These were the exact words said to me by a young man on a Monday evening.
I was going back home (I stay off-campus) and I decided to walk the distance between my institution's Student Union Building and the School gate. With my earphones plugged in listening to Charlie Puth, I didn't pay attention as people passed me by on the sidewalk. Atleast until a guy looking to be in his early-mid twenties slowed down to say those words to me. I was taken aback and I couldn't say anything for a few seconds (I mean who just walks up to you and says that with a mirthless smile on his face). But my curiousity got the better of me, as always.
Our conversation went thus:
Me: Uhhh, why?
Him: I've been smoking for a long time now.
(Pause.... I let that info sink in)
Me: What's your name?
Him: Marcus.(real name withheld)
Me: What department are you in?
Him: (chuckles mildly) I don't trust you. The funny thing is, people in my department see me as this good guy. They wouldn't know that 'Marcus' could be doing this.
Me: ohhhh.
Him: what department are you in?
Me: lol, why should I trust you either?
Him: (laughs) it's not that, but there's the possibility you might turn me in. Just a few months ago, UNILAG expelled some students because of this and even UI at one time blocked the road to Poly Ibadan cos people usually bought and sold it there. And I don't want you to turn me in.
Me: I understand. (At this point I'm guessing he's talking about cannabis.)
(Pause)
Me: How old were you when you started taking it?
Him: I was in secondary school... (thinks for a while) I grew up on the streets you get? I had to do things for my self. I grew up on the streets.
(We just walk)
I want to stop it cause I know it's wrong and it's affecting me.
Have you ever smoked before?
Me: No, I haven't.
Him: Good, good. Don't do it if you haven't. And be careful. Peer influence is possible. Watch the people you walk around with. I can call out 4 people I've influenced since I got to UI and now they're regular smokers. (By this time we had already gotten to the gate)
(Pause)
Me: where are you going now?
Him: I'll just walk, walk (he waves his hand in no particular direction) and come back.
Me: okay... (We keep walking and I soon get to where I'd take a keke napep to my place) Marcus! (I have to call out to him cos he's obviously in another realm already) I have to cross and take a keke home.
Him: Okay. (with the mirthless smile, he turns and walks away)
Me: Bye. (But I'm sure he can no longer hear me)
I was going back home (I stay off-campus) and I decided to walk the distance between my institution's Student Union Building and the School gate. With my earphones plugged in listening to Charlie Puth, I didn't pay attention as people passed me by on the sidewalk. Atleast until a guy looking to be in his early-mid twenties slowed down to say those words to me. I was taken aback and I couldn't say anything for a few seconds (I mean who just walks up to you and says that with a mirthless smile on his face). But my curiousity got the better of me, as always.
Our conversation went thus:
Me: Uhhh, why?
Him: I've been smoking for a long time now.
(Pause.... I let that info sink in)
Me: What's your name?
Him: Marcus.(real name withheld)
Me: What department are you in?
Him: (chuckles mildly) I don't trust you. The funny thing is, people in my department see me as this good guy. They wouldn't know that 'Marcus' could be doing this.
Me: ohhhh.
Him: what department are you in?
Me: lol, why should I trust you either?
Him: (laughs) it's not that, but there's the possibility you might turn me in. Just a few months ago, UNILAG expelled some students because of this and even UI at one time blocked the road to Poly Ibadan cos people usually bought and sold it there. And I don't want you to turn me in.
Me: I understand. (At this point I'm guessing he's talking about cannabis.)
(Pause)
Me: How old were you when you started taking it?
Him: I was in secondary school... (thinks for a while) I grew up on the streets you get? I had to do things for my self. I grew up on the streets.
(We just walk)
I want to stop it cause I know it's wrong and it's affecting me.
Have you ever smoked before?
Me: No, I haven't.
Him: Good, good. Don't do it if you haven't. And be careful. Peer influence is possible. Watch the people you walk around with. I can call out 4 people I've influenced since I got to UI and now they're regular smokers. (By this time we had already gotten to the gate)
(Pause)
Me: where are you going now?
Him: I'll just walk, walk (he waves his hand in no particular direction) and come back.
Me: okay... (We keep walking and I soon get to where I'd take a keke napep to my place) Marcus! (I have to call out to him cos he's obviously in another realm already) I have to cross and take a keke home.
Him: Okay. (with the mirthless smile, he turns and walks away)
Me: Bye. (But I'm sure he can no longer hear me)
The exchange got me feeling....humbled. It didn't seem like he wanted to make friends with me or even my acquaintance. He didn't even ask for my name. I guess he just needed to talk to someone at that moment and I was just the random person that felt right.
