Weekend Sermon@ITREALMS:
One hit is too much and a thousand is not enough - Austin Okere
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| Photo by Timothy Hale; Source: Flickr |
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 POWE 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
youths 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 that 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 and the
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 to take 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.
Courtesy: Austin Okere is the Founder of CWG Plc & Entrepreneur in Residence
at CBS, New York. Austin also serves on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda
Council on Innovation and Intrapreneurship and on the Advisory Board of the
Global Business School Network based in Washington DC.
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