Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
The increasing rate of suicide amongst the youths, especially students have been attributed to poor integration of the individual to society and the collapse of communal/societal protection.
Professor of Industrial Sociology and Labour Relations and President, Nigerian Anthropological and Sociological Practitioners Association (NASA), Nkemdili Nnonyelu, who stated this in an interview, called for concerted efforts by families, religious organisations and government to dissuade the trend.
There seems to be an increase in suicide involving students and teenagers, what is responsible?
This is not particularly new in the history of human society, as it was a major issue in the 19th century, that prominent sociologists particularly Emile Durkheim authored a powerful essay on suicide; changing the narrative as it were. Before Durkheim, explanations about suicide were psychosomatic, some claiming it came as a result of mental illness, or imbalance more so of the inherited variant. Some gave biological explanations which of course were jettisoned with the insights given by Durkheim that suicide rate had something to do with the nature of individual integration to the social structure. I am still inclined to reason, as Durkheim did, that what is happening currently is a reflection of the deep-seated malaise in our society, alienation of the individual from the society which throws up a sense of ‘feelessness’, or worse, worthlessness, a contempt and disdain for life and whatever it offers. When bonds that connect the individual to society is loosened in a most cruel manner, when the individual owing to societal failures is disconnected to the bond of society, particularly under periods of transition, negative mainly, even positive, the one that is beyond the contemplation of the individual, the individual may have no option than to take his life. With the information age that we are in, with the spread of such acts through social media, young persons may be drawn to the commission of such kindred criminal acts as suicide.
Why the increasing rate?
One can still explain the increasing rate of suicide among university undergraduate within the domain of sociology. It is better to explain the ugly suicide trends that we are facing today by looking at the relationship of the individual with the society. There is therefore, a relationship between suicide rates and the nature of social structure. It seems to me that as a result of their poor integration to society, frustration, emotional upsets or bursts could become overwhelming, and may lead to one taking his/her life. The individual is not properly integrated to society, is insufficiently attached, and so can be barricaded by the collective forces that prevent suicide. This type of suicide is known as egoistic suicide, where the individual stays in an environment of isolation, is somewhat detached, and this is an enabling ground, or predictor of such suicide cases and rate. There are however other types of suicide like the one we see by those who volunteer to go for suicide missions (not the abducted and forced suicide bombers), to offer themselves as sacrificial animals in pursuit of what they consider noble ideals; rightly or wrongly. It is the over integration of these persons to the social structure, to the society, that gives them the push and courage to die in defence of some societal values – altruistic or selfless suicide; putting oneself on fire to attract international support for the case of your communities or group. There is also anomic suicide, usually occurs in period of normlessness, anarchy, loss of social cohesion; under this situation, the role of society as a moral guardian is vitiated, and individuals can in such situations take their lives.
What is the way out?
It seems to me therefore that what is at play currently is a variant of suicide that emanates from the poor integration of the individual to society and the collapse of communal/societal protection. Government needs to be more responsible and responsive by providing social security measures that will serve as intervening measure or critical restraint in the face of national or communal adversity. Culturally, most Nigerian communities do not romanticise or glamorise suicide, they do not approve of it, they consider it despicable, and that’s why in the South-East, for instance, anyone that commits suicide, does not get a decent burial. The solution to the current tendency among young persons must be multifaceted involving families, religious organisations and the media working together to dissuade this trend.