Opinion

Drug Abuse: Bayelsa State At A Tipping Point? (II)

Published

3 years ago

May 26, 2023

This is the conclusion of this article first published on Wednesday, May 17.

This is the concluding part of the opinion piece on the ongoing drug-related crisis in the State of Bayelsa. The initial instalments of this article were drawn from news stories in the past few months of 2023 to show that all is not well in the war against drug trafficking, and drug abuse in the state. This huge mortal problem is staring us in the face, such that the average Bayelsan might be compelled to ask if there is any hope. Yes, there is hope, but not with old approaches that have been tried and proven ineffective. Preventing the growth of substance use and dependence in the state, as well as the zone calls for a multi-pronged approach that must entail thinking outside the box.
In my opinion, the major key to tackling the monster of drug addiction in South-South is to set up a special regional task force, drawing men from all the relevant agencies and governments within the zone, and give them resources and clear targets, which must include making it hard to access drugs, reducing the prevalence rate of any drug use in the zone to a single digit. Firstly, it must be made clear from the onset that the purpose of the task force is to save lives. Secondly, since the 2018 report mentioned the paucity of rehabilitation centres, states in the zone must improve existing facilities, or put new ones in place.
Thirdly, two key lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic must be brought to bear. In the first instance, there must be daily state-wide randomised drug testing (using a fingerprinting technology uniquely designed to expose substance abusers using what is called the fluorescence-based lateral flow competition assay) in every local government to constantly track prevalence, and death rates through the duration of the task force.It must be noted that in spite of the losses during the recent global COVID-19 pandemic, the experince was a major teacher in that, it show the world how, and how not to manage a global health crisis. For instance. The Diete- Spiff administration appointed and recruited seasoned academics, administrators and technocrats to join in the task of building the nascent State particularly after the civil war. COVID-19 pandemic, the experience was a major teacher, in that, it showed the world how, and how not to manage a global health crisis. For, instance, with hindsight, medical practitioners and policymakers across the globe can to a reasonable extent agree that lockdowns does not work.
But then, on the other hand, the world saw what difference testing made, especially in isolation and the treatment of the infected. The same can be applied to the ongoing drug abuse crises in the Bayelsa State.The Health and Safety departments of most corporations have been managing alcoholism and drug abuse for decades using on-the-spot testing, during accidents for drivers, and routine and impromptu testing of members of staff. The merit of this approach is that alcoholic beverages like beer remain in the blood for eight hours and spirits, like whisky and brandy, can last up to 20 hours in the bloodstream. Interestingly, this technology is not exclusive to the safety departments of multinational corporations.
Currently, a fingerprinting technology uniquely designed to expose substance abusers has been developed. The system is designed to work with the process by which the human body metabolises substances to generate a plethora of metabolites, some of which are excreted through the sweat glands. Currently, the system is only able to capture amphetamines, cannabis, cocaine, and opiates.Like alcohol, different drugs are metabolised by the body in a variety of ways, generating a myriad of metabolites, some of which are excreted through the sweat glands. For instance, Tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive component in cannabis can be detectable in the sweat of an individual following consumption for up to a week in most cases; while cocaine can passively diffuse through capillaries into sweat glands in its non-ionised form and can diffuse directly through the skin.
Similarly, opiates such as heroin produce the major metabolite 6-acetylmorphine, which is the main indicator in the sweat that confirms opioid use. Opiates too are generally detectable within two hours and up to a week in the sweat following consumption. Cocaine and ethyl methyl ecgonine are detectable in the sweat as soon as two hours following consumption, whereas benzoylecgonine is detectable in four to eight hours. The metabolites are detected by performing a lateral flow assay, utilising fluorescent tagged probes to indicate that particular complementary molecules are present in a sweat sample. In plain language, this test is akin to the instant pregnancy test available at pharmacies.
The taskforce must also work in collaboration with telecommunication companies and every media house in the zone to keep the public informed on daily basis. To achieve a downward trend in the prevalence rate quickly, every state governor must use this daily information to put their local government chairmen to work. They must be held accountable for using this information in driving awareness at every level in their various local governments, including churches, mosques, and markets. Since most of the victims are from institutions of higher learning in the states within the zone, they should be viewed as epicenters that merit extra attention. Consequently, that taskforce should work with the management of these institutions to make one random testing mandatory for every student, at least once every semester.
On the face alone, since the students might be invited for drug tests without prior information, it would serve as a major deterrent. Beyond that, because of the consequences tied to it, truant students might also rethink their movements, especially if reporting to parents, guardians, or scholarship bodies happens to be one of the consequences.The testing is not an end in itself; rather, it is also a means to apprehend the dealers on the street. Therefore, for everyone who tests positive for any drug, the intention is to extract actionable information to arrest his/her dealer with confidentiality guaranteed. Just imagine that 100 tests reported a positive result, across various local governments within a state, and the users volunteer valuable information about their dealers, this war can easily be won in six months.
But then, the fourth term of reference for the taskforce is most critical, because it deals with those who are already vulnerable, or dying due to the miseries of extended drug abuse or substance dependence. It is very important that each state within the zone puts in place an emergency medical unit ready to move at a moment’s notice in every Senatorial District at least. The purpose of this team is primarily to save lives, and they should be given all they need to enable them to save lives.Furthermore, Local Government Areas must regularly hold seminars in schools, churches, mosques, and markets to educate their people on the current drug epidemic ravaging our region.
It is in the general interest of parents, Pastors, Imams, and community leaders to be fully aware of how far this cancer has eaten into the fabric of society. It is also very important for leaders to understand what is about to happen to our common way of life if the average youth on the street is a druggy. Clearly, Bayelsa State is at a tipping point, but almost all other states within the zone are more or less next-door neighbours to each other, therefore is safe to assume that other states are not faring better. This is more reason all the states in the region must work together to end the menace of drug trafficking and drug addiction. Lastly, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other security agencies should take the war against drugs personal, because the next victim might just be a member of their family.

