Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola has said cultism and drug abuse are the result of a breakdown of a societal value and family system.
Aregbesola spoke at a lecture/ award ceremony organised by the management of The Gazelle News, with the theme: ‘Advocacy as a tool for eradicating bullying, cultism, drug abuse and other anti-social vices in schools’.
The minister, who was represented by his aide, Sola Fasure, an engineer, said: “It reflects a breakdown of the societal value, failure at homes, breakdown of school authority. It is also a breakdown of law enforcement because if you do anything wrong and commit a crime, then the law should take its course.
“Failures and challenges from the homes, to the society, to school and to government agencies contribute to these. It is at these four or five levels that we need to take new steps to address these issues. Parents should reinstall their authorities in homes. The major challenge we have is that a lot of children are from broken homes. The home is the building block of the society and so should play vital role in bringing up responsible children.”
Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Dr. Hamid Bobbing said the agency is trying its best in restoring morality in the lives of the students, adding that education would help curb ignorance.
He said: “Education is the bedrock of dismantling ignorance, poverty, hopeless values and education is the responsibility of all.”
Delivering a lecture, a professor of Community and Environmental Health of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Prof. Barisat Olusola Oladipupu, said involvement in these practices affects the psychology of the culprits, adding that cordial relationship between parents and their children would help discourage them from indulging in such practices.
“Parents should relate with their wards in love. So that they would not have the need of involving themselves in cultism, drug abuse and bullying system, because, once a child joins a secret cult, the chances of coming out is very slim.”
Speaking with The Nation, Commissioner, Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs and Special Duties, Borno State, Kabir Wanori, who represented Governor Babangana Zulum, said the governor and his exco members “are making sure that life is lived meaningfully by the citizenry”.
Dignitaries that received awards include: Zulum, All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Bukola Sofidiya, Aregbesola, Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board(LASUBEB), Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, Babajide Kolade Otitoju, Mr. John Igbaifua and others.