Depression: Nigeria’s Most Misunderstood Sickness

by Eromose Ileso

                                                               

photo credit: leadership.ng

To Most Nigerians, depression is a ‘white man’s sickness, because the death attributed to it is always in the public domain. 

To them, they can’t understand why a person living a 'comfortable' life should be depressed. 

When popular personalities like Robin Williams commits suicide as a result of depression, and other personalities that have died from overdose of anti-depressant coupled with the fact that news of these death are splashed in the media, it further gives credence to the wrong view that it is a white man’s sickness. It is easy to see why many here see depression as a white man’s sickness. Often, you seldom get to see any physical symptoms associated with it and most people that suffer from it are often well of. Although, there are exceptions as there are persons who are struggling in all indices of life that are suffering from the ailment.

However, this widely held notion that depression is a white man’s sickness has been negated by the rise in cases of suicides related to depression. There was a case recounted by a radio personality in Lagos, of a man who had no debts, had a good job, but over a period of time, he withdrew from his friends, and became a recluse. He complained that he was depressed to several persons, but what they advised for him was that he needed prayers. He sent his wife on an errant one evening, and before she returned, he committed suicide.

Nigerians see depression as a ‘spiritual problem’ in local parlance, dem dey wori am, some would say. Because, they cannot understand why a person that has no physical problem that is visible to the eye, would suddenly start experiencing mental disorder. It is this belief that has led to calls for more prayers for persons who are suffering from depression rather than a visit to see a therapist.

A 23 year old lady known to this writer had bouts of depression in 2014 and 2015. She went on Facebook to post suicidal thoughts, for which she was severely criticised by family and friends. Nobody could decipher what was wrong with her, until somebody drew the attention of her parents that she was depressed. 

At first it sounded strange as nobody saw it that way. While the mantra of prayers was adopted initially. She ended up seeing a psychiatrist at the Neuro-Psychistrist Hospital, Uselu, Benin City. It was there they gave her some drugs. She would often complain to me at the time, that the medications made her to sleep a lot. However, she became much better, and eventually came out of it. Today, she is a student studying Biochemistry at the University.

There are persons who have had training in the field of psychiatry who can quickly point to the fact that something is wrong with a person. A Consultant Psychiatrist Nurse who retired from the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) mentioned how she noticed the display of a person who had never behaved in such a way having known that person for over 40 years. She was able to notice it because of her training. It was she who called the attention of the person’s family, and drugs was administered, and that person subsequently improved.

I was with the resident pastor of the local church I worship in 2013; I went there to see him about somebody who had  reported me to him. After several minutes of saying how this particular person behaves, he concluded that the person was depressed. He went further to give an instance of a woman he knew that was well off financially and happily married, but committed suicide, because she was suffering from depression. Her swashbuckling life was just a façade that covered her inner ailment.

Nigerians often see a visit to the psychiatric hospital as something that is laced with stigma. Whenever there is mention of a visit to see a psychiatrist, there is a wrong impression that it has to do with insanity. There is nowhere, where it is asserted that depression is insanity. This is another reason why many don’t like talking about depression, and more, because treatment for it would make a person to see a clinical psychiatrist. To the society, any person that has an appointment with a psychiatrist is not normal.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)

·         Depression is a common mental disorder.

·         More women are affected by it than men.

·         At its worst, depression can lead to suicide.  

·         Depression is different from usual mood fluctuations and short lived emotional responses to challenges in everyday life.

·         It can cause the affected person to suffer greatly and function poorly at work, at school and in the family.

·         Barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained health care providers, and social stigma associated with mental health disorders.

·         Another barrier to effective care is inaccurate assessment

·         During depressed episodes, affected persons suffer loss of interest and enjoyment, reduced energy leading to diminished activity.

·         Other symptoms include anxiety attacks, disturbed sleep and appetite and having feelings of guilt or low self-worth, poor concentration.

