From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
A non-profit organisation, The David Folaranmi Foundation, is raising anti-drug rangers among young people in Enugu State. As part of activities marking this year’s International Day Against Drug and Illicit Substances, the group successfully concluded its sixth annual symposium against drug abuse, in Enugu.
The programme was aimed at training secondary school students to become peer advocates for drug prevention. With the theme: ‘The evidence is clear; invest in prevention’, the event saw the enthusiastic participation of over 120 students from about 12 secondary schools in the state.
The students, now newly anointed “anti-drug rangers,” were poised to take the critical message of drug abuse prevention back to their schools and communities.
In a chat with Daily Sun, David Folaranmi, the presiding director of the Foundation and Executive Director of Live Free Renal Centre, highlighted the urgent need for such initiatives, stating that there was a spike in drug abuse cases in Nigeria, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that the foundation, which started in 2017, initially focused on drug prevention, but eventually expanded into treatment and recovery services.
Folaranmi said: “The aim of this is to reduce or mitigate the prevalence of drug abuse in our society, which is at an all-time high, especially after COVID-19. We started using evidence-based preventive measures to teach young people drug abuse prevention.
“This year’s symposium was particularly significant as it sought to empower students to become prevention advocates within their schools and localities.”
He underscored the importance of addressing drug abuse in the South East, where there is a high prevalence of drug use compared to the number of prevention professionals and treatment practitioners.
“There is a lot more prevention going on in the North and we are forgetting those in the South East. That’s the reason why we came here. We want to make this more present in the South East so that we can play a part in reducing drug use here,” he explained.
He said that religious organizations could play a crucial role in the battle against drug abuse in the South East.
“If we can inculcate drug abuse prevention into their teachings, young people will hear it in school, at home, and in church. This multi-faceted approach reduces drug use.
“Many young people turn to their pastors or Rev. Fathers before they even talk to their families. So, if religious leaders understand drug abuse prevention, it helps to reduce it in society.”
The ant-drug activist also addressed the needs of those already struggling with addiction urging them to seek help rather than dying in silence.
“Addiction is a disease. It is not just a behaviour or character that will go away. You need to talk to experienced and trained mental health professionals who can help you come out of it,” Folaranmi emphasized.
In a lecture on drug abuse, the associate dean, Students’ Affairs, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus (UNEC), Associate Prof. Philip Udoh, recalled that during her days in school, illicit drugs were not consumed, regretting that drug consumption was common among students these days, while many of them suffer addiction. Urging them to seek medical help in the case of addiction, Udoh also called for total ban on sale of hard drugs from markets.
In his remarks, the Commander, 82 Division, Nigerian Army Medical Services and Hospital, Enugu, Lt. Col. Adeyemi Abolade, urged the students to desist from drug abuse and illicit substances, saying that its prevention was cheap but costly to treat. He applauded the foundation for the programme, declaring that drug abuse was a big societal menace.
The impact of the symposium was evident in the testimonies of the participants. One of them, Daniella Okolo, from Federal University of Allied Health Sciences Enugu, said: “I’ve learnt quite a lot. I now know the meaning of drug abuse and how it affects the life of the youth. I also learned from Mr. David Folaranmi that the effects of drug abuse on human life are crucial; it can lead to death and mental deterioration.
“With what I’ve learnt today, I’m going to become an anti-drug abuse advocate. I will be teaching people how to stay away from drugs and the benefits we derive from staying away from drugs.”
Rita Okafor, from Pinecrest College, Enugu, shared similar sentiments while promising to spread the gospel against drug abuse among her peers.
She said: “I learnt that drugs are very harmful. I also learnt that one can get addicted to drugs. We can avoid this addiction by saying no.
“We should not even start because once one starts, it may take control of such a person, and there is no way of stopping yourself without the help of a counsellor or a mental health professional.
“What I’ve learnt today will help me because, for instance, when I come across people who are doing drugs around me, I will try to help them to stop. I have also known for myself that I should not get involved in drugs for any reason because if I do, I may never be able to stop.”
Similarly, Miracle Orji, at student of Jesus Foundation School, Enugu, expressed happiness over the sensitisation, assuring that he will take the message to his friends and other members of his community.
As the symposium came to a close, the students left with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to combat drug abuse within their communities.
The David Folaranmi Foundation continues to pave the way for a drug-free society by equipping young minds with the knowledge and tools to make a difference.
The “anti-drug rangers” of Enugu are now on a mission to spread awareness and prevention strategies, hoping to turn the tide against the scourge of drug abuse in the South East and beyond.