By Sunny Irakpo
For decades, drug abuse has become a menace and a cankerworm that has eaten deeply in Nigeria and Delta state in particular an epicentre where drug abuse and trafficking has become a norm.
It is a fact that misguided youths and teenagers alike have come to embrace hard drugs ranging from marijuana, heroin, colorado, cocaine, tramadol, codeine, prescription opioid and other Illicit drugs as a succour to societal pressure and escape root as melted by economic hardship.
The Isoko nation with over 2.1million population with just (2) two local government areas remain a peaceful and productive ethic nationality so blessed with both human and natural resources but has not tapped into its full optimization but with a bane of total youth neglect. This has led to the increase in youth Cybercrime, criminality and youth restiveness. The ethnicity is now losing its flavour and its reputation and becoming a shadow of itself due to the lifestyles of her idol youths that are sliding into drugs and substance abuse on a regular basis, couple with the underdevelopment that has engulfed the region for so many years.
The church, being an influential segment of the society and one of the fundamental agents of socialization, has taken it upon herself to join efforts to refine, repair and reposition the youths with the Silec Initiatives in order for them to reclaim their lost glory and achieve their full potentials.
Worried by the level of drugs proliferation and the rate at which different hard drugs are being abused by our teeming youths in Delta State, Sunny Irakpo Founder /President Silec Initiatives has expressed his readiness through Silec Initiatives to take the campaign to his people to help address this challenge amongst young people especially in Isoko his both paternal and maternal home.
According to the survey carried out by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in 2018 has it that Delta State is one of high drug density areas in Nigeria with 16.6 percentage of drug abuse in the country, (South–South region).
The arrest of a major drug baroness by name Bridget Oghenekevwe Emaka aka Mama, a 59year-old, on the 15th of May, 2022 by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Delta State who cook, sell crack cocaine, methamphetamine and other illicit substances which she distribute in south-south states is a testament to this findings; its shows the desperation of some citizens to kill the youths for ill-gotten wealth. If the youth population of the county is put at 70% are under 30years and 42% are under 15years, the enemy called drug abuse is waxing stronger and if not checked, Delta State and NIGERIA is sitting on a time bomb and gradually losing their workforce and energy driven young population to drugs. Youths currently, replacing drugs as edible foods is an error.
The level of moral bankruptcy is on the increase and all hands must be on deck to salvage this ugly trend. As the evidences before us become more glaring in Isoko land, we must unite the more in all fronts and fight this common enemy in our best interest as we float the forthcoming Program tagged: Delta Beyond Drugs (DBD Project) Rally Isoko in Focus to mark the historic event of international day against drug abuse and illicit Trafficking to create awareness on the dangers of drug abuse in the society.
Delta state being one of the richest states in Nigeria in terms of mineral and natural resources hasn’t really been able to harness the potentials and creative mind-sets of her youths to ventures that are economically viable and productive, the need to change the narrative, is now.
The Rt. Revd. John Usiwoma Aruakpor, Lord Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Oleh, has made giant strides over the years in Isoko. Through his episcopal leadership he embarked on the establishment of the first school of nursing in Isoko, a move that has earned him commendations from Sons and Daughters of Isoko. As a courageous clergyman in the diocese who distinguished himself in many ways has voiced to vehemently curb drugs that has cut our youths in the web, claiming the lives of promising Isoko youths without fulfilling their God-given dreams.
Determined to rid Isoko land of these menace, his Lordship has given his full backing to the Silec Initiatives to drive the campaign across Delta State starting from Isoko. Hence this is a wakeup call from the church as a compass of morality to team up with passionate and dedicated anti-drug agencies like Silec Initiatives to reach out to all Isoko sons and daughters within and outside Delta State especially in the metropolis to join in this fight.
Silec Initiatives, a non-governmental and non- profit organization in the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria which has been recognized globally. His passion for a society free from the scourge of drugs has led him to float a major campaign Program in Delta State in collaboration with the Anglican Diocese of Oleh (Church of Nigeria), calling on all Deltans to come out en masse for a mega rally to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. As the world marks this day every 26th day of June, governments all over the world will use it as a platform to further sensitize her citizens on the dangers of drug abuse.
We are using this medium to enjoin all well-meaning Deltans, the Isoko nation to come out en masse as we carry out this first of its kind sensitization and crusade on anti-drug abuse to the nooks and crannies of Isoko.
The event (Rally) will take off from St. Paul’s Cathedral Oleh with the Rt. Rev’d. John Usiwoma Aruakpor The Lord Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Oleh, Church of Nigeria as the Chief Host with Keynote Address, Anti-drug Ambassador Sunny Irakpo as speaker and convener ,Mc Don Dap as the event moderator with other prominent Isoko sons and Daughters on the 10th June,2023 at 8:00am.
Irakpo call on all youths in Delta State particularly in Isoko to join this landmark event to save Isoko, Delta State and Nigeria from backwardness.
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