Members of a group, Youth Together Work Together (YTWT), and their mentors are quietly but effectively blazing a trail of service to their immediate communities and the Nigerian nation in different tangible ways.
Put together by United States of America (USA)-based Physician and activist, Dr. Nelson Aluya, the group (YTWT) has been engaging in social services that impact the nation especially youths. They have gone on a campaign of cleaning markets and other such public places in the past in Kaduna and have more recently embarked on rallies in schools in Abuja to campaign against and educate students on the dangers of drugs abuse and addiction.
The group on Saturday, May 25, 2024, convened a hybrid program with the theme: “Empowering Nigerian Youths: Breaking the Cycle of Drug Abuse & Drug Addiction for a Brighter Future.”
The onsite venue was the Silverbird Center in Abuja, Nigeria while some of the international speakers and other participants called in from all over the world, including the US and Canada.
Dr. Aluya gave the welcome address to flag off the one-day program and some of the key speakers were Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha Hassan who spoke on Risk Factors and Clinical Signs – Symptoms and Complications of Drug Addiction and Mr. Umar Yakubu spoke on Criminal Drug Enterprises: The Role of NGOs in Combating Drug Trafficking and Abuse.
Pastor (Dr.) Toyin Laoye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Dominion Cathedral, New Jersey, USA spoke on Building a Resilient Spiritual Mind to Resist Drug Abuse and Addiction while Prof. AG Ahmed from Canada spoke on The Practical Approach to Outpatient Management and Rehabilitation of Drug Abuse and Addiction Patients in Nigeria.
Imam Ibrahim Maquary spoke on Strategies of the Nigerian Clergy in Informing and Educating Nigerians Against Drug Abuse and Addiction and the program, which witnessed interludes of poetry recitations, song presentations and music was brought to a close by Aliyu Sanni with a emotive pictorial presentation that forcefully summarised the lessons of the program.
