March 20 was marked as the World’s Happiness Day, the day set aside by the United Nations to celebrate happiness. It is good.
As a matter of fact, Nigerians are regarded as the happiest people on earth; what makes people in other lands revolt is a laughing matter in Nigeria.
In the heydays of the General Sani Abacha junta, some tourist white men were surprised to see Nigerians at various drinking joints nationwide. That is Nigerian spirit of doggedness. But in spite of being the happiest people, suicide and uicide attempts are recorded almost on daily basis.
On Saturday, March 18, a 500 level civil engineering student of LAUTECH, Ogbomoso hanged himself on the ceiling fan in his room. He was said not to have left any note behind. He was seen to be happier than usual during the day. He cracked jokes with his friends and roommates. But when it was time for them to leave for night study in the classroom, he declined, saying that he preferred to read in the room.
Unknown to his friends and roommates, he had a plan to commit suicide. Thus, at about 5.00 am on that fateful Sunday, his body was seen dangling in the air. It was a horror! People began to ask what could make such a young, handsome man to take his own life. Nobody could say. There were only speculations that he had many carry-overs in his course.
Sometime ago, a university student was equally seen dangling in the air in a room at a popular hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State. He was said to have left a note that his mates were making jest of him because of his impotence. So, the best he could do was to hang himself.
At about 4.30pm on Sunday, March 19, the eve of the World’s Happiness Day, a young man, Dr Allwell Orji, ordered his driver to stop on the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos. He opened the door of the car and veered over the rail of the bridge into the Lagoon.
All efforts to rescue him yielded no fruit. The young medical doctor died! It is not yet known why he took his own life by jumping into the lagoon but it is obvious that all was not well with Allwell as of the time he drowned. He was not a happy man.
But what is the possible way out of suicide, hara-kiri and the like? Our psychiatritsts shoud provide the answer. In the meantime, we commiserate with the deceased family, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and Nigerians at large. May the spirit to withstand the shock of life continue to abide with Nigerians.
Adelani Olawuyi
Ogbomoso, Oyo State.