Dr Hope Nwawolo

By Hope Nwawolo

 Several circumstances playing out in this country has revealed there is a thin line between sanity and insanity in human behavior. What most people see as insanity is the actual display of madness when someone loses his mental balance and becomes unmanageable or destructive. However, insanity is not only about being ‘mad’ as would be shown here.

We fail to realize that just as there are levels of sanity; calm, talkative or argumentative, there are also levels of insanity; depressive, attention seeking, suicidal or madness. It means that depending on the circumstance, everyone has the tendency to exhibit any of these at one time or the other. For any of the levels of the two categories, there is just a thin line that can suddenly snap to bring out the worse or worst of an individual.

One traumatizing circumstance that has brought out the different levels of insanity in many Nigerians is therecent naira notes swap. Before this period, these same people were seen by their families and friends as very normal people and probably never expected them to demonstrate the seemingly ‘’disgusting’’ traits they did in the public glare. This goes to show the thin line between the levels. It also affirms that the acts are inherent in anyone and comes out when the line snaps. This is what makes it disturbing emotionally; it can be just anyone, even yours truly! Like a friend will always warn me ‘’ never say it is not possible’’. Based on this personal stance, l try not to be overly judgmental on certain acts of people without attempting to find out the reason or basis for such acts.

I have also come to realize that the people we have seen recently in the unfortunate acts are not too different from those who snap and jump over the bridge or hang themselves except that suicide is the highest level of mental imbalance. It is also the same thing with those who commit murder out of anger, jealousy or for whatever reason, such as money ritual. All these are unexplainable acts of insanity that the victims suddenly jolt back to their senses and point accusing fingers at the devil.

The following incidents are totally pathetic shades of insanity that should be considered with empathy despite the fact that the circumstance that brought the acts out affected everyone. This proves that the strength of the mind of a person, may not be able to withstand some circumstances and snap, without shame of the environment and those watching.

For the lady who went to the bank and took off her clothes, leaving only her under wears, it was a temporary insanity geared at achieving a purpose; attention. However, while some people blamed the naira swap policy and the bank, others saw her action as disgusting. At that instance, she showed no shame and succeeded in attracting attention and perhaps the money she wanted so badly as a bank official was seen cajoling her to follow him, which she did. That brought her temporary insanity to an end.

Few day later, a full grown man took the circumstantial insanity to a higher level and shade. In the same environment of a banking hall as the woman mentioned above, he took off his clothes and stood stark naked while crying and asking to be killed because the bank claimed it did not have money to give him. As disturbing and disgusting as his sight was, it was a very pathetic one to behold. Unfortunately for him, help did not come his way as quickly as the other woman got. Perhaps people found the sight too disturbing to approach him. Sadly, someone could even be heard begging him to go put on his clothes, instead of looking for something to cover him with.  It suggests that the stronger the insanity, the more withdrawn people are from the person. These are two pathetic shades of insanity on different levels.

For the lady who went to the bank and took off her clothes, leaving only her under wears, it was a temporary insanity geared at achieving a purpose; attention. However, while some people blamed the naira swap policy and the bank, others saw her action as disgusting. At that instance, she showed no shame and succeeded in attracting attention and perhaps the money she wanted so badly as a bank official was seen cajoling her to follow him, which she did. That brought her temporary insanity to an end.

Another shade of insanity that was exhibited and which many people found funny was that of the ‘spider’ woman customer of access bank, who to the glare of several people, expertly climbed the wall of the bank while holding on to the holes on it and made her way into the bank. It may be explained here that her desperation to get money from the bank brought out the will power and strength in her. Notwithstanding, the insanity in her act was the fact that she did not give a damn about her environment or anybody at that instance. According to someone, that was her ‘only access to access bank’ at the time. And right after her, several other people realized they could demonstrate the same insanity and get access into the bank. And they did.

All these actions were no thanks to the naira note swap that reduced many people to the barest minimum of financial management. The heart-wrenching incident that will point to any of the different shades of insanity highlighted here as a better option in the circumstance, is the incident of the bank customer who slumped and died while waiting patiently for a meagre withdrawal at the bank. If he had demonstrated a shade of insanity to attract attention early enough, perhaps his heart may not have failed him. All the same, whatever will be, will be and never say never!

Hope Nwawolo, Ph.D

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