News
Our Youths And The Surging Drug Culture: One Hit is Too Much and a Thousand is Not Enough
By Austin Okere
Nigerian reggae legend Majek Fashek dies at 57; was the screaming headline on BBC.com on June 02. Fashek died in his sleep on 2 June 2020 in New York City. He was 57 and was battling esophageal cancer, while also known to be suffering from drug addiction.
Initially going by the stage name Rajesh Kanal, Fashek began his career as part of the trio Jastix before releasing his breakout solo hit in Nigeria, 1988’s ‘Send Down The Rain’, and its parent album ‘Prisoner Of Conscience’.
There is this myth that drugs enhance artistic inspiration. Even if there were so, it would be more correlative than causative since no study results that confines inspiration to drug consumption.
I wrote this article three years ago in October 2017, and it seems that not much has changed since then. What can we do to save or youth from the scourge of drugs?
I feel deeply compelled to write about this growing phenomenon of drugs and our youths. Much as I could join in playing the proverbial ostrich and draw false comfort by burying my head in the sand, I choose to call it out the way it is. This compulsion is deepened by the recent happenings in our promising Youth Music scene, with the deaths of three young people in just five days in Lagos, Nigeria.
Return To The 60’s Drug & Pop Culture?
It seems that we are speedily careening into the crazy drug & pop culture of the sixties fueled by a newfound liberalism, epitomized by Bands such as the Beetles, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, and such icons as Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane, Fela Kuti et al.
In more recent climes, there have been notable drug casualties; Whitney Houston, more lovingly referred to as ‘The Voice’ for her incredible talent, was found dead in her bath at the Beverly Hilton Hotel after a cocaine overdose. Ironically, this happened on the eve of the Grammy Awards at the same hotel, she was just 48 years old. Her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, just 22, died a few months later while in hospice care. She too was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her Georgia home after a drug overdose.
41-year-old Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, who had spoken about his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction was found dead apparently by suicide, by an employee in his private residence. His close friend, singer Chris Cornell also killed himself just before his 53rd birthday. Purple Rain singer, Roger Nelson, best known as Prince died of an opioid overdose in an elevator at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota, aged just 59.
There are scores of others, not nearly as popular, but nonetheless part of the growing statistics of those who have succumbed to the ugly scourge of hard drugs.
Drugs Always Have The Superior Power Of Addiction
“One hit is too much and a thousand is not enough” these were the words of a pretty, young woman miraculous saved from the clutches of drug addiction and featured on the Jubilee edition of Turning Point, a testimonial TV series. Undoubtedly, one of the very lucky few. She just wanted to try it out of curiosity and experimentation; and then again and again until it became a controlling habit.
Once you yield, you yield total control. Drugs always have the superior power of addiction, as has been proven time and again. There is a hard drug variety called Crystal Meth, where just one hit gets you totally hooked and has an accelerated path to mental destruction and painful death. As if this is not bad enough, Fentanyl is said to be far worse, and 50 times more potent than heroin.
Drugs Could Kill The Huge Potential Of Millennials
I see millennials as great architects of our future. That fearless generation at ease with technology & entrepreneurship, and fostering relationships across all divides regardless of race, nationality or class.
It is this same fearless adventurism that makes them the perfect target for hard drug experimentation and eventual dependency. This is not helped by the so-called mythical concept of a ‘Legal High’ and other such deceptive tags on hard drugs; whether they be cannabis or crystal meth. They all have the same destructive potential.
The mulling of legalizing marijuana in many countries in the developed world bodes a potential ill wind. It could massively affect our youth and destroy our collective future.
Do Not Be In A Rush To Send Off Your Kids
We need to be a bit skeptical about sending children away from our sphere of influence too early in their development. Should there be a need, it should be when they have attained sufficient maturity to stand on their own and have become comfortable in their own skins.
Many children sent overseas at great financial sacrifice by their parents for ‘superior’ education have run into trouble under the influence. Many have been rusticated from their schools with their parents none the wiser. They keep carrying on as if they are still in school, sinking deeper and deeper into bad company and ill influence until it is virtually too late for redemption.
It is expedient to insist on the school report of your ward detailing their progress in learning and character, and their current “Student Status” before wiring off next term’s fees. This is not a task to be delegated.
