The National Orientation Agency,NOA in Lagos has intensified efforts at sensitising students of secondary schools in the state on the dangers and consequences of engaging in cultism and drug abuse both to the users and the larger society.
The NOA’s Chief Orientation and Mobilisation Officer (COMO) for Ikorodu Local Government Area, Mrs. A. A. Ologunagba disclosed this when she led the agency’s officials to Ansaru-ud-deen Senior Grammar School, Imota on sensitisation drive.
Ologunagba said the programme was designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the negative consequences associated with cultism and drug abuse, emphasising their detrimental impact on individuals, families, and society at large.
According to her, the event was aimed at equipping the students with the necessary knowledge to make informed decisions and discourage their involvement in such harmful activities.
Ologunagba spoke about the dangers of cultism, how it lures young people with false promises of protection and belonging, only to entangle them in violence, crime, and loss.
She painted vivid pictures of lives cut short, of families left in anguish, and of promising futures destroyed.
On drug abuse, she emphasised how seemingly harmless experimentation can spiral into addiction, leading to devastating health issues, social problems, and even crime.
In his remarks, the school Acting Vice Principals, Mr. Oyebola O.J. acknowledged the negative impacts of cultism and drug abuse and welcomed the NOA’s efforts in steering the students toward the right path.
No fewer than 220 males and 230 females students attended the sessions as some of them even approached the NOA team privately, seeking further guidance and information on cultism and drug abuse menace.