Wokha, 20 January (MTNews): The Tchüphyangza Baptist Church Youth Department organized a penalty shootout today at Mt. Tiyi Colony ground on the theme ‘Shootout Suicide.’
The event’s speaker, Dr Libemo Kithan, shared insights with the youths on maintaining healthy and hygienic habits, encouraging them to remain engaged and disciplined in life. He emphasized that youths are the backbone of society, urging them to be proactive agents of change and icons for society. Dr Kithan lamented the easy influence of immoral activities on today’s youth, leading to extreme measures like suicide. He highlighted the intoxication of today’s youth with social media, identifying it as a prime reason for their extreme actions. Dr Kithan called on the youths to use mobile phones positively, for learning and informative purposes that contribute to their progress.
Focusing on the theme, he explained that suicide is not limited to hanging but encompasses various extreme steps. Dr Kithan provided statistics on the global suicide rate, citing an alarming situation in Nagaland with 191 reported cases between 2017 and 2020, and 49 reported cases in 2022. He listed common reasons for suicide, such as family issues, non-achievement-related depression, academic failure, financial instability, and mental health. Dr Kithan suggested prevention methods, including avoiding over-ambition and aggression, embracing hurdles, failures, and success, maintaining multiple focuses, and cultivating self-love while advising against anger and temper issues. He also touched on traditional and Christian beliefs, considering suicide a serious sin against God, and highlighted suicide prevention policies like the National Suicide Prevention Strategy and Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathize, Empower, Develop (UMMEED).
Rev A Kithan declared the one-day penalty shootout open, and the youth director of Tchüphyangza Baptist Church led a pledge focusing on the theme. Mhalo Kikon delivered a welcome note, and Mhao, deacon of Tchüphyangza Baptist Church, led the invocation.
Twenty-seven teams participated in the penalty shootout, with the Tchüphyangza Baptist Church youth department organizing the event to address prevalent societal suicide issues. The Penalty Merchants claimed the championship, while Mokol FC and Cricket Lovers were the first and second runners-up, respectively. Benri Tungoe of Mokol FC was adjudged the best goalkeeper.