Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently shared a personal reflection on his youthful experimentation with smoking, which he believes could have led him down the path of drug addiction.
Speaking at the second edition of the 'Fly Above The High' anti-drug campaign conference organized by the Recovery Advocacy Network in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Obasanjo recounted how his early attempts to embrace smoking resulted in severe coughing, prompting him to abandon the habit. He warned, "If I had persisted, I could have become addicted. Once you get involved, it is difficult to get out."
Obasanjo emphasized the destructive nature of drugs, stating, "There’s nothing drug can do for you except destruction." He urged Nigerian youths and students to abstain from the use and abuse of psychoactive substances, highlighting that these substances add no value to life but rather destroy it.
The former president also expressed concern over West Africa's transformation from a transit point to a center of hard drug consumption, noting that this situation has worsened over the past decade.
Dr. Kunle Adesina, Managing Director of Serenity Royale Hospital, supported Obasanjo's call for prevention-focused strategies, revealing that approximately 14.3 million Nigerians, or 14.3% of the population, have used a substance in the last six months, with one in five users being female.
He advocated for strong legislation to reduce drug availability and stressed the importance of educating young people about the dangers of substance use before they start. Dr. Samuel Abah, a mental health specialist, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need to stand firm against the destructive pleasure of drug use.
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