Watch Out! The Scourge is Here Too
On a note of caution, however, it is not only in these climes of relative wealth that drug abuse among the youth is rampant. The scourge has also become pervasive in erstwhile transit countries on the west coast of Africa. Children as young as in secondary schools (aged 16 years and below) have free access to drugs and do use them frequently to the blissful ignorance of parents and guardians. Youth Parties and Concerts tend to be high indulgent centers
Beware Of Over-The-Counter Drugs Too
The amount of “ordinary looking” over the counter drugs that kids are popping to alter moods is shocking. The popular Anna Nicole Smith died from a prescription drug overdose at the Hardrock Hotel in Hollywood. Legendary king of pop, Michael Jackson, suffered the same fate.
A False Sense Of Invincibility
There is, unfortunately, a sense of invincibility or false confidence about these kids; it cannot happen to me, notwithstanding the contrary evidence out there. How do we help our youth and especially the millennials guard against this scourge?
Perhaps we should be closer to our children and note any changes in behaviour that should alarm us. Talk with them regarding their friends, and make every effort to meet them. Create an environment where they can come to us in times of perplexity when they need to talk to someone. If we abdicate this responsibility, the vacuum created will be occupied by other influences, not the least peer pressure.
Friendship With Our Children Should Be Complemented By Parenting
We need to create time to play our parental roles and imbue into our children a moral compass with which they can properly navigate their way in life. Show by example rather than just talking; because children are extremely perceptive and tend to more easily copy our vices than following our advice.
We should all join hands in taking drastic steps to tackle this problem before it consumes our children and our future. America has taken a step by declaring an emergency on this opioid crisis. Perhaps the time has come for us to come up with our own action plan.
Austin Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc, the largest Security in the Technology sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange & Entrepreneur in Residence at CBS, New York. Austin also serves on the Advisory Board of the Global Business School Network, and on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Innovation and Intrapreneurship. Austin now runs the Ausso Leadership Academy focused on Business and Entrepreneurial Mentorship for Shared Prosperity.
News
IHS Nigeria Reaffirms Commitment to raising Nigeria’s Next Tech Giants from the Ilorin Innovation Hub
Telecommunications infrastructure provider, IHS Nigeria, has reiterated its commitment to transforming the Ilorin Innovation Hub into a leading destination for talent and technology development across North-Central Nigeria. The company envisions the Hub as a launchpad for future unicorns and a magnet for young innovators from Kwara State and the surrounding regions.
Speaking during a virtual town hall session organized by the Ilorin Innovation Hub with the theme “From Ilorin to the World: Building a Globally Recognized Technology Hub,”, Mr. Kazeem Oladepo, Senior Vice President & Chief Operating Officer of IHS Nigeria, emphasized the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and community engagement in nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
“We see the Ilorin Innovation Hub as a platform to attract top talent—not just from Ilorin, but from across the region’s tertiary institutions and tech ecosystem,” Oladepo said. “This is an opportunity to build globally impactful companies by harnessing local brilliance with global insight.”
Mr. Temi Kolawole, Managing Director/CEO of the Ilorin Innovation Hub, described the town hall as a homecoming for top minds with roots in Kwara State.
“This is a convergence of visionaries—people who’ve built, scaled, and invested in world-class companies—now giving back to shape a collective future,” Kolawole said. “Our partnership with IHS Nigeria exemplifies what’s possible when public sector ambition meets private sector expertise.”
Responding to a participant’s question on how individuals could contribute towards the growth of the hub, Mr. Oladepo encouraged industry experts present to engage directly with the Hub’s program managers – future Africa and Cc-Hub, provide mentorship, and help in aligning the training modules with local and global market realities.
“IHS is already investing financial, technical, and intellectual resources into the Hub. But to truly thrive, we need champions within the ecosystem—mentors who’ve built real businesses—to guide young people as they develop transformative ideas,” he noted.
Highlighting long-term sustainability, Oladepo called for the inclusion of successful professionals and entrepreneurs in the Hub’s activities to ensure relevance and adaptability.
“Let’s bring in those who’ve succeeded in fields like e-commerce, logistics, Healthtech, and Data Mining. Their insights can help refine the Hub’s programs and ensure participants extract real value,” he added.
Other speakers at the session included Ms. Anu Adasolum, Founder & CEO of Sabi, and Mr. Chris Folayan, Founder of Founder Centered. The virtual townhall was well attended with participants including tech enthusiasts, founders, startups drawn from both within and outside Nigeria.