I did feel sad tho. I wish I could have done more for him. Maybe collect his number and try to help him through this stage in his life.(I messed up in that regard, I didn't ask for it)
While we walked I could realized he was 'disturbed'. I use disturbed and not deranged cos, he's a student for goodness sake! He wasn't wearing rags. But it did seem like he was on the brink of losing it. Throughout our interaction, he kept on giving long pauses where he'd just walk and think. (He also had extremely red eyes. One feature I noticed since I could hardly capture the rest)
I told a friend about the encounter. About the fact that I wish I could have helped him. My friend was like "you could have told him to go to a rehabilitation centre."
"What centre do we have in Nigeria?", I asked.
"Church", he replied.
That sounded funny to me then, same as now. Churches and Mosques are all well and good, but these people need a neutral ground where they wouldn't feel judged or any less of themselves. I realised the crude reality that even when drug abusers want to change and do better, they aren't provided with the facilities and opportunities to do so.
Because honestly, do we have any functional rehabilitation centre in this country? If we do, kindly enlighten me for I am not aware. Major flaw (i)
I did feel sad tho. I wish I could have done more for him. Maybe collect his number and try to help him through this stage in his life.(I messed up in that regard, I didn't ask for it)
While we walked I could realized he was 'disturbed'. I use disturbed and not deranged cos, he's a student for goodness sake! He wasn't wearing rags. But it did seem like he was on the brink of losing it. Throughout our interaction, he kept on giving long pauses where he'd just walk and think. (He also had extremely red eyes. One feature I noticed since I could hardly capture the rest)
I told a friend about the encounter. About the fact that I wish I could have helped him. My friend was like "you could have told him to go to a rehabilitation centre."
"What centre do we have in Nigeria?", I asked.
"Church", he replied.
That sounded funny to me then, same as now. Churches and Mosques are all well and good, but these people need a neutral ground where they wouldn't feel judged or any less of themselves. I realised the crude reality that even when drug abusers want to change and do better, they aren't provided with the facilities and opportunities to do so.
Because honestly, do we have any functional rehabilitation centre in this country? If we do, kindly enlighten me for I am not aware. Major flaw (i)
We criticise smokers cause we feel we are better than them. I wonder if anyone put in the same situations they've gone through, would choose any differently. Major flaw (ii)
Mind you, I am not here to defend smokers nor their choices. I detest the act (my own personal prejudice). But I'm a social scientist, and I believe in objectivity when push comes to shove.
We need to give smokers chances to do better. Chances to get their life back on track( if they want to of course). We need to consider all the variables that contribute to their addictions; Broken homes, Poverty, Poor upbringing, societal factors, emotional traumas and all.
It's not too much to ask that the supposed "Premier University" in West Africa, have a centre within its premises that caters to addicts. These are the things we should focus on and not how to bring the next rave act for a performance in the school (which I'm not totally condemning. But for what it's worth, it shouldn't be close to being a priority.)
One of the primary functions of a state is the welfare of its citizens.
We need the Federal Government to do better. But first off, we need to do better for we mirror our government. We shouldn't criticize addicts just because it goes against our religious principles of values. We need to help them see that we have their backs and we ain't judging. Quite a number of individuals who died from drug abuse, suicide and so on would probably have lived a while longer if they received proper care and advice. It's never a crime to be concerned about the well-being of the people around us.
We need to give smokers chances to do better. Chances to get their life back on track( if they want to of course). We need to consider all the variables that contribute to their addictions; Broken homes, Poverty, Poor upbringing, societal factors, emotional traumas and all.
It's not too much to ask that the supposed "Premier University" in West Africa, have a centre within its premises that caters to addicts. These are the things we should focus on and not how to bring the next rave act for a performance in the school (which I'm not totally condemning. But for what it's worth, it shouldn't be close to being a priority.)
One of the primary functions of a state is the welfare of its citizens.
We need the Federal Government to do better. But first off, we need to do better for we mirror our government. We shouldn't criticize addicts just because it goes against our religious principles of values. We need to help them see that we have their backs and we ain't judging. Quite a number of individuals who died from drug abuse, suicide and so on would probably have lived a while longer if they received proper care and advice. It's never a crime to be concerned about the well-being of the people around us.
On a final note, I wanna encourage you, my dear reader, to reach out to that person around you that is being held down by addiction. They might not admit it but they need our concern and care. Getting off drugs or any other addictive substance is not an easy battle and it requires contributions from others around. If you genuinely care about that your 'friend' as you claim to, you would help rid them of habits that pose dangerous threats to their health (emotional, physical, psychological)
I don't know if I'll ever meet Marcus again, but I do hope our short encounter made a difference in the choices he made afterwards.
P.S The conversation depicted above can only represent about 75% of the actual occurrence. The rest have either being lost to forgetfulness or withheld based on my better judgement.
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