In the study titled Depression in adult Nigerians: results from the Nigerian Survey of Mental Health and Well-being by Gureje O, etal, 2010, it was stated that profiles and detailed studies of depression among Africans are still sparse. Yet that work was carried out six years ago. The landscape in respect of this discuss is gradually changing.

In a study by several Nigerian academic titled Prevalence of Depression among Resident Doctors in a Teaching Hospital, South East Nigeria by Aguocha GU, Onyeama GM, Bakare MO and Igwe MN published in the International Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2015, it was observed that there was an increased rate of depression amongst resident doctors. 

The study concludes that there was high prevalence of depression among resident doctors. There was no gender and marital status significant variations in depression among the resident doctors. The reason for this was cited as the stressful nature of the residency programme and the increased expectations and responsibilities placed on them.

The result above was on the prevalence of depression in resident doctors. There is a perception here that every doctor is well off. These are persons that are expected to carter for patients in the hospital, and with depression, it portends grave danger for the overall health institution and health care providers in the country.

There are enough reasons why most Nigerians could easily relapse into depressed episodes, with the state of affairs in the country where there is little or no electricity, endless queues in filling stations, increase in prices of goods, pressure to meet the needs of the nuclear and extended families, lack of job opportunities and the absence of equity to address perceived wrongs. 

With this, it is easy for any person irrespective of the status of the person to fall into depression. Yet, most Nigerians would put up a brave face, and would rather seek audience with a clergy instead of seeking a section with a medical professional. 

The inaccessible nature of such health care and the nature of the society makes this a difficult discuss. Few wouldn't spend anything on an ailment that is not visible to the eye when the average person can barely feed properly.

As long as many Nigerians take depression as a sickness that has a spiritual colouration, and the stigma that comes from the society, it would continue to be a misunderstood ailment.

It would take adequate awareness for people to change their perception about an ailment that has become a silent killer.

Djibouti And The West Double Standard African Diplomacy

By Eromose Ileso    April 14, 2016

To many, Djibouti might sound like a name of from one Disney’s cartoon characters, yet it is a country in the horn of Africa which borders Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia, and is just over the sea from Yemen in the Middle East. It is a tiny country with a population of just over 923,000 with an area of 23,200 sq. km. It gained independence from France in 1971.

Despite its size, it is one of the most important countries in Africa especially in the eyes of Western Powers. Besides being a gateway to the Suez Canal, which happens to be the busiest shipping route in the world, it is home to America’s largest military base in Africa. While France that is a former colonial power also has a military base there. It proximity to the Middle East means it is strategically located for the Western powers to launch any military incursions to troubled spots in the Middle East. Apart from the United States and France, China is also planning to establish a military base in Djibouti in the coming years.

Djibouti had its presidential election on April 8th, where long serving President Ismail Omar Guelleh secured a fourth term in office for another five years. The 68 year old has been in office since 1999, and as such he has been in power for 16 years. Apart from this, he rules the tiny country with an iron fist with the media and security tightly controlled by the state where freedom of speech is curtailed.

Despite the fact that Djibouti’s president has ran a repressive regime for years and also spent a decade and six years in power, the West has seldom criticised the activities of President Guelleh. They have repeatedly overlooked the transgressions and the repression of basic freedoms in Djibouti, because of the gains they derive from having the presence of military bases there.

However, the same tenure extension and planned tenure extensions that was perpetuated in other African countries has continually been criticised by the West. The recent referendum in Rwanda which granted Paul Kegame the powers to extend his time in office beyond it present term was not taken likely by the West, as it was met with strong words and criticism, with the added threat of withdrawal of aid.

There is the turbulence in neigbouring Burundi whose president forcibly amended the constitution through parliament to extend his ten year stay in office. A decision that has brought civil strife to Burundi.  This decision was also criticised by the West.  

Meanwhile, while some tenure extension is not welcomed in the West, others are met with a blind eye. It is this double standard approach to Africa’s issues that has continue to raise questions as to the underlining intentions of the West towards Africa. When there is something to be gained in a country, any repressive decisions made by such country’s leader is completely overlooked.

