‘True Easter spirit can halt suicide’

WHO, Kumuyi, others move against depression

Hopeless Nigerians have been cautioned against committing suicide as the nation moves towards coming out of recession. The General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Kumuyi, in his Easter message at the church’s conference centre along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State, noted: “Some people are taking their lives. They do not need to do that, because it is dark before dawn. And when the light breaks and somebody has taken his/her life, how will you enjoy what the Lord is going to do?”

According to him, things could only get better, as such, Nigerians should hope in the Lord. Kumuyi also urged peaceful co-existence to enable the nation to bounce back in good time.

According to him, the country would achieve little or nothing in the absence of peace. He went on: “ Every section of the society should embrace peace so that we can move forward. If we can do this, things would turn around.”

On the essence of Easter, Kumuyi said the occasion was to remember Christ and all he had done to salvage humanity, adding that He did not only die for mankind, but was also buried and rose.

In the meantime, there are concerns at the prevalence of suicidal deaths globally. In Nigeria, there are some sad cases of suicide. On March 18 this year, a 35-year-old medical doctor, Allwell Orji, alighted from his car and jumped into the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos with his body retrieved four days later by the marine police.

This was followed by attempted futile attempts by two women, Taiwo Momoh and Mrs. Abigail Ogunyinka in Lagos and a male, Tope Afolayan, in Ekiti State. A textile dealer at Balogun market, Lagos Island, Momoh was prevented from committing suicide by a police Rapid Response Squad, led by the Assistant Superintendent of Police, Olatunji Disu, having attended to jump into the lagoon.

A resident of Lekki, Momoh, 58, said she was forced to contemplate suicide following her $24,000 indebtedness to four importers that was bringing shame to her.

Ogunyinka was earlier rescued same the day by fishermen at Oworonshoki axis of the bridge while attempting to take her life. The other incident involved a civil servant in the employ of Ekiti State government, Tope Afolayan.

An indigene of Ara-Ekiti in Ijero Local Council of the state and a principal executive officer in the office of the Accountant General, Afolayan was alleged to have hanged himself on January 12 this year at his Ado-Ekiti residence.

He was a final year law student of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti. Also a final year student of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who was believed to be a participant of the Mavrodi Mondial Moneybox  (MMM), committed suicide on November 27, 2016 over what some described as his loss in the ponzi scheme.

Identified as Tobechukwu Okeke, he hanged himself in his room at Odenigwe, a community in Nsukka, Enugu State. The late student was said to have left a note behind where he apologised to his family, according to an account by a neighbour.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) in a survey, published in February this year, said depression leads to suicide and close to 800,000 people die from special fatality yearly.

Besides, a group, Kids and Teens Organisation (KnT), in conjunction with WHO, has educated adolescents on overcoming depression. The Executive Director, Mary-Martins Falana, dropped the hint at an event to mark the 2017 World Health Day with the theme, “Depression Among Young People, Let us Talk”, in Azure, Ondo State.

He noted that depression causes mental anguish on people’s ability to carry out even the simplest daily tasks along with its devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends.

The director quoted the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, as saying: “About 322 million people around the world are affected by depression.

“It is the leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. In the African region, close to 30 million people suffer from depression.”

Meanwhile, the chairman of Kogi State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop John Ibenu, has enjoined leaders and the led to imbibe sacrifice and selflessness as exemplified by Jesus Christ while on earth.

Also yesterday, the General Overseer, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, said the season called for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and reflection on the covenant of his death and ascension.

They both gave the admonition in their Easter messages to Christian faithful.