Mental Health, Suicide and Akpabio’s Insensitivity
The Advocate By Onikepo Braithwaite Onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com ”….If you first attempt suicide, it is a criminal offence. So, this one that you are saying that we should decriminalise it; once you
The World Mental Health Day, observed on October 10th, focuses on raising awareness and advocating for mental health education and change. Despite Nigeria enacting the National Mental Health Act (NMHA) in 2023, implementation has been limited. Key structures, such as the Department of Mental Health Services and Mental Health Fund, have yet to be fully operationalized, and there is a persistent treatment gap.
The NMHA aims to establish a rights-based framework for mental health services, protect the rights of individuals with mental health conditions, and promote community-based care. However, nearly four years after its enactment, the law remains underutilized. The trajectory of laws concerning attempted suicide is reflective of changing societal attitudes.
Suicide was once treated as a felony in English common law, but has since been decriminalized in various countries, with Nigeria being one of the few exceptions.
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