During the early part of the 20th century, the assassination of several African independence leaders was orchestrated by Western powers. From Slyvanus Olympio of Togo, to Patrice Lubumba of Congo Kinshasa, they stood up to the uncouth influence of the West, and they paid the ultimate price. While leaders that dance to their tune were installed in President G. Eyedema of Togo and Moboto Sese Seko of Congo Kinshasa who both ruled their countries for over and near three decades. And despite the fact that they left their countries in ruins while amassing so much wealth, they enjoyed the support of the West until their demise.

The later part of the 20th century was also beset by influence of double standards, with the assassination of Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso clearly influenced by Western elements after his socialist tendencies, and the subsequent installation of Blaise Campoare, who enjoyed the backing of France, yet he was ousted from power two years ago after a popular protest.

While, this writer is not in support of tenure extension, it is the double standard and double speaking from the West that has really cast a shadow over the ability to really sieve the actual desire of the West in respect of the internal affairs of certain African countries.

Some of these double standards have left some Africa countries in ruins especially Libya, a country that was a bastion of stability under M. Gadhafi has become a hotbed for Islamic militants. The effects of that decision has contributed to the uncontrolled influx of immigrants from the coast of Libya through the Mediterranean Sea to Europe, and the domino effect of Libya’s instability is the proliferation of arms in the Sahel belt and West Africa sub region. It was this turn of events that brought about the Tuareg rebels invasion of Northern Mali after they returned with sophisticated weapons from the Libyan conflict before they were pushed back.

When Barack Obama addressed Africa Union heads of states in its meeting in Addis Ababa in 2015, one of the points raised by the American president was his criticism of the tendency of African leaders to extend their tenure in office despite constitutional provisions that limits their tenure to a number of years. Yet there was no word from the West on what happened in Djibouti

While, different rules would continue to apply in the way the West treats African countries as evident by the responses to what happened in Djibouti and other countries. It is ultimately left to African leaders to chart a course for their countries which should start with good leadership without trying to repress basic freedoms of their citizens.  

Matrimonial Causes: Should Spouses Reveal Personal Secrets?

by Eromose Ileso

A friend’s wife once told him that he never speaks about any of his secrets. His reply was that he preferred it that way. While another friend told his wife to keep her secrets, while he keeps his after he was confronted by his wife that he doesn’t divulge certain information about his life.

These are just two instances in marriages were spouses have had heated exchanges about personal secrets. Most times, it is the wife that makes the move in this respect in inquiring about aspects of the man’s life she notices he doesn’t like talking about.

Ordinarily, secrets doesn’t have to be something sinister or uncouth here, but rather it could be an information that a spouse just wants to be remain hidden for whatever reasons.

The issue of secrets in marriages is embedded in the African culture, where in time past wives were not expected to ask certain questions of their husbands. 

At the time, multi-cultural marriages were not common, and there were instances were both spouses did not even meet before marriage, rather it was the families that made the arrangement for one to meet the other most times in the city. 

In such a culture, a wife seldom asked her husband certain questions. However, with the evolution of different cultures and the increased influence of Western values into several cultures, many wives are demanding to know more about aspects of their husband’s life that ordinarily a wife would not have thought of in time past.

These issues have ended up causing friction and fostered an atmosphere where trust is at a low ebb in marriages.  

Yet, both spouses have secrets they would like to remain hidden, as there are certain aspects of their life they know would lead to problems if there are any revelations in respect of that area. 

However, often times, it is the events that have happened during the marriage, not before both spouses met that often leads to issues. 

For instances, most husbands prefer to not to tell their wives what they are doing for their family, as a wife that lacks the requisite understanding could suddenly feel he is doing more for his family than even her family. While also there are husbands who also don’t reveal any aspect of their work life to their wife like details of their take home pay and any other deals they are into.

For all intents and purposes, it is the kind of wife a man has that determines what he tells her in a marriage. There are understanding wives that take every information the way it is without giving it strands of interpretations. 

