*Targets to reduce consumption rate to 20%

By Moses Nosike

Adorable Foundation International, its partners and affiliate groups have repositioned, synergised to launch out for that which they are known best – service to humanity especially fight against drug abuse among the Nigerian youths, having concluded their first programme, tagged, ‘Begin The Year 2021 With God’,  few weeks ago with the essence of seeking God’s direction before commencing its programme in 2021. That thanksgiving programme brought together widows, partners, affiliate groups and with over 20 NGOs under one umbrella to strategise for the work of charity both home and abroad under full compliance of government’s Covid-19 guidelines.

However, in commemoration of World Drug Day which the foundation does annually to campaign against drug abuse, it has fine-tuned this year’s awareness to convey the message better by chosen Ogunsakin Victoria as Queen ASACADA with the theme: Fighting Drug Abuse, “Let’s Fight This Menace”.

In a press conference to herald the World Drug Day come June 26, 2021, the Founder/President, AFI, Princess Ada Okeke Amam said that the work of AFI on fighting the menace of drug abuse and illicit trafficking is guided by broad range of international legally binding instruments such as, drug control, unguided usage of drugs and illicit trafficking of drugs.

According to her, building on its normative, analytical and operational work, AFI will continue working through partnerships within and outside its confine to help other agencies like NDLEA to achieve its focal goals.

She said, “annually, we embarked on series of societal campaigns, at least six communities in Lagos and Abuja while northern and eastern states did same in their capitals. The year 2021 shall see us through our usual community awareness campaigns in all parts of the country. Paramount this year is the beauty pageant “Queen ASACADA” (A societal Awareness Campaign Against Drug Abuse), coming up in June 26, 2021 at NAF Mess Nigeria Air force Headquarters, Abuja”.

Continuing, Princess Ada Okeke Amam, said that the queen and nine other contestants (when chosen) shall visit youths all over Nigeria as our Ambassadors, spreading the gospel of campaign against drug abuse.

In addition, Queen ASACADA said, “the task is not easy, but we go extra miles providing them some of their needs in the course of gathering our youths telling them the danger in drug abuse.

The queen who is picked from UNILAG said, in course of working with Adorable Foundation, I have discovered that many Nigerian youths are going through depression and needed someone to bring them closer at all times. With what we have done so far, this year we are working towards reducing the rate of drug abuse among youths to 20%”.

Lagos State Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA, Titilope Ogunluyi stresses there is need for

collaboration if we must win this battle against drug abuse in the society, saying that drug abuse is not only peculiar to Nigeria, it is global menace that must be tackled wholestically.

In the same vein, Secretary, AFI, Prince Andy Moore Ezejioha said that since anything the foundation touches progresses, we will continue to do our best so that the environment will be a better place for humanity to thrive and inhabit.