Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday, admonished African youths to stay away from drug, saying that it can destroy both their dreams and lives.
Obasanjo gave the admonition while speaking at the 2nd edition of Fly Above The High sensitisation programme on drug abuse, organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network, in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
He described substance abuse as destructive.
The former President lamented the growing challenge of drug and substance abuse in sub-Sharan Africa, saying that “drugs consumption in Africa is an issue and it has grown worse in the last 10 years”.
He called on youths that have challenge with drug abuse not to hide it. Obasanjo asked them to seek help in order to get out of the catastrophic effects of addiction which include untimely death.
Obasanjo said, “While serving as the Chairman of West African Drug Commission under the auspices of Kofi Anan Foundation, we were nine on the commission;
“We went round the West Africa with the belief that we were free from drugs which come mainly from Latin America and goes to North America and Europe.
“But to our dismay, displeasure and pain, at the end of the exercise, we found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way.
“That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa, applies to all other parts of Africa.”
Obasanjo lamented the havoc drugs cause in the life of the youths, pleading with them never to succumb to the temptation of going near it for any reason.
He said he always talked about drugs with all soberness because there was a time one of his cousins, a carpenter who got involved in drugs, died a drug-related death despite doing everything possible to rehabilitate him and make him live a normal life.
Obasanjo counselled that “addiction is a form of disease. Some diseases cannot be cured but could be managed.
“I have been living with diabetes for over 40 years and I am still here by the grace of God.
“I know of about six or seven friends who were equally diabetic but they have died. I watch what I eat, I stick to my doctor’s advice.
“So, people with addiction should not hide it, they should seek for help before it is too late.”
Advocates support for addict
The former President called on the people to support those who have gone into drugs and are willing to come out of it. He added that saying a word of prayer for them as well could prove to be the turning point.
Also speaking, the President of Recovery Advocacy Network, Dr. Kunle Adesina, said there is need for the sensitisation to step up campaign against drug and substance abuse in the country.
Dr Adesina said, “The essence of the gathering is to talk to the young ones about the evils of drugs; that they should not get involved in taking any psychoactive substances no matter how harmless or friendly they appear to be because of their ruinous effects.”
He explained that the last report on drugs abuse in Nigeria revealed that about 14.3m people have used one substance or the other in the last six months.
It has also been discovered, he added, that one out of every five users of drug is a female, confirming that the girls are also getting entangled in the web of drug abuse.
Adesina called for a very strong legislation to curb the menace of drugs availability in the country while everyone must also take ownership of the fight against drug abuse.
Dr Sam Abah, a mental health expert who spoke on “Rewired for Dependency: How Drug Use Affect The Brain”, urged the young ones to stay away from drugs because drug addiction destroy the brains, leaving the life of its victims hanging in the balance.
Dr Abah cautioned the youth never to indulge in drugs so as not to destroy the beautiful future ahead of them while those already embracing drugs should stop it and seek for help to overcome the challenge.
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