Students from 58 secondary schools in Surulere attended a symposium against social vices as part of the Femi Gbajabiamila U-16 Football Competition at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos on Friday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Notable personalities including Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mobolaji Ogunlende, actors Hank Anuku, Foluke Daramola, and lawmakers addressed the students on the dangers of drug abuse, cultism and other vices.
Lagos lawmaker Desmond Elliot, who organised the tournament, urged the students to be good ambassadors.
“We do not want cybercrime or any of you becoming criminals. These are things that must stop. Please, we want you as our ambassadors. You all have a guide to change your schools better, sitting here is tomorrow’s President or tomorrow’s Chief of Staff,” Elliot said.
Ogunlende warned the students against drug abuse, saying, “Some of us think it is cool. Some of us think it is fashion. At the end of the day, you are only killing yourself. If you think you are just taking smoke, that smoke can drive you crazy.”
Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Barakat Odunuga-Bakare, shared her experience.
“Drugs, cultism and all other vices are a terrible decision to make. If I had chosen to follow that path, I probably wouldn’t be here today. It’s because I faced my studies and I decided not to get pulled or get intimidated or get lured by peer pressure,” she said.
Former Super Eagles stars Nwankwo Kanu and Mutiu Adepoju also addressed the students via video recording and in person respectively.
“If you aspire to be a great soccer player like me, remember that you’ve got to be disciplined, hard work, have dedication to whatever you’re doing, and focus,” Kanu said.
Adepoju added, “I played in three World Cups and three Nations Cups and if I have not been disciplined if I’ve been on drugs or any of these vices, I will not be able to reach that far.”
The one-month tournament, which kicked off on October 31, aims to enhance students’ well-being and engagement amid socio-economic challenges while identifying young talents.