Telecommunications provider, Airtel Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability with a nationwide campaign to combat plastic pollution in commemoration of World Environment Day 2025.
Themed “Ending Plastic Pollution”, this year’s events demonstrated the corporate mission of Airtel to champion environmental stewardship.
Tagged #UnPlasticAfrica, the company’s campaign began on June 3, mobilizing employees across six operating regions for a week of education, advocacy, and cleanup activities aimed at promoting sustainable living, in alignment with global efforts to reduce plastic pollution.
The activities kicked off with a Sustainability Seminar, led by Dr Hassan A. Sanuth, Director of Sanitation Services at the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, and focused on the role of the individual in reducing plastic waste while promoting practical recycling habits.
Following this educational session, all Airtel Nigeria employees took the “Eco Pledge” to commit to reusable containers.
In his remarks at the seminar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Dinesh Balsingh, reaffirmed Airtel`s dedication to sustainability.
“As we invest in Nigeria’s digital future, we are equally committed to protecting the environment that sustains us. From AI-powered services that reduce paper use to partnerships that connect rural areas without environmental disruption, we are embedding sustainability into every layer of our operations,” he said.
Speaking at the workshop, Dr. Sanuth emphasized the urgency of addressing the plastic pollution crisis, particularly in urban centers like Lagos.
“Plastic waste is choking our drains, polluting our water bodies, and threatening public health. Every little action counts, from individuals making conscious choices to organizations taking bold steps and together, our collective efforts can make a significant impact in ending plastic pollution,” he noted.
He also highlighted the dangers of plastic waste, noting that microplastics have been traced in food, water, and even human blood and called for stronger policies and corporate accountability.
The highlight of the week was a market clean-up and sensitization drive held by Airtel employees in Abuja, Oyo, Benin, Enugu, and Kano. Airtel staff volunteers, in collaboration with local partners, led plastic collection efforts, conducted environmental hygiene training, and distributed over 3,000 branded reusable bags and parasols to market vendors and shoppers.
The World Environment Day campaign, nicknamed Earth Fest 2025, is part of Airtel Nigeria’s broader CSR Strategy, which continues to integrate environmental stewardship into its organizational practices.
Dr. Obiageli Amadiobi, director general, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), has expressed displeasure over the level of Intellectual Property Right (IPR) losses by Nigerian researchers due to insufficient knowledge of the benefits of IPR protection.
Speaking at a one-day Coordinator’s Forum organized by the Office in Uyo for the South-South geopolitical zone of the country, the Director General, represented by Mrs. Caroline Anie-Osuagwu, director of Technology Acquisition and Research Coordination (TARC) department, said that prior to the establishment of the Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) in Nigerian knowledge establishments, Nigerian researchers had no deep knowledge of the importance of IP protection, hence losing their IP rights.
In a statement signed by Raymond Onyenezi Ogbu for the head, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NOTAP, the DG advised researchers to always file for a patent each time they anticipate a breakthrough and avoid publishing before patenting, as any research work published in a paper is already in the public domain and can no longer be patented.
“IP rights are rights granted to a researcher or inventor by the government to have a monopoly over the financial exploitation of their inventions for a period of time to recoup the expenditure on their research undertaking”. the DG said.
She challenged patent owners to license or commercialize their inventions, adding that patents that cannot metamorphose into tangible products and services are not worth keeping, as they are liabilities to the owners.
The DG said that researchers with patented inventions can license their invention for royalty purposes or sell them outrightly to venture capitalists if they cannot commercialize.
“Over the years, the nation has depended on the consumption of products from foreign research, while Nigeria is blessed with skilled human resources but only needs to be strategic in their research understanding”.
“The aim of organizing the IPTTO coordinator’s forum was to interact with the coordinators, know their challenges and achievements, and encourage the centers that are not very progressive to strengthen their centers.” She added.
The DG stressed that while a number of centers are performing well, some are struggling to find their fit, occasioned by bureaucratic bottlenecks.
She expressed confidence in the ability of the research communities engaging in demand-driven and market-driven research to fast-track development adding that technology development is a product of research work, and knowledge institutions are duty-bound to engage in critical research to advance the IPR ecosystem in Nigeria.
Participants from the South-South Zone took turns to commend NOTAP for the impactful program and requested the Office to assist them with links to venture capitalists for the commercialization of their research results.
All the IPTTO coordinators presented their scorecards and were advised to get ready for the 2026 IPTTO ranking that would be organized by the Office.
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