LASG Moves To Curb Cultism, Drug Abuse

In recent times, there have been reported cases of drug abuse and cultism in Lagos State public schools. These have greatly affected students academically, emotionally, psychologically and morally.
To arrest these rampant cases, the Lagos State Office of Youth and Social Development held a sensitisation programme with the theme: “Curbing the Menace of Drug Abuse and Cultism in Schools”, last week at the Women Development Centre, WBC, Agege, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
The choice of the theme is a deliberate and conscious attempt to tackle headlong, the twin-evil of drug abuse and cultism in Lagos schools.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru lamented that drug abuse with its attendant social problems was fast assuming frightening dimension in the society.
“Drug used in social setting but are socially unacceptable because of the inherent danger they pose to men and society are heroin and marijuana, among others. A small amount acts as stimulant while a greater amount acts as a sedative and a larger amount acts as a poison and can kill.
“The production, possession, sale and distribution of these drugs are illegal, while their use in any quantity constitutes an abuse. Drugs are essentially poisons. The degree they are taken determines the effects.
“A visit to our rehabilitation and vocational centres in Isheri, Majidun and Tekunle will reveal the devastating effect of drug abuse on our youths who have been entangled in the web of this destructive act. The government, in response to this challenge commits huge sums of detoxification and preventive purposes,” he explained.
Badru, whose speech was read by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Kamol Junaid, added that the cost of releasing and flushing out of the body the accumulated toxic residue lodged in the tissues could be very great and catastrophic.
On cultism, he said this had led to outbreak of violence in schools with “its concomitant social problems not even sparing the upcoming students in our secondary schools. The total eradication of cultism and drug abuse in our schools will not be compromised. Lagos State government is resolutely committed to the realisation of these noble and set goals.
In his speech, Junaid expressed regret that vices ranging from absenteeism, gangsterism, examination malpractices, obscene dressing, prostitution, sexual harassment, cultism, drug abuse and several others were now rampant in some schools in the state.
Junaid, whose speech was read by the Director, Finance and Administration, Olalekan Akodu, said the responsibility of curbing cultism and drug abuse rested on parents, school system, religious leaders as well as the government.
“This could be done through appropriate upbringing, counselling and necessary sanctions. Hence, the need for this all inclusive programme carefully designed to carry parents, students and teachers in pursuit of the onerous task of ensuring normalcy within the academic milieu, thus making them to internalise the acceptable norms and values that would guarantee their academic excellence,” he said.
Dean Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, Prof. Omoegun Mopelola stated that several options on how to curb cultism in schools had been proffered in the past, saying that the problem was that of implementation.
She said that to tackle cultism and drug abuse, parents, teachers, government, religious bodies must be involved, adding that counselling was also key to eradicating the vices, while penalties must be put in place to deter others from going into it.