…shares tale of redirection amongst Agege youths
By Olanrewaju Adesanya
Lagos Rapid Response Squad Commander CSP Saheed Egbeyemi the initiator of a community based Non Governmental Organisation- Agege Molebi Forum, has charged youths in the state to shun drug abuse and cultism, describing it as a venture that ends up wasting their innate abilities and potentials.
Egbeyemi made the assertion while leading a road walk and campaign against drug abuse and cultism within Agege and environs.
The RRS Chief in company of members of the Agege Molebi Forum toured the notable black spots around the community sensitizing youths indulging in the act to desist permanently.
“They resort to killing, after taking drugs the next thing that comes to their minds is maiming and butchering one another and all that.
“My own part as a police officer, at least I have done my best in sanitizing the area but nonetheless this group was formed because some of us are born and bread here.
“They came together and say everything is not about shooting or using tear gas, sometimes you can talk, some of us have passed through the stage before but after what I can call the moment of decision some of us changed.
“Of course I had my own past but today I am here talking to them, so what we are doing is instead of engaging you brutally using firearms or whatsoever I believe dialogue can do magic.
CSP Egbeyemi who practically lectured the youngsters caught in the act, appealed to them on the benefits of not doing drugs or getting hooked up in cult activities.
“Imagine when we got to Akerele a girl indulging in the act choose to follow us in the campaign and one of us have decided to get her a job, many others will still come or call me on the way forward.
“The idea is we want them to shun cultism and drug abuse because there is no gain in it. The moment you join cult that is when your problem starts the rival cult group will start chasing you and killing each other.
“By chance I am in the police today, it is not easy growing up here, I have lost so many of my friends, we intend ending this walk in Anwar Islam College my alma mater.
“I have seen where while I was in form three or so my friend was into robbery and was shot, we saw his corpse. That was the T-Juncture where you decide do I want to go to the right or the wrong side, what will become of me depending where I choose?
“I decided and that is why the campaign, I am like an ambassador here, they knew I was born and bred amongst them, I did everything that most of them are doing right now but I gave my life to God and I say no I have to face my education.
“Education has paved way for me, I am the Commander of RRS today, they know that if they can follow my path it will be well with them.” Egbeyemi said.
He also took a swipe on parents who go beyond their means, putting lots of women in the family way, when they could barely take proper care of one, adding that this is the real root of the social vices prevalent in the society.
“ My advice to parents out there is cut your coat according to your size, give birth to children you can take care of,”.
Comrade Olatunde Owoeye-Wise a member of the Agege Molebi Forum touched on the aims and objectives of the group, “ it majorly targets uniting all sons and daughters of Agege kingdom under one fold and to assist one another in anyway we dim fit.
“It is rather quite alarming the rate our youths are engaging in drugs and cultism, so we are using this opportunity to sound a note of warning to them, that after this campaign there will be clampdown on them because we are going to write series of petitions against all the black spots we can point.
“We know all black spot owing to the fact that we are born and bred in Agege, we have been there today to warn them to desist from this unlawful acts and if they refused we are ready to ensure all the black spots are raided.
“We converged under the Pencinema bridge and moved to Total, AP then through the den of the drug peddlers which is Akerele, Atobaje, Oke Koto, Kasunmu campaigning, distributing our flyers, we ensure we cover all the areas we know that drugs are being peddled.
“I will like to charge everyone, if you love where you were born you need to emulate us and do what we are doing, because many of them don’t know that it is wrong, they just believed it is just the normal thing to do, but by the time they see people of integrity coming out to campaign against it, that will yield positive results.
“We are ready to rehabilitate them, if they are ready to give up on drugs and cultism.” Owoeye reiterated.
Mrs. Bimpe Akinfolajimi a member of Agege Molebi Forum also appealed to the youths generally to eschew drug abuse and cultism so as to be the best they can be.
“I actually grew up in Agege so by virtue of that I joined the platform, we know a lot of youths have lost their lives and lot more are in Psychiatric hospitals because of drug abuse and cultism.
“So we felt by the time we come out to speak to the people in the grassroots in our local languages, they will understand that there is no gain involving in this vices.
“We have Doctors, Lawyers, high rank Police officers and more from other discipline in our midst,so we believe our lives should inspire them, looking at us that we grew up in Agege and still turn out good right within the same Agege they can also do better.”
The walk also featured interface with community leaders like the Olu of Agege, Chief Imam of Orile Agege Imam Sulaimon Malowo and many other individuals who identified with the course, equally given there blessings for the success of the thoughtful engagement.
