Naira Marley Is Not Our Ambassador – NDLEA
NDLEA Clarifies Naira Marley’s role in the anti-drug campaign
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has explained that its interaction with popular musician, Afeez Adeshina Fashola, also known as Naira Marley, is to motivate him to use his talent and influence to discourage his fans and Nigerian youths from abusing drugs.
The singer visited the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Thursday 17th August 2023 to express his willingness to join the fight against drug abuse in the country.
The NDLEA stated that some online platforms have misinterpreted the purpose of the visit and falsely claimed that Naira Marley was appointed as an NDLEA ambassador.
The agency said that this was not true and that the pictures and video of the visit that were shared by the NDLEA did not imply any such appointment.
Also, the agency said that it decided to encourage Naira Marley, who has over seven million followers, half of the population of those who abuse drugs in Nigeria, to use his platform to share messages that would dissuade his fans from using drugs instead of promoting and glamourizing drug abuse with the negative consequences of misleading millions of Nigerian youths into danger.
However, the agency said that this was part of its holistic approach to the fight against drug abuse, and in line with global best practices and the theme of this year’s World Drug Day; People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention.
The agency asked why it should reject Naira Marley, who confessed to using marijuana, after he received some serious counselling and agreed to change his ways, instead of giving him a chance to reach out to his fans to quit drug abuse.
The agency said that it was ready to take its anti-drug abuse advocacy messages to all sectors of society, including schools, churches, mosques, markets, motor parks, Nollywood, Kannywood, traditional rulers, labour and the entertainment industry, and that it would not turn its back on any of their members who accepted to turn a new leaf.
In addition, the agency said that Naira Marley was the best person to take the message against drug abuse to his followers, who are known as Marlians.
The agency said that this was not a time for mischief or cynicism, but a time to support the singer and hold him accountable to his public commitment against substance abuse in his video message to his fans in the best interest of our youths.
