ELOVAS Foundation Takes Campaign against Drugs, Cultism to Schools

By Ifeoma Ezenyilimba

As part of her programmes to checkmate the prevalent social ills that have eaten deep into the lives of youths and society, the Excellent Ladies of Valour and Steel (ELOVAS) Foundation, Awka Zone 1, has advised students against falling victim to drug abuse, cultism and other social ills that destroy individuals and society.

The Foundation stated this at her 2019 School Outreach Programme at Nneoma Community Secondary School, Nibo, Awka South LGA, Anambra State on October 16.

Speaking on the occasion, the Founder/President, ELOVAS Foundation International, QueenLady Ngozi Ekwunife, said the school outreach programme, with the theme: “Sensitization of Youths on Prevalent Social Issues Affecting Society”, which was part of the Foundation’s annual programme, was in line with ELOVAS’ mission statement of touching lives.

QueenLady Ekwunife advised the students against engaging in cultism and cult activities, saying that such endangered an individual. She warned that engagement in cultism had negative effects such as loss of life and property, disruption of academic activities in school, thereby turning a student to a dropout and being in an unsafe environment.

The ELOVAS president who also decried what she described as the hike in girl-child sex abuse, urged the female students and other girls to always say no, and disassociate themselves from occasions that led to such abuse and speak out when they fell victim, so as to prevent future occurrences and being raped. She stressed the need for parents, especially the mothers and teachers, to give their young girls the necessary sex/sexuality education, so as to prevent them from being sexually abused.

Another member of the group, Lady Uche Umebuani, who spoke on drug abuse, observed that the menace had rendered many of its victims useless psychologically. She advised the students and other youths to disassociate themselves from all cases of drug abuse such as indian hemp, cocaine, cigarettes, and the likes, lest they rendered themselves and their future useless.

For her part, Lady Nneka Jacobs of the Foundation, who spoke on spirituality, enjoined the youths to develop close relationship with God. According to Lady Jacobs, who stressed the need for constant prayer life, such relationship would enable them to keep them far away from vice, an instead help them to obey the words of God.

The Foundation at the event gave scholarship to three indigent students of the school, as well as gifts of customized exercise books, soft drinks and gala snacks to each of the students and their teachers.

In their various speeches, the principal of Nneoma Secondary School, Nibo, Mrs. Gloria Obeleagu; and the vice principal (academics), Mrs Ifeoma Echeta, appreciated the Foundation for their goodwill.