Suicide not an act of cowardice, says Betty Irabor

Betty Irabor, publisher and founder of Genevieve magazine, says suicide is not an act of cowardice.

The entrepreneur and journalist spoke in a recent chat with Chude Jideonwo, the media personality.

In the interview, Irabor detailed how she tried to kill herself because she felt “unaccomplished”.

The 65-year-old columnist said she initially took several steps to find a solution including injecting herself with steroids and visiting the Yaba Psychiatric Hospital also known as Yaba Left.

“Most of us had issues that we have not dealt with. For me, I always felt I was not good enough, I always felt I have not achieved enough and like a failure,” she said.

“I felt very unaccomplished because, at that particular time, you’re not looking at your successes, you’re looking at the little things that you haven’t done.”

Irabor also recalled how her husband came to her rescue when she ran into the bathroom with antidepressant pills with the intention of taking her own life.

“That day, I woke up in the morning and was expecting my husband to go to church so I could do what I planned to do but he was standing in my way,” she added.

“When I sensed he was not going to church, I grabbed the bottle of antidepressants and ran into the bathroom, that could probably have killed me. I was happy that he came after me when I ran into the bathroom. That was my first suicide attempt.”

Reflecting on the incident, she said “I feel like ‘you’re just stupid’. I should slap myself for trying to do that.”

Irabor also said the experience made her realise that suicide is not an act of cowardice as some people argue.

“Suicide is not an act of cowardice because I have been through that and I know that you’re not a coward for trying to take your life. Because, at that particular time, you’re not thinking of the pains you’re about to go through or the people you’re leaving behind,” she said.

“You’re just in a bad place, you’ve had a meltdown. So, you’re not doing it for selfish reasons, you’re in so much pain — emotionally and mentally — that all you want to do is not to feel that pain anymore, and what seemed the best option then is a suicide, so it’s not an act of cowardice at all.”

In 2019, Irabor revealed how she once attempted suicide.