Kunle Adelabu
-Educate students on drug abuse
About 28 years after passing out of the United High School, Ikorodu, the 1994 set of the School Alumni Association has honoured some of their teachers for their impact on them back in the school then.
His Eminence, Sheikh Yahya Olorunoshebi Oshoala Ajagbemokeferi, Ameer ul Muhminina As – Samadani and Chief Imam, Oriwu Central Mosque, Ikorodu, the Vice Principal of the school during 1994 set, top the list of the honorees with a Lifetime Meritorious Award.
Also honoured at the event which took place at the school hall on Saturday, July 23, 2022, were Mrs Baderinola Adeyemi Odetola (Excellence Award), Mrs Victoria Olaide Bello, the current Principal of the school (Excellence Award) and Mr Sodade Isaac Adeyemi a former Art teacher and now retired (Meritorious Award).
The alumni presented a public address system to the United Senior High School, Ikorodu, as their project for this year.
Mr Oyeniyi AbdulHakeem Adeshina, Chairman, 1994 set of the United High School’s Old Students’ Association, said that his set was awarding those that are deserving of the honour and also impacting on the students in their former school.
“It is with special gratitude to the Almighty God, the sustainer of the universe, that we welcome you all to this auspicious occasion of the annual get-together and awards to those people who deserved it and been celebrated. More importantly, symposium/lecture of our alma mata; United High School”, he said.
“The occasion today is memorable to me as a person because of the significant effects it will have on individual awardees, the ’94 set and the entire school community. If possibly harnessed, this gathering will bring good to the society, especially our children as the topic was specially identified due to the great influence of the issue of drugs in the society and world over. Hence, Nigeria has a fair share of the effects of this endemic situation.
“To the awardees, you all deserved it, your contributions is well appreciated and as Oliver Twist, we ask for more efforts and supports”.
He said that the symposium on the drug abuse that is rampant among the youths, is important to let students know the effects of it on their future.
“The problem of drug abuse among the youths is increasing day by day. The youths are topping the chart for the wrong reasons this time around”
He charged hundreds of students and former students that were in attendance to be good ambassadors of the school in term of maintaining discipline and integrity.
The Area Commander, National Drug Law enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ikorodu Area Command, Mr Lawal Opeloyeru, in his paper, ‘The Effects of Drug Abuse: Educational Consequences In Focus’, said that drug and cultism go together and both have to be tackled if any positive result is to be achieved.
He listed untimely death, insecurity, indiscipline, poor classroom management, poor academic performance and students’ unrest among dangers being posed by drug abuse.
“Experience has shown that cult group recruits members from drug joint. Drug addicts who have lost their senses of reasoning and decency are willing tools in the hands of the wicked cult group looking for new members.
“Initiation ceremonies within the cult group are associated with a lot of inhuman treatment such as flogging, cutting and blood sucking. To do all these, one must be high on drugs.
“When cultists are going out for attack, they will take hard drugs to erase any sense of sympathy from their memory. Under the influence of drugs, a man with the mildest of character can exhibit psychotic traits and thereby become less inhibitive committing most inhuman act. Young children as young as seven years old have been turned into killers after being pulled with narcotics”.
The NDLEA Commandant also pointed to bad home upbringing, wrong mentors like teachers who are also cultists and drug abusers and peer group pressure as factors that promote drugs among the young ones.
He charged students to stay away from drugs if they are to attain their potentials and be the leaders of the future and also to direct their energies and intellect in the pursuance of goals that will not only help them and their families, but also the society at large.
Mrs Aishat Bolanle Tiamiyu, Assistant Director, National Orientation Agency, Ikorodu Local Government, and Mr Oye Oresajo, senior NDLEA officer among others, also spoke against drug abuse and other vices and charged the students of United High School and Ayangbure High School, Ikorodu, to be good students to their families, school and the society at large.
Sheikh Oshoala, thanking his former students for the honour, dedicated the honour to the students of United High School and Ayanbgbure Grammar School that was carved out of the school.
“I want to dedicate this plague of honour given to me to the students of United and Ayangburen High Schools. I pray that Allah makes you people to reckon with in life; to increase you in knowledge; to make you useful to yourselves, parents and the community. May God continue to guide you aright”, Sheikh Oshoala prayed.
“To those that gave me this honour, I pray that God Almighty Allah to continue to propel them, guide, and bless them.
“Thank you very much for honouring me”, he said.
Mr Sodade Isaac Adeyemi, a former Art teacher of the school who was bestowed with a Meritorious Award, commended his former students for honouring him in his lifetime and not giving him a posthumous award.
There was enough food and drinks for the old and present students and guests as they dined and wined at the event. The occasion also presented old students to reconnect after several years.
