Families and Mental Health: Insights from the 2023 Nigeria General Elections

Nigeria became the world’s fourth largest democracy in May 1999, and since then, six national elections have been conducted. Nigerians are generally seen as happy and resilient people who often laugh at their troubles, as evidenced by social media accounts and memes. The recent World Happiness Report ranked Nigeria 102 out of 143 countries, indicating a low level of happiness. The 2023 elections were marred by irregularities, failing to reflect the true mandate of the majority of voters, including first-time voters. This led to reports of poor sleeping patterns, lack of appetite, anxiety, and distrust in the government. Despite these issues, many people continue their daily activities as if nothing happened. Family life has also been affected, as political discussions and participation can impact mental health when election outcomes are unfavourable. All family members, regardless of age often share values and hopes, influencing their political preferences. A preferred candidate's victory is seen as validation of the family's values and foresight. The chosen leader's success becomes a source of inspiration and hope, aligning with family shared values. To study the effects of the election’s conduct and outcome on the wellbeing and resilience of Nigerian families, a pragmatic paradigm with an embedded design was used. This approach included quantitative data from a cross-sectional online survey and qualitative data from in-depth interviews with active voters, heads of families, medical doctors, and spiritual leaders. Social media memes, which often display humour, were also analysed. Current observations suggest families may be displaying atypical behaviours, masking potential election-related trauma. The study proposes that families and the broader population could benefit from mental health first aid, emphasizing empathy, non-judgmental listening, and other interpersonal skills. This approach could help families process their true feelings about the election outcomes more healthily with the emergence of a truly happy people.