Foundation tackles suicide among youths

An organisation, John Bosco Onunkwo Foundation has intervened in the rising cases of suicide among youths, appealing to them to refrain from taking their own lives. The organisation renowned for its humanitarian services across the country, organised a symposium for youths in Anambra State where they were made to understand that at the end of every dark tunnel, there is a silver lining. The programme, which was tagged the “New conversation” and organised  in collaboration with the state chapter of Good Governance Ambassadors of Nigeria, gave the platform to seasoned resource persons to educate youths on how to rediscover themselves and depend less on government to realise their dreams and aspirations.

The theme of the symposium which was “Redeeming Our Youths To Rediscover Their Roots: A Capacity Building Interactive cum Initiative Forum “was an intervention to end the menace of suicidal, as it sought to address erratic thoughts and actions amongst youths which could lead them into committing suicide.

Founder of JohnBosco Onunkwo Foundation and convener of the symposium, Chief JohnBosco Onunkwo, an accomplished Anambra-born oil and gas magnate based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, took time to explain to the youths that there was no reason youth should commit suicide when he or she can persevere to become a force to reckoned with as well as a reference point in history.

Onunkwo, who spoke to the youngsters at Omar Event Centre Awka, told the story of how he rose from grass to glory as a youth who had to fend for himself most of the time. He emphasized that no guts, no glory; that there was need for youths to rediscover themselves and diversify into other spheres where they have comparative advantage.

He said, “We have to tell the people that government cannot do everything. Time has come when the people should call themselves to a meeting and begin to think about what they can do within themselves and be able to stand. I believe in capacity building and I believe in the diversification agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari where he said that people should not only think of one source but should think about diversification. Diversification is a survival strategy.”

He noted that youths should tap into their talents to get greener pastures. The business mogul equally stated that people perish for lack of knowledge and that the seminar has produced positive response, which will go long way to reduce suicide and other social vices. He pointed out that the symposium exposed youths to the dangers of suicide and why the idea of suicide should not be conceived in the first instance. That the whole essence of the interactive forum was for people to have hope in themselves as well as believe in themselves. He said it was the second edition of the New Conversation series where people were told to be less dependent on governments, politicians and others for their daily bread even as he noted that he has been in philanthropic services for more than fifteen years uplifting humanity. He however revealed that subsequent editions of the New Conversation series would be held before long, stressing that he would use the platform of the interactions with the youths to further encourage them to be innovative, inventive and resourceful to be able to attain economic independence while his foundation would provide the needed backing to those who discovered as well as explored other areas of comparative advantage to stand out amongst the crowd while making efforts also through John Bosco Onunkwo Foundation to disabuse as well as dissuade young people from attempting suicide or other vices detrimental to their dreams and aspirations and capable of putting them in perpetual jeopardy.