By: Raphael Pepple

Opinion

Agony In Ivory Tower

Published

3 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: A university that tolerates missing scripts, result manipulation and ‘sorting’ is not merely failing students—it is quietly destroying the moral foundation of education itself.”

The sad cases of missing scripts, compulsory Sorting, inputting of wrong results and other obnoxious practices in some public universities, leave much to be desired. One cannot imagine how a student will be compelled to suffer consequences of the flagrant negligence of a Head of Department, a lecturer, Department staff or an ICT staff.Many academic and non academic staff in several public universities seem to be performing far below standard, thus unproductive to the university system. The unacceptable cases of sorting, missing scripts, missing results, inputting of wrong grades to students, should not be mentioned in a university, not even in any academic community. This is because people who are employed to work in various positions should have cognate work experience and unquestionable competence. They should not be seen as certificate welding illiterates but people who have been proven to be worthy in learning and character, diligent and competent to carry out assigned responsibilities with minimal or no supervision.

The university as a citadel of learning should boast of men of integrity, people who are repositories of applied knowledge and competence to drive the much desired holistic development in a nation that functions on quality teaching and learning. A situation where a student having gone through the crucibles of learning and written a prescribed semester examination or class-based evaluation test, is told that his or her script is missing or that he or she did not participate in that academic exercise, or must sort to pass, is an unpardonable error and a height of callousness. In fact some lecturers and staff of Departments are using the seeming systemic defect (which is their architecture) as an opportunity to extort students. Sometimes it is discovered much to students chagrin that the supposed missing script was later discovered when a ransom was paid.

