By Emmanuel Eche-Ofun John
Sammie Okposo, an international gospel artist has died, he slumped on Friday and died. He was just 51 years. Report has it that his death was not unrelated to heart failure, mostly occasioned by High Blood Pressure, excess fat and/or unhealthy life style.
Sammie’s death is just one out of the so many slump-and-died cases that have become so rampant in our society today.
Sudden death is occuring at an alarming rate and has become something that should give everybody concern. Men are losing their young wives to ‘sudden death’. Wives are losing their young husbands to this monster. It used to be children losing their aged parents to sudden death but the reverse is the case these days. Very young people are dieing suddenly everyday and it’s needful that the society rises to this ugly trend and puts an end to it. Enough should be enough.
In 2016, according to Daily Sun, researches conducted by some Nigerian teaching hospitals identified stroke and heart attack as the major causes of over 93.7 percent of the sudden and unexpected deaths (SUD) in the country. The researchers also found that more males than females, at a ratio of 2:1, are affected, and the average age of the victims is 47 years.
Medically, there are so many conditions that can cause people slumping and dying. Hypertension can cause it. Cardiac failure can cause it. Head trauma, homological condition like epilepsy, diabetes, hypoglasphemia, internal or external bleeding can cause it. Stress is also a major contributory factor to sudden dead. It could be stress from (bad) marriage, job or the economy.
A bad marriage that’s riddled with crisis can put so much pressure on a man or woman, which can lead to depression and then sudden death. I don’t think marriage is worth dying for, because it would be a lose-lose for you if you die trying to make your marriage work, as the marriage will eventually pack up with your death. Make hay while the sun shines.
Striving to meet set-out goals at work place or working in a very hostile environment can also pressure the brain to an extent of sudden death. If your job gives you sorrow, pains, heartbreaks, torture and can kill you, why do it? Use the exit door, you could walk into an open door where you will find fulfilment and satisfaction.
A man can easily be stressed if he can’t meet the basic needs of the family. Wives should stop putting too much pressure on their husbands. The economy is bad and telling on everyone. Whatever the man is bringing home should be managed. Avoid the temptation of constantly reminding him that he’s not like his mates, and bringing him to ridicule, except if you are married to a lazy man who lies in bed all day and refuses to work. If you have a man who goes out everyday to earn a living, appreciate the little he brings home and keep encouraging him. Don’t let him slump and die because of the undue pressure you mount on him.
The important way to live healthy and avoid sudden death is to go for regular checkup, reduce stress, walk away from abusive marriage/job to avert depression, have enough rest, avoid smoking, excessive alcohol, sedentary lifestyle and excessive consumption of unhealthy foods.
I see people getting ballooned from bad eating/drinking habits and they are not bothered about the resultant effects, instead they are proud of it. The society actually encourages it; people tend to respect the bulky man with protruding stomach more than he who is not bulky and without a protruding stomach. So, men compete for the Holder of the biggest stomach amongst themselves, unfortunately they are only an inch away from heart attack.
Sudden death has become a monster ravaging us. Today, it’s Sammie Okposo, nobody knows who it will be tomorrow, let’s stop it NOW!