Religious Perceptions of Suicide and Implication for Suicidiology Advocacy in Nigeria (Published)
The role of religion in contemporary suicide advocacy cannot be overemphasized. Suicide, in most cases had lent itself to multidisciplinary considerations, although before now has been largely scientific. This includes a combination of psychology, medicine, psychiatry, biomedicine, psychobiology, neurology, medical sociology and others. In most situations, religion, philosophy of religion and philosophy have not been given the rightful place in suicide consideration. This approach could be seen clearly as a negative oversight. The goal of this paper is to examine some common religious perceptions, and consequently apply such in the quest for suicidiology advocacy. The paper applied religious, philosophical, historical and sociological research methodology. It is recommended that a clear understanding of some common religious perceptions of suicide would engender an aggressive drive towards suicidiology advocacy. Consequently, there would be a reduction in the level of suicide behaviour or complete suicide.
Keywords: Implication, Religious perception, Suicide, Suicidology advocacy
Suicide in Yoruba Ontology (Published)
Suicide is generally regarded as all cases of death resulting from action taken by the victim themselves, and with the intention and prospect of killing oneself. The cause is frequently attributed to psychological disorders, substance abuse, shame, guilty, rejection, loss, and loneliness, death of a loved one, emotional trauma, serious physical illness, and unemployment or money problems. In this paper, the researcher studies the problem of suicide from Yoruba perspective. Yoruba is a language and the name of an ethnic group or tribe in Nigeria. The paper interrogates Yoruba concept of death, the quality of death through suicide and suicide among the Yoruba. For the Yoruba, when it comes to the issue of autonomy and competence as regards deciding on suicide, they would metaphorically claim that ‘bose wuni lase imole eni’ (one determines one’s faith the way one deems fit) drawing from the cultural construct of the Yoruba worldview that celebrate suicide in avoidance of shame- iku ya j’esin- a principle of dignity in dying. This understanding of suicide from an Yoruba perspective is believed will help enhance the value of human life and thus save the world from being plunged into a silent crisis of the value of life.
Keywords: Africa, Autonomy, Honor, Ontology, Suicide, Victim, Yoruba, ignominy
Suicide in Yoruba Ontology (Review Completed - Accepted)
Suicide is generally regarded as all cases of death resulting from action taken by the victim themselves, and with the intention and prospect of killing oneself. The cause is frequently attributed to psychological disorders, substance abuse, shame, guilty, rejection, loss, loneliness, death of a loved one, emotional trauma, serious physical illness, and unemployment or money problems. In this paper, the researcher studies the problem of suicide from Yoruba perspective. Yoruba is a language and the name of an ethnic group or tribe in Nigeria. The paper interrogates Yoruba concept of death, the quality of death through suicide and suicide among the Yoruba. For the Yoruba, when it comes to the issue of autonomy and competence as regards deciding on suicide, they would metaphorically claim that ‘bose wuni lase imole eni’ (one determines one’s faith the way one deems fit) drawing from the cultural construct of the Yoruba worldview that celebrate suicide in avoidance of shame- iku ya j’esin- a principle of dignity in dying. This understanding of suicide from an Yoruba perspective is believed will help enhance the value of human life and thus save the world from being plunged into a silent crisis of the value of life
Keywords: Africa, Autonomy, Honor, Ontology, Suicide, Victim, Yoruba, ignominy