Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah, Nigeria’s gold medalist in the long leap occasion at Atlanta’96 Olympic Games, has advised Nigerian young people on the risks of implying being used of illegal medications.
At a conference that was held at the Police College Ikeja in Lagos in honor of the United Nations (UN) Day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking in 2023 and was organized by her foundation, the Chioma Ajunwa Foundation, Ajunwa-Opara made the call. She forewarned the young people including athletes and ladies to stay away from illegal medication use in view of its inborn pessimistic impacts on their wellbeing.
Ajunwa-Oparah expressed that the meeting became fundamental to make mindfulness, illuminate and sharpen the adolescents against the utilization of illegal medications and cultism particularly among understudies, competitors, security organizations and general populace.
“The motivation for starting this fight, which my foundation has been fighting for the past six years, was the desire to teach our youth that using illegal drugs has no benefit because it can only harm their lives and careers.
“Consequently, the gathering today is a devoted exertion and furthermore an ideal measure taken by Chioma Ajunwa Establishment to assist our young people with getting away from the hooks of the enticement presented by illegal medication use.
“I am pleased that a representative from the NDLEA is present to raise awareness of the dangers and effects of illicit drug use. She added, “They must shun illicit drug use for our youths to have a breakthrough in every aspect of their endeavors.”
Ajunwa-Oparah uncovered that the issue of illegal medication use among our young people is becoming disturbing, troubling and extremely complex due to its unfavorable consequences for the consensus of our general public.
She certified that individuals in Nigeria who utilized drugs confronted disgrace and separation which hurt their physical and psychological wellness, in this way repressing them from getting to the assistance they expected to beat the impact of illegal medication use.
In a talk to remember the occasion, Mrs Ibinagbo Archie-Abia, the Representative Chief, Directorate of General Examination, Public Medication Policing ( NDLEA) addressed the crowd containing optional school understudies and football foundations on risks of chronic drug use. She encouraged them to constantly disregard the allurement of taking medications or permitting their companions to hoodwink them into joining cultism.
Archie-Abia noted that there was no benefit to it and that it could instead result in premature death, permanent disability, suicide, mental illness, or a lengthy prison sentence.
She talked about the work that NDLEA is doing to stop citizens from using illegal drugs and praised the work that Chioma Ajunwa Foundation is doing to make people aware of this new problem.
“The theme of this year’s event is “People first! ” because we are refocusing our efforts to reduce the drug problem. Stop shame, segregation, and reinforce anticipation.
“My recommendation to competitors and our adolescents is that they ought to avoid drugs; be spotless consistently and utilize your inherent ability and solidarity to contend.
“It’s in every case truly challenging to conquer it and you will wind up obliterating your life as well as your family’s name,” she said.
She asserts that the great athletes from Nigeria such as Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Taiwo Awoniyi, Chioma Ajunwa, Mary Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya, and Tosin Amosun, as well as some great businessmen from Nigeria such as Aliko Dangote and Mike Adenuga, all achieved greatness without the use of drugs.
She reiterated with a hint of regret that great athletes and musicians like Majek Fashek, Michael Jackson, and Diego Maradona all had bad outcomes as a result of drug abuse.
A UN consultant and Professor Olunifesi Suraj of the University of Lagos’ Department of Mass Communication argued that the fight against drug abuse should not be limited to youth only.
He said that because it involved young people, politicians, security guards, and even the military, it had to be all inclusive.
He presented that the battle to kill unlawful medication use may be challenging to battle since it included an exceptionally strong secrecy who made millions from the business.
Suraj explained that religious leaders and the media must participate in ongoing advertising against the threat on both traditional and digital media platforms in order to make any significant progress in the fight. NAN)