An Enugu-based youth activist, Mr. Chukwuma Okenwa, on Monday, tasked parents to ensure that their children stick to family ties and values in order to check the rising spate of suicide in the country.

Okenwa, who is a frontline youth entrepreneurship and political participation advocate, gave the task while speaking with newsmen in Enugu on the disturbing trend of suicide among young people.

He noted that parents must ensure that youths have a sense of belonging in the family.

“The culture of youths behaving or feeling that they are answerable to no one is deadly.

“We are Africans, and one thing that makes us unique and immune to suicide is the African family system and its wide ties.

“No one should be allowed to be left alone or socially withdrawn if the menace of suicide is to be tackled holistically,” he said.

Okenwa noted that when one commits suicide in most African cultures, there would be a stigma following such a person’s family.

“No matter the pressure of life or peculiar circumstance a youth faces is not enough to take one’s life. After all, the celebrated people you see today have a lot of failures associated with them even as they make it to the top, if only they can be honest in their stories.

“I am advising youths to face their current life challenges with courage and determination even in clear difficulties. Taking one’s life through suicide does not erase the problem.

“For those youths, who have committed or alleged to have committed one or more evil deeds or mistake; no human being is perfect without a fault,” he said.

The activist urged for the employing of psychologists in most schools at all levels to help monitor deviant behaviours among students and pupils.

“The issue of drug abuse among youths should be taken serious by all well-meaning Nigerians starting from the family and neighbourhood levels.

“Government at all levels should put more stringent laws against drug abuse and sales in the country,” he added.

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