Victor Ezeja
A 32-year-old lady named Amarachi Ugochukwu said to be a marketing staff of Globus Bank, Ikorodu, Lagos, has committed over economic hardship.
Prime Business Africa learnt that she died inside the bank’s restroom for staff at about 1 pm on Monday after consuming a highly toxic substance.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIt was gathered that she had left her phone on her table and the phone kept ringing which made her colleagues in the office start looking for her, after which the office toilet door was noticed to have been locked behind. However, the door was forcefully opened and her lifeless body was found.
Photos of the incident share on social media showed her lifeless body, an empty medium-sized bottle of insecticide and a note she left behind.
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As gleaned from the suicide note, the lady banker blamed her fatal decision on economic hardship, which has made her believe that her future is not bright.
The banker apologised to her family members for disappointing them with her action.
“Nothing is working in my life,” the lady wrote in the note.
Continuing she wrote: “My figures are low. My brain is clogged up. The economy is getting harder. My decisions are wrong. My mind is messed up”
“The future doesn’t seen bright at all, I see extreme hardship. I can’t bear the pain anymore”
“I’m sorry mom, I’m sorry dad, I’m sorry Nene, Okwe, Tutonazor, Chuchu, Ifunanya. Dear Lord have mercy on me!”
Cases of suicide linked to depression (a mental disorder) caused by economic hardship and other factors have continued to rise in Nigeria in recent years, especially among vulnerable groups.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are at least 20 unsuccessful attempts for every completed suicide. In Nigeria, the age-standardised suicide rate was 6.9 per 100,000 population in 2019, across both sexes, however, male suicide rates were higher at 10.1 per 100,000 population.
Mental health experts have linked rising suicide cases to economic crisis and depression that Nigerians experience daily.
Nigeria has over the years grappled with economic downturn with the inflation rate on a continuous spike. From 21.82 per cent in January 2023, it surged to 28.20 percent.
This is as the costs of food, transport and other essential commodities, continue to rise coupled with persistent depreciation of the naira.
The National Bureau of Statistics had through its “Nigeria Multidimensional Poverty Index’’ announced in November 2022 that over 133 million Nigerians were living in poverty.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
