OPINION: SUICIDE DOCTOR ORJI AND YEKINI DIED OF ASPERGER SYNDROME

Did you know that RASHIDI YEKINI ( Legendry Former Super Eagles striker) and DR ALLWELL ORJI (Who recently jumped off third mainland bridge) may have died of Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorder)?

Yes, Autism?

Asperger Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder) is a neurological condition getting adult depressed around the world. Subsequently leading them to committing suicide or relatives discrimination against them.

Level of awareness is very low in Africa as victim are often perceived mad and need of spiritual intervention.

A good example is Rashidi Yekini, his friends and family labelled him mad because of his social awkwardness and other symptoms he exhibited

Dr Orji who recently jumped the 3rd Maniland Bridge is another case I suspected is as a result of this Autism Spectrum Disorder. 

And there are many more people out there suffering as a result of low awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder and how to control it.

But before I go further, let me explain what Autism is about:

DEFINITION

General perception of Autism is a mental condition, present from early childhood, characterized by great difficulty in communicating and forming relationships with other people and in using language and abstract concepts.

Little do people know that there is a higher functioning spectrum of Autism also known as ASPERGER SYNDROME, affecting many close friends and relations around us? 

Unfortunately, we often perceive a person with Aspergers Syndrome to be mentally ill in Africa. It is perceived as spiritual problem that can only be solved spiritually (prayer)

Doctors used to categorise Asperger's as a separate condition. But in 2013, the newest edition of the standard book that mental health experts use, called The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5), changed how it's classified.

Technically, Asperger's syndrome is no longer a diagnosis on it's own today. It is now part of a broader category called Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This group of related mental health issues shares some symptoms. Even so, lots of people still use the term Asperger's.

The condition is what doctors call a "high-functioning" type of ASD. This means the symptoms are less severe than other kinds of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Because, the person often live a normal life and does every normal thing any human being can do except having difficulty in (especially) the following symptoms:

• Social skill disorder.
• Depression, especially in adolescents.
• Anxiety disorder.
• Repetitive Behaviours.
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Not to bore you with too many details.

Now, lets take a case study Rashidi Yekini and Dr. Allwell Orji

RASHIDI YEKINI

Prior to his death, there was a news (rumours) in the mass media claiming the legendary former Super Eagles Striker, Rashidi Yekini was mad with no picture evidence ever used to back such stories.

These claims were later debunked after he died by few of his very few close friends such as Segun Odegbami (Journalist, Former Super Eagles player) who said:

“Again let me emphasis: Rashidi was not sick at the time he was abducted. Rashidi was never mad. He could have had periods of some depression but those were in the distant past.

As a player Rashidi was as reclusive as could possibly be. In camp players, that players had to share rooms in pairs, was the reason he lived with anyone. He was that kind of person. He would have preferred to be alone and enjoyed the solitude of his chosen way of life. Football gave him the only outlet to the rest of the world. Otherwise, you would find him sleeping, or saying his prayers, or playing pranks and cracking jokes with the players that visited his room.

Beyond football, Rashidi did not want anyone coming too close to him, to know too much and to meddle in his business. He kept his activities very close to his chest. So, even as we interacted as often as certain events brought us together I noticed his cautiousness. He was a very sensitive person. he tried never to hurt anyone, preferring to cut off any relationships that threatened his regimented sequestered lifestyle. One thing I was very sure of about him was that he never asked anything from anyone, and never wanted to depend on anyone for anything.

Read more on: http://www.mjemagazine.com/rashidi-yekini-was-never-sick-or-mad-he-was-murdered/

Respected journalist Kayode Tijani narrates the stories surrounding Yekini’s passing away remain a sad tale.

“On a day like this we are supposed to rejoice but the circumstance surrounding his death is absurd. No apology. He was killed. Yekini got too much attention in his life because of who he was. After his career he just wanted to be alone, and I see no crime in that. They said Yekini was mad. As mad as they claim he was, he would drive him to training everyday and back to his house (in Ibadan). “Yekini, at that time when stories were being bandied about of him being mad, was doing a lot of charity work unannounced. “Dimeji Lawal (a former Nigeria youth international) told me that Yekini gave some boys N100, 000 while training. I won’t even name a former Nigeria international who had a hard time and Yekini went to him to assist him and he (Yekini) promised him that no one will know of the assistance he rendered to him,” said Tijani, who is versed in documenting videos of past sporting events about Nigeria. “And the claim about Yekini being broke was total falsehood because he had properties in Portugal and in Nigeria and he was receiving millions into his bank account at that time which, in turn, he was using for charity work that were never publicised because he never wanted the public to know.”

Read more at: https://dailytimes.ng/sport/four-years-yekini-still-hero/

VERDICT

From the above interviews, we can deduce he portrayed the following attributes:

Social skill disorder      , checked

Depression, especially in adolescents, checked

Anxiety disorder, checked

Repetitive Behaviours, checked

DR. ORJI

Four years ago he attempted to kill himself and, thereafter, had tried doing so on a number of times,” a man who pleaded anonymity said, adding, “since then, his family had been monitoring him. We don’t know the kind of sickness he was suffering from, but we knew he was being monitored. That was why he was assigned a driver to take him around.

“He was such a gentle boy, who never made any trouble.  His family has lived on this street for long; his father died four years ago.

“Perhaps the driver who drove him didn’t know about his condition because he was engaged about three months ago.”

One of the staff, perhaps a non-medical staff, who wanted to remain anonymous, managed to say a few things she knew about the late doctor. According to her, Orji had just completed his postgraduate studies in family medicine.

“Dr. Orji was such a dedicated person. He was the firstborn of his family. He was a thoroughbred doctor who paid profound attention to the very minute things in Medicine. He was such a quiet person and at the same time very active. 

VERDICT

From Tribute of co-workers and neighbours, he ticked many attributes of Aspergers Syndrome. 

CONCLUSION

Level of awareness is very low in Africa including Nigeria. Please, endeavor to share and spread the information. You may be saving a family or a friend.

Thanks for your time.