Yoruba — there have been many stories recently of people committing suicide in Nigeria, so BattaBox hits the streets of Lagos to find out from the Yoruba people – why are more and more people committing suicide in Nigeria?
Across Nigeria’s 36 states, official police statistics recorded 62 cases of suicide across Nigeria in 2016. Lagos and Ogun states have the highest rates: in 2016, 12 suicide cases and 5 suicide attempts were recorded in Lagos in 6 months
The most notorious case was in March, 2017, when a man believed to be a doctor, asked his driver to stop the car, an SUV, and jumped to his death from Third Mainland Bridge.
Another high-profile suicide in Nigeria involved a final year student at Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomosho, who was found hanging from the ceiling of his room.
In 2015, the World Health Organisation ranked Nigeria as 30th in the world, just after North Korea. Such stories and figures are in tragic juxtaposition to Nigeria’s regular ranking as one of the happiest places on earth.
So why the disconnect, and – although official statistics are hard to come by – why is the number of people committing suicide in Nigeria appearing to rise.
“Nobody ever stops yearning for money,” says one Yoruba trader, as he explains the economic hardship. “A measurement of rice that used to be sold for 150 Naira has skyrocketed to 350 Naira.”
“When a man can feed humself and his family without anxiety, he will have no cause to be depressed,” says one young man.
Nigeria’s economy has been in its worst recession for 25 years causing many people to lose their jobs and come under severe financial strain.
“Peer pressure can make someone suicidal,” suggests one woman.
“A lot of people nowadays want to make it rich quickly and it leads to sudden death – when you become concerned with how glamorously your peers spend money,” says a young Nigerian. “And sometimes that leads to money rituals. And when they attempt money ritual abortively more than two times, they could hang themselves.”
If you or someone you know are depressed and considering suicide, abeg, please call someone on these Nigerian Suicide Hotlines: +234 8062106493, +234 8092106493
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Since I have found this channel, I have learned so much about the cultures there in Africa. I am a so called Black in America. I wish to dwell in Africa one day. My little ones enjoy watching as well. Though they can not watch all of the videos 😉
good stuff i liked the yoruba intro,
Because the country has become a corrupt toilet.
Wow..Odun, please join BBC Yoruba service fast. Your Yoruba presentation is the best ever!
Adeola , keep this up
I am not getting, it never that deep. Y’all doing too much, there is subtitle. Calm down.
Verily with every hardship there is ease.
Don’t listen to the nay sayers. Loved that this was in Yoruba as I am learning Yoruba. Please do more episodes like this. Also, people need to stop being so damn lazy. Bet yall wouldn’t mind watching a show done by the French in French. Half of yall complainers would probably try listening and guessing what they meant. Maybe even be inspired to learn French. Same with a japanese show in Japanese with English subs. Yall would be so intrigued. Keep it up BB. You’re doing great
Hearing Yoruba makes me so happy, it makes me miss the good days with my grandma <3
Please dont listen to the negative comments, i suggest you keep the Yoruba segment with clearer bigger subtitles because they dont show up too well,and then think about having a segment with other languages as well so that all our languages can be represented.