Since a lecturer, or Head of Department has in their disposal both Yam and the knife and determines who takes what (if they wish to give without strings), students have no alternative but to submit to their importunate demands in order to graduate at record time.Such practices should be unheard of in an institution that should be a vanguard of moral and ethical values and conduct. What people learn in school constitute their behavioural patterns in the society. Where the school as an agency of socialisation cannot drive positive change first in its immediate environment, then the objective of education as a bedrock for the development of society, is inevitably compromised and counter-productive. The German Reformer, Dr. Martins Luther was quoted as saying, “I advise parents not to put their wards or children in any school where the Bible is not being used as a rule of life because such institutions will unnecessarily be corrupt”.

Gleaning from Luther’s sentiment one can deduce that the lack of respect and regard for values as well as the absence of the fear of God is the greatest undoing of most public schools. Another major challenge is that lack of Information, Communication and Technology literacy or compliance on the part of some lecturers and heads of department, may have informed the decision to give students’ scripts to secretaries to compile and input students results thereby making the secretaries the determinants of students’ fate. It is not saying a new thing that some of the secretaries in the process of compiling results have inputted wrong results, omitted names or down graded some students or given unmerited grades to others.Society today is ICT-driven and ICT-literacy enhances efficiency, speed and a reasonable degree of accuracy if the person behind the computer is level headed, articulate, competent, alive to responsibilities and is aware that negligence on his or her part is not only tantamount to a disservice to the university but to the students who may not graduate at record time because of his or her (computer operator’s) gross ineptitude or carelessness.

The ICT era makes the carrying of hard copy of results obsolete as lecturers through the Heads of Department can log on to the central server of the Exams and Records (if any) or ICT unit and input students’ results directly. By so doing the incessant cases where result on spread sheet is different from the one published online, more often than not, caused by abject negligence, will be avoided. The process will also end the intermediary services of some staff in the universities’ Information, Communication and Technology Department which has become a money spinner-a lucrative source of income to many of them. In fact some ICT staff reserved the power to award grades to students depending on students’ degree of compliance to terms and conditions. They can dubiously make or unmake a student. The university community should be considered too lofty to have careless, negligent, immoral and academic or professionally deficient people as academic or non-academic staff.

The Governing Councils and Senates of universities should be proactive in addressing the menace of missing Script, inputting of wrong results and sorting. This is necessary to end the slogan “Education is scam” so the system can produce quality students who are truly found worthy in learning and in character by operators who exemplify diligence, moral and ethical values. The much-needed reform must begin within the institutions themselves, because the future of any society is shaped in its classrooms.

By: Igbiki Benibo

Opinion

Strength of Emotional Equality

Published

3 days ago

March 9, 2026

The Tide

Quote: “Love thrives not when one gives more, but when both give fully — not in competition, not in performance, but in partnership.”

In every healthy relationship, there exists an invisible balance. It is not measured in grand gestures, expensive gifts, or public displays of affection. It is measured in something quieter and far more significant: emotional equality. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, love becomes less of a negotiation and more of a partnership. Emotional equality does not mean both individuals express love in identical ways. It does not require matching personalities or mirroring temperaments. Rather, it speaks to balance — a shared willingness to invest, to communicate, to be vulnerable, and to grow. It is the difference between two people walking side by side and one person constantly trying to catch up.

In many relationships, imbalance begins subtly. One partner initiates most conversations. One apologizes more frequently. One carries the emotional labor — remembering important dates, managing conflicts, sensing tension, and attempting reconciliation. Over time, this uneven distribution of emotional effort breeds exhaustion. The partner who gives more begins to feel unseen. The one who gives less may grow comfortable in emotional passivity. Love, in such a space, starts to tilt — slowly at first, then significantly. Resentment can creep in quietly, disguising itself as patience. Silence may replace honest dialogue. What once felt effortless begins to feel heavy.

When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, responsibility is shared. Both people are accountable for the health of the relationship. If conflict arises, neither hides behind silence nor dominates through control. Instead, they engage. They listen. They speak honestly without weaponizing words. Equality creates safety — and safety strengthens intimacy. It allows both individuals to express needs without fear of ridicule or rejection. One of the most overlooked aspects of emotional equality is vulnerability. True connection requires courage. It demands that both partners risk being misunderstood. But when vulnerability is one-sided, it becomes exposure rather than intimacy. If one person consistently opens up while the other remains guarded, trust cannot fully deepen.

