left out of the crusade, pointing out that banning the killer drugs, cannot be the only solution to stop suicide, but needs ‘to be our brother’s keeper’, and  watchout for signs of depression

‘Our ubiquitous churches and mosques can help in this regards. Banning Sniper alone cannot solve the problem. They are other means. We must also be our brothers’ keeper by watching out for signs of depression’.

‘On the home front, we have more to do. Kids of nowadays do not seem to have the resilience of hold. Parenting must change. May God help us as we help ourselves. May God comfort his family and forgive his sins’, Falobi added