For instance, a man entered into a business deal without telling his wife, but included as a partner, a friend and both friend’s wives are friends. Eventually when the business hit the rocks when they were duped, the friend who was brought in as a partner informed his wife about the turn of events, she in turn informed the wife of the other man who was not aware of what her husband was into, this issue caused a huge disagreement between that man and his wife. 

In this instance, the friend that told his wife about an information only he was disposed to opened the door for friction to develop in another marriage. In the first place, the man who chooses not to inform his wife about the business had his reasons.

For me, there are certain aspects of a man’s life that should be left to the man, as statistics have shown that when certain revelations reach one of the spouses it always ends up causing issues that if left unresolved could result in a separation.

A man worked for 35 years, and during that time, his wife never knew of the amount of his salary. But in that time, he took care of his wife and trained his children all of which had graduated from school. 

However, his wife of over thirty years had cause to stumble on a phone alert that revealed the amount of her husband’s pension. This revelation resulted in the woman to confront him that he had received huge salaries for years and she was not aware of it. She never considered that this was a man that took care of the family, and also trained the children. Rather in this respect the focus was on the amount of the salary that was not known to her, but not on what the man used the money for.

In Western cultures, this is often not the case, where both spouses know most things about themselves. However, in African cultures, it is often difficult to let a spouse know certain aspects of one’s life in order to avoid anything that could cause problems later on. This has led many spouses to leave some aspects of their lives untouched without revealing anything.

In Christian marriages especially during counseling sections, it is common place for the marriage counselor to tell couples that there shouldn’t be secrets in their marriages, this is not always the case as many have chose to use their discretion in dealing with such issues rather than following what was said in a counseling section.

From a biblical point of view, when Apostle Paul wrote of a man in 2nd Corinthians 12:3-4 who was caught up in the third heavens, and he heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. This could be term mysteries and secrets. Which in a nutshell portends that there could be aspects of life that should be left untouched. 

Some could say that this is different from having secrets in marriages, but the underlining point from there, is that not all things are met to be known which is why certain aspects of a couples life should remain a secret.

Going further, in the book of Genesis, an account about a couple was when God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac that he got at an old age, he did not inform his wife Sarah about what God told him. And after he carried out that instruction, there is no account in the bible that Sarah ever heard of it. 

This particular account is instructive, because Abraham never informed Sarah of what was a key secret especially one that concerned their son which took decades for them to get. This means there are secrets in a marriage that couples could keep to avoid unnecessary friction. Because, concerning Abraham, Sarah wouldn't have allowed him to carry out that instruction because of how long it took for her to get Isaac. The natural human instinct of thinking as a human would have kicked in from her. Yet it was after Abraham's act of obedience that God's promise of generational blessing came.

In a nutshell, it is the man where it concerns him and the wife where it concerns her, that should determine what secret to reveal and which to keep. Some are met to be kept. But bad secrets eventually find a way out, which is why it must be a secret that is unscarred. The purport of this, is that there would always be secrets in marriages, and it could be an important tool to maintain a certain balance.

WhatsApp Encryption: Finding A Balance Between Privacy And Security Challenges In Nigeria

  by Eromose Ileso

WhatsApp

The popular instant messaging service WhatsApp which is owned by Facebook announced on Tuesday that it has introduced end-to-end encryption to messages in it services. 

What this development means in a nutshell is once a message leaves a sender’s device, they are in scrambled or unintelligent form, and only the receiver of that message can decrypt or decode what the message says, thereby excluding the possibility of a third party’s ability to decipher what the message means. Third party here could include law enforcement agents, security officers or even criminals who would now be unable to read such messages when they are intercepted. This encryption also applies to video calls and other file transfers.

This development comes at a time when terrorist organisations worldwide are increasingly looking for ways to beat the sophisticated surveillance and monitoring of their communications by different spy agencies in the Western world. There have been calls by organisations that seek to protect the privacy of vulnerable individuals for more to be done to see that certain communication do not fall into the hands of wrong persons.

