In my reflections on this issue published in the Punch some ten years ago, I noted that the quintessential artist expresses his love in poems, lyrics and ballads for his beloved; sculptures and paintings for his soul mates’. Every family has its own artistic prodigy, every epoch and clime has their geniuses and masters. But many have been wasted because their world and era did not recognize or appreciate their talents. Parents may be responsible for the rebellion of their children prodigies; the society may be blameworthy for the deviance of their gifted ones. Husbands and wives may be behind artists’ desperation and depression, eventual failure or suicide. We have seen so many in the arts world and the political class.
Reading in the newspapers some three years ago that a Governor in one of the south east states returned his to her mother because of her health predicament which she herself confirmed to be depression, I was sad that we took such health issue wrongly. Everything about the development was a pointer to the fact that the situation was poorly managed. If such depressing development could rise in a state house with state resources to salvage the situation before becoming a political embarrassment and liability, worse things would happen to families without means. Now, the ace Ivorien football player, 34 year old Emmanuel Eboue is another illustration of depression. He committed suicide.
Virtually skinned of his means of life by his European wife in a most exploitative divorce, Emmanuel who had laced his boots for the best of football teams in Europe found no support in his depressing state. Last week, he found a honourable way’ to end it all, by hanging himself in London. Perhaps many victims of depression have been dumped into the Bar Beach or buried alive because they do not want them to stain family reputation. It’s time to talk about depression more openly; for its victims might after all outnumber those of HIV/AIDS that is the subject of international campaign and public expenditure.