Fred Ezeh
Government Secondary School, Zone 3, Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), played host to an unusual guest last week. A notorious but repentant drug addict, David Folaranmi, took his campaign against drug abuse and other related substances to the students.
He said the campaign was in response to the rising figures of younger generations taking interest or practically living on drugs, as confirmed by government agencies, including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He confessed to have been a victim of drug abuse and that he knew its negative effects, hence the determination to put support any cause that would change the indices of drug abuse in Nigeria, particularly among young people.
He mobilised motivational speakers, entrepreneurs, medical doctors, teachers and other stakeholders to interact with the students, expose them to dangers of drug abuse and ways to avoid being lured into it:
“I lost the trust of my family, friends and other relations due to drug addiction. During my sojourn, I committed all my resources to it. At a point, I borrowed, sold property and sourced for funds to sustain my bad habit. It was devastating but thank God that I was able to recover but not easily.
“My family, particularly my mother, Sefi, tried all she could to stop me from drug addiction but It was difficult for her. After several efforts, I was rescued through the help of God and some family members who never lost hope in me.
“I was taken to a rehabilitation centre where I spent six months, only for me to return to drug addiction after that period. It was a difficult situation for me until superior intervention came. It was a horrible situation and experience that no one should test.”
A motivational speaker, Lilian Ezike, took the students through self-discovery class, for speedy academic and career growth. She taught them how to identify passion, talent early in life, develop and commercialise it.
NDLEA FCT Commandant, Chinyere Obijuru, highlighted some of the drugs and other substances that should be avoided by the students because of their effect on their lives. Represented by Nduka Augustine Okorie, he used video and pictorial presentations to expose the students to what drugs and other hard substances could do to their lives and future, and encouraged them to avoid it wholeheartedly.
She asked the students to be aware of new tricks being used by few persons and friends, who might want to convince them to consume drugs or other hard substances for whatever reason.
One of the students, Tina Marshal, said the campaign was an eye opener for her and other schoolmates because of what they learnt. She promised to extend the knowledge to her friends in school and others outside the school so there could be a strong resistance to different tricks of people who might t to recruit more drug addicts from among younger generations.