Piece written by Sammy Ajufo
ON TRAMADOL & CODIENE ET AL: THE BLAME GOES
TO………..
Lets be straight, NAFDAC is not at fault here, so stop
accusing them. At some point in our national life, they
were the most popular & loved government agency
under Dora Akunyili, but now they are demonized – for Cough Syrup sake. Also, Buhari is not to blame either.
There are many things I would love to pin on this
administration, but this is not one. Don’t tell me that
frustration of the economy or unemployment drove
young people to abusing drugs. That’s a lie and you
know it. And as usual, in this recent argument and blame
game, there must always be those whose stock-in-
trade is to find something tribal about any and
everything, obviously these are the regular shallow
minded bunch. Because all of a sudden, people realise
that Emzor Pharmaceuticals is owned by an Igbo person and the shut down of their production lines is
somehow as a result of Buhari’s hatred for the Igbo
race. Typical and expected reaction, there’s nothing
new here.
But in the practical sense, If Codeine or Tramadol or
whatever drug formed the highest market demand, it would be profit suicide if the manufacturer refuse to
increase production & leave the responsibility of the
Medical Associations to put some regulation on the
dosage and use? So I don’t blame Emzor, it’s a
business decision any good businessman would cash
in. So, contrary to some beliefs, I see no fault of Emzor’s making. Moreover, who says drug
counterfeiters hadn’t weighed in on the massive haul
to meet demand with fake drugs flooding the market
too.
But the blame must be put on someone. Whose to
blame? The country the youths are too distracted to understand or take over? The Government? No. The
blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the very
group that has over the years shied away from their
primary responsibility and successfully shifted the
blame to whichever government of the day exists. As
a matter of fact, they have hidden so successfully that nobody even remembers their pivotal role anymore.
They are the family. Parents and relations are to
blame. Nobody else. These drug abusing youths are
sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, cousins, grandsons
& granddaughters to people. How come the family is
not taking responsibility? Does that mean nobody is watching the activities of these kids like our parents
watched us, our activities & friends? Where are the
fathers and mothers who should have raised these
kids and shown them the right way to grow? Where’s
the moral discipline? The Instruction? The Respect for
Values, Life Lessons & Family tradition that should keep these kids focused out there in the world?
Where’s the first school for a child if not the home?
Where is it? A father who cannot take care of his
household is worse than an Infidel; words from
Scripture! That goes for women too, because a good
woman keeps her home. So why are we saddled with the failures of families and instead of repairing and
repenting, we would rather blame someone else?
Don’t tell me what you suffered to raise all your kids
because nobody forced you to bring them into the
world. You are not doing us or the a favour.
Face the family, it’s their fault.
