At the September 10 World Suicide Prevention Day, a literary organization named: Aj House of Poetry organised a public awareness on "March Against Suicide." And members of Movement for a Socialist Alternative, and also, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Ajeromi Ifelodun branch were there to show solidarity to the group for organizing such a public awareness.
At exactly 7am, the group was out at Boundary square to sensitized residents and working people, on the challenges attached to suicide and why the increase, calls on the government to begin addressing what is leading to people committing suicide. Hundreds of the MSA leaflets on join the "March Against Suicide! March to Smash Capitalism" was widely circulated. The group also circulated their own leaflet on "World Suicide Prevention Day. Join the March Against Suicide."
Some of the placards raised has the following demands and slogans: "Life is Precious, Please Don't Waste It. No Matter What, Life is Hope. Free Treatment and Therapy for All Depressed Persons in the General Hospitals. Aj House of Poetry Say Yes to Life. No to Suicide! Support Allowances for All Young School Leavers! 5. Your life is Precious, More Than Gold. Don't Give Up! 6. Kill your Problems. Not Yourself!" And other key demands not captured.
Some of the key leading members of the group address the public. Kemi Bakare, a poet and a coordinator of the group said "the increase of suicide is link to the social realities of life that is pushing people to attempt killing themselves" Others persons like Clementina Solutionist noted the same challenges on why depressed people need a medical advice, if provided. Also, meeting the right persons for parental advice. Bestman Michael, secretary of the group and a member of MSA also address the public.
Fundamentally, he pointed out the reality responsible to people taking their lives because of the increase of poverty under the system of profit. That the increase of poverty, in addition, with the recent increase in oil pump price and electricity tariff, will definitely add to the burden of people especially the working masses. That policies like this, no doubt, will lead people into depression, which will amount to attempting suicide.
One of the trade unionists, NUT, Anita Asokomhe, who is also a teacher in government primary public school noted that "the problem of suicide is not ethnicity but the lack of adequate provision of basic social infrastructure." This comment was sharpen by Ifeoma Obi, who in her speech said that "the government should create free medical Centre for all depressed persons." That such health center should be adequately be equipped with all the basic facilities.
Members of MSA, who were at the sensitization ground, in the persons of Davy, Tunde and Dagga spoke. The comrades on their part were able to use the World Suicide Prevention Day to raise fundamental perspective leading to suicide. The Nigeria debt profile of N31 trillion was mentioned by Tunde when he spoke. He noted more disasters awaits Nigerians under the system of profit. He said, "due to the increase of poverty and the economic hardship, working class families are passing through has led, in recent time, three young people to commit suicide in where he reside .
Davy who spoke also uses the medium to call on the NLC and TUC to commence the process of organizing total reversal of the oil pump price and increments in electricity tariff. That with this recent policies of the government, it will definitely add to the suffering of the mass, who on daily basis are struggling to survive the already over burden policies of the capitalist politicians. The comrade shared light on the NBS statistics on the 27.1% unemployed Nigerians, where young people of 15-34 are the majority.
Dagga, the spoke person for MSA, and chairman of NUT AJIF branch, also noted that the government has failed to improve the lot of the working masses, despite the enormous resources the country has. The question of adequate funding of public education and the health sector was also raised. The members of MSA used the public awareness initiated by Aj HOP, to fundamentally shift the blame to the system of capitalism as being raised in their MSA leaflets: March Against Suicide! March to Smash Capitalism"
Scientifically, MSA in its leaflets states that "many of the persons that has committed suicide as recorded in Nigeria, has done so because of the economic pressure they faced." It also states "without a plan socialist planned economy, democratically managed by a workers and poor farmers' government that will nationalized the key resources of the country, for developing the means of production and meeting the needs of the working masses; poverty, inequality and the hard realities pushing people to commit suicide will continue."
The World Suicide Prevention Day was also used to call on young people, writers, poets and the working masses to join the Movement for a Socialist Alternative in order to build a political alternative with clear socialist programmes, which the comrades in their speeches crested on the street can only be possible, if the mass are organized. Four members of MSA and three trade unionists, that is, NUT were at the event to show solidarity to the group: Aj House of Poetry. The awareness lasted for three hours.
By Editorial
LIFEINSLUM
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