Our youths and drugs: Letter to President Buhari

By Caleb Oladimeji Daniels 

Years back, the sale of kidney in countries like Malaysia was the get-rich-quick option adopted by the Nigerian youth, but the ongoing trend trumps whatever risks were involved in kidney merchandising. Subject them to psychiatric evaluation, most Nigerian youth would fail woefully as many cannot claim to be in complete control of their faculties due to the degradation of their senses by all sorts of things, some of which are not qualified to even be termed ‘drugs’.

There are all sorts which you must have read or heard about as being responsible for deaths of young people. A recent incident was that of Francis Chibuike, a 400-level student of Optometry at Abia State University who jumped from a three-storey building. His drug of choice was said to be ‘Colorado’. Not able to withstand the effects, he plunged to death. There is also the ongoing case of 21-year-old Chidinma Ojukwu who admitted to stabbing Super-TV CEO Michael Usifo Ataga to death after both of them had become allegedly high on Rohypnol (roofies) or date-rape drug.

There are many of such cases that are unreported. Mr. President, as much as some may say there are more important issues, I can confidently tell you that there is not a more important issue in Nigeria to be addressed urgently and surgically than this. Haven’t you heard how Boko Haram members drown themselves in Tramadol when going on operation to deaden their conscience and give them false confidence? There are reports confirming that Tramadol is never found wanting in Boko Haram camps. This report, if anything, should enlighten government on the relationship between substance abuse and commission of crimes. Tramadol is another drug that has been abused and continues to be abused by criminals and young Nigerians to get ‘high’, have unusually prolonged sex and have fleeting boldness.

Besides Colorado, Roofies, Tramadol, Skushi, Loud, SK, Arizona, there is one known as Black Mamba. Black Mamba causes hallucination, vomiting, breathing difficulties and loss of control of parts of the body. In effect, it momentarily turns users into zombies. There are reports of psychotic breaks in users as well.

There are others I can’t designate as drugs. It would interest you to know that some Nigerian youth get high by sniffing fermented human feces because it contains ammonia. Some make do with fermented urine. There is the smoking of toad venom as well. Experts say toads have venom glands that excrete toxins. These toxins are then extracted and dried into a paste. Others extract the toxins and inject straight into their system. According to John Hopkins University, users “will be physically incapacitated for about 30 minutes and time, vision, and sound may be distorted”. John Hopkins University went on to say users have claimed to feel connected to a ‘higher power’.  What higher power, I ask? Certainly not God.

I feel government, regulatory agencies, parents, religious bodies and all stakeholders have a lot to do to halt these harvesting of Nigerian youth by hell. The effects of these substances have sent many to untimely deaths. Many are walking around with internal organs that are not fully functional due to the use of these substances. There is the downside of exponential increase in the commission of crimes. What development can truly be achieved in a society such as this where the largest sector of its population, the youth, cannot lay claim to 5-hour sanity in a 24-hour cycle? The most saddening part is that most parents are too busy chasing money to watch out for telltale signs of substance abuse in their children. Many of such parents would swear with their lives that their innocent-looking kids have never touched drugs when in fact such kids are the kings of substance abuse.

As much as parents need to do their part, there is a lot that government can do to check the causes of this addiction to wanting to get ‘high’. We live in a society where most so-called musicians glorify drugs and many of these substances in their music. Many of such music and music videos have no other message than displaying smoking and lewd dances. Unfortunately, there is hardly anything that the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission can do in an age of cable TV and internet. As much as I do not subscribe to social media ban or suspension, there is a lot that the government can do to regulate it. In the United Arab Emirates, it is difficult to access pornography on the internet. This has not stopped the country from developing. In fact, this has not stopped Nigerian youth from flocking there.

The so-called celebrities who are making money by promoting sex and substance abuse need to be checked. These are the people many Nigerian youth look up to as role models. Chidinma Ojukwu, in her interview reported by a national daily, said she wanted to be a musician or an actress. With due respect to the good ones, what many of these so-called actresses and musicians display on social media leave nothing to be desired by sane minds.

There is also an urgent need to de-emphasize sex. In a bid to impress women, many young men abuse drugs to have prolonged sex. Many have died in the process. Again, it is some of the Nigerian celebrities that would go on national TV to say their husband only lasted forty seconds! Same as one fellow on Big Brother who claimed someone lasted for five seconds. We all have to find a way to let young people know what sex really is as a way of de-radicalising them from this notion of ‘eternity sex’ which has sent many of them to eternity in hell. In curbing this, searchlight should also be beamed on sellers/hawkers of herbal concoctions.

Mr. President, I am afraid if something is not done quickly, we may never have a sane society in Nigeria again as many of our youth are too focused on getting ‘high’ to think of going higher to great things in life.

• Daniels writes via caleboladimejidaniels@gmail.com