Ini Billie, Uyo
Psychiatric expert, and Professor of Consultation, Liaison Psychiatry, Prof. Festus Udo Bassey Abasiubong has advocated routine, compulsory psychiatric evaluation for all Nigerians as a panacea for the nation’s political, economic and social problems.
Abasiubong said the psychiatric evaluation will ascertain the mental capacity of Nigerians as most citizens exhibit unacceptable behaviours which has worsened the situation of the country.
Speaking on “Nigeria, a Sanely Insane Society. Who is not insane?”, Abasiubong stated in Uyo on Wednesday during the 95th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Uyo that despite over 50 years of history of oil exploration and exportation, Nigeria is at the edge of becoming a failed nation due to the insane behaviours of its citizens.
“For Nigeria to be a better country, the citizens must have to be mentally sound. Therefore, there is a need for every Nigerian to undergo from time to time routine and compulsory psychiatric evaluation, to ascertain their mental capacity, uprightness and correctness.
“Nigerians earnestly need to restructure their minds by cultivating culturally acceptable behaviours devoid of ethnicity, religion, suspicion, and hatred.
“Nigeria as a country cannot grow and develop unless certain items in the Constitution are revisited. such as ‘Federal Character’ and ‘State of Origin’, must be expunged from the Nigerian Constitution. These two items are development. inimical to competition, growth and Items
“Nigerians must pay greater attention to character moulding and modelling. Consideration and recognition for awards, titles, and honours, should not be based on social status or wealth, but integrity, good character, and meaningful contribution to the society,” he stated.
He called for the reformation of the system through policies that would ensure criminals and economic saboteurs are prosecuted according to the law without prejudice to religion, ethnicity or technicalities.
He further advocated positive cultural attributes where citizens would embrace reforms and policies that would position the country among developed and civilized nations of the world.
“The issue of monthly salaries/wages should be interrogated. It is high time, Nigerians stopped deceiving themselves. A lot of Nigerians receive or earn salaries for doing nothing.
“Evidence has shown that there is high efficiency and productivity in countries, where workers are paid according to the number of hours they put into their jobs.
“It is morally reprehensible to blame the country for our woes. It would be impossible to solve our problems, without, first of all, looking into ourselves.
“It is not only the prayers of the righteous that would make the light shine and dispel the darkness, but the collective efforts and will to speak the truth and do the right thing at all times,” he stated.