It is day seven and signing out day of our #SAFE4MEMovement journey on drug abuse and today, I shall be sharing very briefly what I consider to be the chief of all antidote to the gravitation of your precious young people towards drug abuse and addiction.

 On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, I, The Preacher was on TVC Wake Up Nigeria, discussing the issue of our precious young people and the menace of drug abuse and addiction.

I identified as one of the causes of initiation and addiction to drug as Media Hypnotism…The fact that our precious young people are exposed to materials both on the mainstream and new media in the name of entertainment, through music, films and other expressions, which set them up for a life of vanity, where there is abundant tolerance for sundry vices like sexual immorality, fraudulent practices and drug addiction.

The saddest part is that the primary and secondary handlers expose their precious young people to contents that are not meant for their consumption. Our precious young People are unfortunately exposed to contents that glorify excessive drug usage and immorality.

The other day a popular musician, who enjoys a huge followership of young people sang a song titled, ‘Story for the gods,’ where he explicitly created link for our precious young people between consumption of hard drugs and sexual immorality.

Here is the opening of the song: I have drank dongoyaro (a local herbal drink)/And monkey tail (another local herbal drink, sometimes used as an aphrodisiac)/Madman, give me the claro (a local slang for weed)/I want to do sina today, sina today (sina is street lingo for adultery or fornication)

 She said she cannot wait o/She said it’s getting late o/She said she wants to faint o/Ah, story for the gods

 Now she’s saying “I’m in trouble”/“He has broken my arm o”/“He has broken my back o”/ Story for the gods, the gods o.’

According to www.grimotnanezine.com describes Monkey Tail  is ‘ though an unlikely sounding moniker, is simply a drink made of ogogoro (local gin) left to brew in igbo (marijuana leaves, stems, roots or seeds) for a few days or more, producing varying units of intoxication (UOI) for the user.’

The website goes further to explain, ‘the beverage gives users two different kinds of “highs” simultaneously with unpredictable outcomes, especially for a novice and depending on the alcoholic content, igbo potency and amount consumed. There is also the case of synergy where ten UOI of ogogoro plus ten UOI of igbo can cause thirty seven UOI when consumed.’

The other day I stumbled on the lyrics of a song titled, ‘Like dat’ by another popular musician. The chorus goes thus: ‘Hennessey ti wo body like dat ( High on Hennessey)/ Dussé ti wo body like that (High on Dussé)/Scordy ti wo body, like that (High on Scordy)/You no go kill somebody, like that/Hennessey ti wo body, like Dat/Dussé ti wo body like that/Scordy ti wo body, like that’/You no go kill somebody, like that…’
Now, this song is relishing in the idea of drinking hot and hard drinks. We may argue that these musicians do not claim to sing for our precious young people. But you and I know that the majority of those who consume these types of songs, which sample I cited above (and which are very rampant today) are teenagers. Besides, many adults, who are handlers of our precious young people do not know how to draw the lines when it comes to what entertainment they expose our precious young people to. I have been in programs meant for children and young people and all these songs are played freely for them. I guess it is either they do not have the moral compass to make the right and helpful decision in the best interest of the precious young people under their care or they are just simple careless about the consequences of their actions or omission on these precious youngsters today and tomorrow.

Here is my point, until we address our value system as the solutions to the many vices our precious young people are exposed to today and the role that the mainstream and social media play in same, we are not yet serious.

Permit me to conclude that handlers, who reside on the hill, raise children fit for the hill. Handlers, who dwell in the valley, raise children, conditioned for the valley. Handlers, who live like city with walls, raise children, conscious of the soundness and sanity of boundaries. Handlers, who live like a city without walls, raise children without any sense of boundaries. Dear handlers, where do you live? What kind of city are you? These are questions we must consciously answer, if we must raise precious young people free from drugs and other vices. The ball is completely in our court. A nation deserves the kind of young people, her parents raise.

Do have an INSPIRED week.

I am Taiwo ‘ODINAKACHUKWU’ AKINLAMI (The Preacher) and I Speak for the Precious African Child

T: 2348033620843, 08056979605 W: http://www.taiwoakinlami.com B:http://www.taiwoakinlamiblog.com T: @taiwoakinlami