The Director General of Christ Against Drug Abuse Ministry (CADAM) Dr. Dokun Adedeji has attributed the huge successes recorded with ex-drug addicts to the influence of the word and strategic rehabilitation.
He said increased exposure of inmates in the facility located at Araga in Epe, Lagos to the word of God as well as well-conceived rehabilitation structured into two phases has been giving the ex-drug addicts a new lease of life.
Adedeji spoke last week with reporters during a tour of the large expanse of the facility run by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
He pointed out over 1,000 ex-addicts have been fully rehabilitated and taken off the drug chain by the organisation since its establishment.
Founded in 1991, the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), CADAM began a residential rehabilitation programme for ex-addicts with attention on treatment and care.
On why the organisation has done so well, he said: “Our programme is split into two phases. The first phase is the phase of treatment and the second phase is rehabilitation and what we try to do is when people come here, we expose them to strict secular and spiritual supports.
“They have classes they do things by themselves. They even used to cook their meals by themselves until Mummy GO visited here in 2016.
“So she saw what we were using for rehabilitation centre it wasn’t like this before it was just two blocks it was then she decide that she was going to help us.
“She began to bump in money here got and architects to design so here we are by the grace and courtesy of mummy and God we are here.”
He thanked the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, for providing the large expanse of land for the facility, which used to be in Gboka, Epe.
The support of the church’s highest leadership, he stated, is critical to the successes recorded in the facility, which houses over 400 inmates.
Adedeji also pointed out CADAM has the full complement of dedicated professionals, academics, social workers, psychologists, clinical psychologists, chaplains and care-givers as well as volunteers passionate about seeing transformed ex-addicts.
Aside from heavy spiritual support, the inmates also enjoy quality talk programmes and seminars from facilitators on why they should shun drug addiction.
The facilitators, he added, also engage the inmates in vocational courses for self-sufficiency after graduation.
Many of those who passed through CADAM, he disclosed have become doctors, nurses, lawyers, pilots with some of them becoming volunteers in the centre.
One of them, Mr. Babatunde Palemo, shared how he became a facilitator after 30 years as an addict.
“I was into drugs two-third of my life and for 27 years I took cocaine, marijuana, madrax, acidi and some other drugs.
“I also took pills and if I should add all together it should be about 30 years before grace found me.
“It has been exciting because I am using my mess to pass a message, challenging so many young ones to rise above the challenge. If God could save me, he will save them too.”
He stated drug users need help and support because trying to fight is not helpful.
He said many of them are only sick and not criminals, arguing it will be an injustice punishing a sick person.
A clinical psychologist, Folorunsho Stephen, said many of the beneficiaries are taken through assessment before, during and after treatment.
“Clinical psychologists conduct assessment to actually know how involved is the person in drugs and what kinds of psychological problems they suffer from like shame, depression, anxiety, rejection etc.
“We have group therapy and individual sessions. The group therapy combines while the individual session focuses on your particular need so that we can able to channels those energies and help to solve your own need in your own way looking at your own strength and your own weaknesses,” he stressed.