Chairman/chief executive officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd), says cultural practices can be used to tackle drug abuse among Nigerian youths.
Marwa stated this at the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) annual public lecture, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja yesterday.
Marwa who was represented by the director, Drug Demand Reduction of NDLEA, Anthonia Ngozi Madubuike said, “Culture, drug abuse and the future of Nigerian youths are interconnected and have significant implications for the development and wellbeing of the Culture plays a vital role in shaping the values, beliefs, norms and and behaviours of a society including its youth.
“No doubt culture can influence the perception of drug abuse and shape attitudes towards it. However, it is important to note that cultural practices and beliefs can also be a protective factor against drug abuse by promoting resilience, social support and sense of identity.”
The NDLEA boss added that the future of Nigerian youth is closely tied to how the society addresses the issues of culture and drug abuse and urged stakeholders to empower youths with quality education, skill development, employment opportunities and social support systems.
Also at the event the Honorable Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said,” The menace of drug abuse among youths is a critical issue that deserves the attention and urgent action not only by government and its relevant agencies such as NDLEA, NOA, NICO and a host of others but all and sundry.
“The family, religious bodies, socio-cultural organizations, civil society organizations and the mass media all have a role to play to complement the efforts of the government in addressing the problem in order to save the nation from its devastating consequences.
In his welcome address the executive secretary/CEO of NICO), Ado Muhammed Yahuza said, “This year’s edition of the public lecture on ‘Culture, Drug Abuse and the Future of the Nigerian Youth’ is a continuation of our strategic and sustained programme of public enlightenment, cultural sensitization and orientation designed to draw national attention to the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse especially among Nigerian youths and the urgent need for collective action in order to save our youths and the nation from the avoidable negative consequences.
“It is gratifying to state here that in furtherance of its statutory objective, NICO has established culture clubs in secondary schools nationwide. The clubs serve as a veritable platform for addressing critical issues of cultural orientation such as examination malpractices, cultism, honesty, hard work and drug abuse.”
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