L-R: Bisi Olatilo, Tony Okoroji and Felix Duke at the event in Lagos on Thursday, November 28, 2024
The need for m students and the youth to totally avoid illicit drug consumption was recently in Lagos remphasised when the Creative Industry Group (CIG), organised its second awareness campaign against young Persons’ involvement in such destructive habits.
Taagged, “Action Now, Against Drug Abuse”, the second edition of the capaign saw the convergence of mostly junior secondary school students from different schools across Lagos State, who came to learn from the experience of some of the special guests at the conference who are mostly celebrities.
The president of CIG, Felix Duke, while welcoming guests at the conference lamented the high rate of illicit drugs consumption in the society. He said the essence of the conference was to catch them young, enlighten the young ones on the devastating effects of illicit drugs in the body and re- focus their mind on how to achieve their dreams.
Delivering a key note speech on the occasion, the representative of Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd.), NDLEA Chairman/CEO, Mr. Sumaila Ethan, the Commandant General of Narcotics of NDLEA, said the anti drug agency had a flagship programme called ‘War Against Drug Abuse’ (WADA), which was launched sometime in 2021 and they have been going around secondary schools with the message to encourage the young ones not to do drugs.
Said Ethan:” We need to let them know that once they go into it, they gain nothing from it. We also go to churches and mosques where we preach this message because the NDLEA cannot do it alone, everybody must come on board. I am happy that CIG organised this and the students are here today and it’s necessary for us to catch them young. So, NDLEA is doing it’s best to ensure that drug abuse among our young ones are brought to the barest minimum. We have so many programmes, apart from WADA, we are also involved in counseling.
In his remarks at the conference, the Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSiON), Chief Tony Okoroji, went back memory lane to remind the students about the negative impact of drugs. He gave examples of some celebrities overseas and in Nigeria whose careers were cut short by illicit drugs, while also juxtaposing it with some known celebrities in Nigeria who had had a long successful career without drugs.
Noted Okoroji: “I want to refute the widely held believe that If you don’t induce yourself to be in the condition of unnatural high, you cannot be creative. In order words, you need some drugs to be a successful song writer, singer or producer, film producer, director or actor. That’s false”.
He explained that most of the long-lasting and successful actors, singers or directors had never been involved in any intake of stimulant as they thrived on their natural hype. He gave the examples of music legends like Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Sir Shina Peters and late Sir Victor Uwaifor. He added that the only drug these artistes take are their music.
Chairman Biscom Communication, Prince Bisi Olatinlo, in his submission, described the youths as the architect of the future and the driving force behind innovation. He added that drug abuse is an endemic that is robbing the youths of their potentials. The media mogul said the negative impact of drug abuse has reached a stage where the government needs to declare a state of emergency on drug abuse.
Noted Olatilo: “Drug abuse in Nigeria has escalated to alarming proportion as NDLEA statistics revealed that 15 per cent of Nigerians from 15 – 64 years, are involved in drug abuse, a figure three times the global average. Drug abuse is not just a social issue but a national issue because of its strenuous impact on the economy”.
Admonishing the students on the need to say no to drugs, Queen Blessing Ebigieson, President of Association of Movie Producers (AMP), told them her story from a humble beginning to who she had become presently. She encouraged the students to be focused as they could achieve their goals if they set their minds on it. She also encouraged them to remain determined and not allow peer pressure influence them into drug abuse .
Representatives from the Ministries of Education, Health and Environment also enlightened the students on the dangers of getting involved in illicit drug consumption.
Veteran movie producer and director Zeb Ejiro, who was one of the guest speakers at the event told the students of his life journey from Ajegunle, where he was surrounded by people involved in consuming illict drugs. However, he decided to be a better person and make himself the best movie director in the country which he could not have achieved if he was involved in drug.
Comedian Koffi Nuel Idowu known as Koffi Tha Guru, encouraged the students to imbibe the culture of learning words in order to grow their vocabulary. He lamented the moral effect of some of songs and music videos being pushed out on air, which he blamed on media handlers who are more interested in the money they will make than the impact those videos will have on the society .
On his part, the representative of the AIG of Police Zone 2, who is the Area Commander of Area F, ACP Paul Azu Okafor, blamed some parents for abandoning their parental responsibilities which they had left to the teachers and also the streets. He pointed out that no parent could what they did not have as children learn mostly from their parents.
There were music interludes at the event which saw many up and coming artistes performing to the admiration of the students and other guests at the event.
Some of the students who answered questions correctly were presented gifts including cash.
