We need more psychiatrists

Mental health has always held a fascination for me and I look at psychiatrists with awe. This fascination reached a crescendo when the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority decided that erring motorists would face psychiatric evaluation to determine their mental health whenever they are caught flouting traffic laws, a decision that was implemented to the hilt. The less said about LASTMA of today, the better for us Lagos residents.

But the dust raised by the visit last week of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, in next month’s presidential election, and some incredulous reactions to that visit made me conclude that we actually need more psychiatrists than we have presently. Unfortunately I could not determine the number that we have now vis-à-vis the recommended ratio of the World Health Organisation (WHO) compared to our population, save for the postulation that we should take mental health much more serious than we do currently. I think it was the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, who recommended metal evaluation for our politicians a while ago, we need to extend it to citizens as well considering the way we are going in this campaign season, if we can call what we are witnessing currently campaign. It is unfortunate that otherwise rational citizens will throw caution to the wind and peddle outright lies, rumours and beer parlour gossip which when you correct them, they will just shrug their shoulders and pretend as if nothing was amiss.

“We cannot apprehend Atiku because of our diplomatic ties with Nigeria, he’s being booked as an ‘aide’ to Nigeria’s Senate President. – US Department of African Affairs was the message shared with glee last week by many on social media without caution. I grew tired of engaging some of those who shared such whom I thought ought to know better. Even when you explained that the United States has only a Bureau of African Affairs domiciled in the Department of State and not a department of African affairs; they were too much inebriated with whatever they were drinking to continue on their misadventure. Further search revealed that it was an uncouth presidential aide who started the inanity on her twitter handle. On an idiocy scale, I think we should place this risible and absurd statement on the same level like those who said President Muhammadu Buhari is dead and the person we have now is a clone, one Jubril from Sudan. They are both brainless thoughts that only pea-brained folks could be peddling. I mean, Buhari dead and a clone is our president. Come on, who did to us? Pray, can anybody stop America from arresting someone who voluntarily entered her shores if truly the fellow is on the country’s wanted list?

Sometimes one wonders whether some Nigerians have suspended their brain functions during this campaign period that makes them not to function as reasonable humans again and thereby elevating stupidity to the highest level. We’ve become so uncouth with public debate heavily toxic and consistently find it difficult to engage in rational conversations or debates among ourselves over our political choices. From time immemorial, choices have always been different and if humans think the same way, our lives will become dull, boring and very predictable. So, while you make your political choices you don’t need to apologise for whatever choice you make but also don’t demonise others for theirs as well. As long as one does not support racist or bigoted views, go ahead with your choice; it’s your inalienable right to do so.

It is gratifying to note that WhatsApp had actually decided to limit its sharing option because of fake messages especially as it relate to the forthcoming elections in our country, but we ought to do more as citizens too. We have in our hands trove of information going by the gadgets we go about with these days, so why don’t we engage them and find out if what we are circulating is true or not? Just before hitting the share button or saying “sent as received” or “copied”, let’s engage our brain and do a little research and stopped being purveyor of fake news. It’s so sad that literate folks and supposedly enlightened people are guilty more than even illiterates in this fake news propaganda business. This is a goldmine for media scholars to tap into in determining what happens to otherwise rational individuals willing to believe lies from the pit of hell as long as it tallies with their political leanings or views.

Meanwhile, let’s invest more in mental health so that we can be sure some of us are not losing it with the way we behave in this campaign season. This one too will pass away, so be careful of what you share with others.