THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has warned youths on the danger of drug abuse, saying it poses a great health risk to their wellbeing and future.
The Sultan stated this at the seventh Islamic Therapy Convention/Convocation of Certified Therapists in Prophetic Medicine of the International Institute of Islamic Therapy (IIIT) Nigeria which was held last weekend inside the main hall of the National Mosque, Abuja.
Sultan Abubakar, who was represented by Professor Ahmed Tijani, commended the management of IIIT for its contributions to the growth of the health sector through the training of professionals.
He said: “I am really glad that this institute has churned out lots and lots of graduates and I am impressed with what I have seen. The message that the Eminence asked me to convey to the graduands, their parents and guardians is hinged on the theme of the presentation of the keynote speaker.
“Drug abuse, especially drug addiction, has become widespread in Northern Nigeria, especially Islamic Northern Nigeria. Those of the Islamic faith think that only alcohol is prohibited in Islam. It is not only alcohol but anything that intoxicates or anything that makes the mind of the believers to be cloudy is prohibited.
“There are pharmaceutical products that are used for therapy. But if you deliberately consume pharmaceutical products containing addictive substances for the purpose of getting high, you have committed a sin.
“Often, we hear that youths and even married women consume codeine concealed in bottles of soft drinks and this makes them to go out of their minds. They are committing a sin. It is not just alcoholic wine, beer and so on.
“This is because drug addiction is more extensive and it is more than alcohol addiction. In drug addiction, we are talking about the brain. We have to avoid or take any substance that will make us go out of our minds.”
The provost of IIIT, Shaykh Abu Mazeedat Khayr bin Saheed, said the institute has trained more than 500 Nigerians in the last seven years and has been using the knowledge of prophetic medicine for healing people.
Shaykh Abu Mazeedat Khayr said the institute was established to promote alternative medicine and will continue to complement the efforts of the Federal Government in the area tackling the menace of drug abuse in the country.
“We are out to promote alternative medicine in the world view of Islam and we call it prophetic medicine. Prophetic medicine is all about those things we have inherited from the prophetic traditions, the sayings of the Prophet and those things he approved as forms of healing. That is the basis of prophetic medicine.
“We have realised that many people are not aware of the value of this medical system. So, we are out to promote it and the Muslim home. Today, we are graduating as many as 35 students.”
The chairman on the occasion, Director-General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brigadier General Mohammed Buba Marwa (rtd), commended the organisers of the programme, saying the government, parents and the society have a lot to do to take care of youths.
Marwa, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Chief Lanre Ipinmisho, urged Nigerians to pay attention to the menace of the abuse and trafficking of drugs.
The NDLEA boss said: “Whoever that is not paying attention to abuse and trafficking, manufacturing, production, the person is living in utopia. With the prevalence that we have, there is no way you can escape being affected in one way or the other – whether because the facilities in the hospital have been overstretched because of drug addicts whom people call drug users.
“Government, parents and the society should pay more attention to the youth and save them from peer pressure which can lead to a bleak future.
“Government must deliberately reach the poorest of the poor and give them hope. Parents should get closer to their children, encourage and tell them that failure is not the end of life. They should always use themselves as good examples for their children.”
The Murshid of the National Mosque, Abuja, Professor Shehu Said Galadanchi, said the mosque will continue to give the management of IIIT the support they need to achieve their objectives.