However, the new encryption introduced by Whatsapp, a messaging service that has over a billion users worldwide came just after America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took Apple Corporation to court demanding that the technology giants should design a software that would have enabled them to unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino attackers Syed Farook in order to get more information about the said attack that claimed the lives of 16 persons. 

The phone in question had a password used by the attacker, and inputing the password four times would have led to the information in it to be wiped out. But the FBI wanted a situation where software would have been designed to enable different combinations of password without it leading to the loss of any information.

A United States District Court was set to rule on the matter before the FBI asked for the case to be dropped on the eve of the hearing, because an Israeli company had devised a means to unlock the iPhone, so Apple Corp. was no longer needed, and any ruling from the court would have been overtaken by events.

This was inevitably a dangerous territory that pitted the authorities against a technological giant and in-between was the issue of privacy.

While the advocates of privacy and free speech including the likes of Amnesty International hailed the move by Whatsapp, it is yet another setback in the fight against terrorism in the wider world.

In Nigeria, it is no longer news that terrorism has been vested on its territory by the deadly dark acts of Boko Haram. Besides, Boko Haram whose reign of terror has brought devastation to the North East of Nigeria especially in Borno and Yobe states, there are other criminal gangs that engages in kidnapping, abduction and armed robbery. And virtually these groups, be it terrorist or criminal gangs all engage in the use of technology. They all communicate using these instant messaging service(s).

No doubt with the introduction of Whatsapp end-to-end encryption, it would make it even more difficult for security agents to access the information from these devices with the app thereby denying them of vital information that could have led to the capture of a terrorist or a criminal.

Many of these terrorist organisations and criminal gangs already use cryptic communications to get across information within their groups, but that was informal, these new development has made it formal for such groups to perpetuate acts of terror by sending encrypted messages without having to be noticed by vigilant security organisations. 

What this means is that the larger society would have to pay the price, because if an orchestrated plan to unleash terror is not stopped at its planning stage, it means it is when the acts have been carried out and there are causalities, that is when the authorities would become aware of such development just like the Paris and Brussels attacks as well as the UN Building, Police headquarters and Yanya Motor Park that were bombed by Boko Haram in Abuja.

With the advancement in technology, so also have different groups devised means by which they beat any possible surveillance or monitoring that are put on them by security agencies.

In Nigeria, the country is still however, a distant time away from adequately using technology to fight crime. Instead there is a strong reliance on instinct and raw power to unravel certain mysteries, while on few occasions, intelligence has led to the capture of a criminal or terrorist. 

It is this archaic way of criminal investigation which has led to the various anti-corruption bodies to make arrest at first instance before commencing investigation on the detainee. Whereas in advanced societies, a person would have been undergoing underground investigation without his knowledge, and when they have gathered enough material evidence using both scientific and technological methods, such a person would be arrested and charged on the basis of such evidence.

If continuous encryption of communication will pose a huge problem to security agents in advanced countries when it comes to fighting crime, what does this mean in the fight of crime in Nigeria? 

Ultimately, it would make it even harder to use a method that has not even taken off in the first place to engage in crime fighting which is technology.

Over in the United States, the courts might have been prevented to rule over the FBI’s plans to get Apple Corp. to develop a special software to unlock an iPhone in respect of the San Bernardino attacks. However, in another case, a court in New York still denied the FBI’s demands for Apple to assist in getting data from the iPhone of a drug baron who had pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against him. However, a higher court on 8 April eventually granted the FBI prayers for Apple to assist in getting data out of the heavily encrypted iPhone of the Mexican drug baron.

The lines between privacy and free speech when it comes to fighting terrorism and criminal elements would remain a slipping slope so long as there are bumps in the way to fight crime.

The courts will have to decide on a case by case basis whether certain privacy of suspects should be allowed to remain absolute, because when it comes to resolving mysteries regarding crimes, any possible information that could aid in solving it could just be lodged in a mobile device in an encrypted Whatsapp message.