The Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom in Lagos State, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi has harped on the need to prevent drug abuse as the menace poses grave risk to the future of Nigerian youths.
Stating that no parent would be happy to have a drug addict for a child, the monarch said it behooves leaders to create awareness in schools, educating children on the dangers inherent in consumption of illicit substances.
The monarch spoke on Tuesday at a stakeholders engagement organised by the Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi Foundation in conjunction with the Equitable Planning Consult to address substance abuse among young people.
The stakeholders engagement themed: “Communities in Crisis, Tackling drug abuse together” was held at the Monarch Event Centre in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Oba Elegushi said, “We have to sensitise our students and I think the government needs to ensure the curriculum in secondary schools talks about drug abuse, what will happen to you if you use drugs and what will not happen to you.
“So that is just one of my main goals as a leader, monarch, a father, to say no to drugs and in any way we can support the community, government to curb drug abuse in our country.”
In her address, the Director, Oba Saheed Elegushi Foundation, Mrs. Aiki Odiawa said the stakeholders engagement on tackling drug abuse is an important conversation which directly impacts the well-being of communities, particularly the youth.
According to her, drug abuse has become a crisis that threatens not just individuals but the very fabric of society, noting that it weakens families, disrupts communities, and hinders the development of the nation.
She stressed that tackling the menace is a joint effort of all and not just the responsibility of the government alone.
“It is no longer a fight for the government alone – it requires all hands on deck. That is why this stakeholders engagement is important to forge partnerships, exchange ideas, and develop sustainable solutions to tackle this menace together,” she said.
Odiawa explained that the Oba Saheed Elegushi Foundation is deeply committed to building a better future for the people and reiterated on the mission of the foundation, which includes: “health, education, sports, environment, arts and culture, and socio-economic development, all these help in fundamental areas of societal growth”.
She urged all stakeholders to work together in ensuring we combat drug abuse in our nation.
“This is not just a discussion, it is a call to action. We must work together with the government agencies, traditional institutions, religious bodies, civil society organizations, and community leaders to develop and implement effective interventions that will save lives and secure futures”.
The Aro Oba of Ikate Kingdom, Chief Olalekan Bakare while speaking on the theme of the programme said campaign against drug abuse requires a collaborative approach and called on religious institutions, schools, public figures, parents to come together to fight this menace in order to have a society where the youths and children can be more responsible and useful in their endeavours.
“I’m using this medium to call on traditional institutions, and religious leaders to use their influence to curb drug abuse, schools must integrate real-life programmes to curb this menace, parents must educate their children on how to say no to peer pressure, to guide them from drug abuse and also public figures must be encourage to promote values in the society,” he stated.
He emphasised the use of social media and stated that it should be used to promote positive things and not negative ones.
He therefore charged content creators and skit makers to always showcase positive values through the social media platforms.
Bakare also commended the Lagos State Government in the fight against drug abuse and urged all stakeholders to join hands with the government to intensify the campaign in order to have a drug-free nation.
Also, speaking at the event, Deputy Commandant Of Operations, Lagos State, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Lamuwa Sheu gave an extensive speech about the abuse and management of substance in schools, communities and the country.
Sheu said there should be realistic prevention strategies to curb drug abuse in the community, explaining that eradicating the menace must start from the basic foundation, which involves parent and leaders.
Sheu also urged the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to ban the sale of alcohol in their various parks, noting that this will curb accident while driving.