Equality ensures that emotional risks are mutual. Where one shares fears, the other shares too. Where one admits weakness, the other responds with openness rather than judgment. In such a space, authenticity flourishes. Another crucial element is validation. In emotionally balanced relationships, both partners feel heard. Their concerns are not dismissed as “overreactions.” Their feelings are not minimized or compared. When couples operate on equal emotional ground, they acknowledge each other’s experiences as legitimate. They may not always agree, but they always respect. Validation does not mean surrendering one’s viewpoint; it means recognizing that another’s emotional reality matters.

Equality also protects individuality. Contrary to popular belief, healthy love does not erase personal identity — it enhances it. When both partners are emotionally secure, they do not feel threatened by each other’s independence. Personal ambitions are encouraged, not resented. Friendships are respected, not restricted. Growth is celebrated, not feared. Standing on equal emotional grounds means neither person shrinks to accommodate the other. Instead, both expand, knowing the relationship is strong enough to hold their evolution. Power dynamics often expose emotional inequality. When one partner controls communication — appearing and disappearing unpredictably, withholding affection, or using silence as leverage — imbalance emerges.

Emotional dominance weakens intimacy. It creates anxiety instead of assurance. But when couples share emotional power, there is consistency. There is clarity. There is no need to decode affection because it is offered freely and intentionally. It is important to understand that equality does not imply perfection. Couples will still disagree. They will face stress, miscommunication, and moments of frustration. However, when emotional footing is equal, conflict does not threaten the foundation. Instead, it becomes an opportunity for understanding. Both partners approach challenges as teammates rather than opponents. They choose resolution over ego and repair over pride.

Time often reveals whether emotional equality truly exists. In the early stages of love, intensity can disguise imbalance. Enthusiasm feels mutual. Effort appears equal. But as routine settles in and novelty fades, the structure of the relationship becomes clearer. Who still initiates? Who still invests? Who still shows up consistently? Sustainable love requires sustained balance. It is built not merely on attraction, but on deliberate reciprocity. Standing on equal emotional grounds requires intentionality. It demands honest conversations about needs and expectations. It requires both partners to examine their habits — whether they withdraw during tension, avoid accountability, or rely on the other to carry the emotional weight. Emotional maturity is not about avoiding conflict; it is about handling it responsibly and returning, again and again, to shared ground.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of emotional equality is peace. There is no constant anxiety about where one stands. No guessing games about commitment. No fear that affection may suddenly disappear. Instead, there is stability. There is reassurance. There is mutual effort. In a world where relationships often blur the lines between attention and commitment, equality offers clarity. It reminds us that love should not feel like competition or performance. It should feel like partnership. When couples stand on equal emotional grounds, they build something resilient. They build trust that does not fracture easily. They build respect that does not depend on mood. They build a connection rooted not only in passion but in balance. And in that balance, love finds its strength — not in who gives more, but in how both give fully.

By: Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi

Opinion

NDDC: Time To Illuminate Homes

Published

2 weeks ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Quote:“Twenty-five years on, the Niger Delta cannot celebrate illuminated streets while families sit in darkness. Development must begin inside the home — where children study, businesses grow, and lives are built — before it glows on the roadside.”

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was established in 2000 with a clear and urgent mandate: to facilitate the rapid, even, and sustainable development of Nigeria’s oil-producing Niger Delta region. The creation of the Commission followed decades of agitation over environmental degradation, infrastructural neglect, and socio-economic marginalization in the region. Its core mandate included the development of roads, bridges, electricity, water supply, health facilities, education, housing, environmental remediation, and economic empowerment initiatives. At inception, expectations were high that the Commission would transform the Niger Delta into a model of regional development. Over the years, the NDDC has indeed implemented numerous projects across the nine Niger Delta states. Roads have been constructed and rehabilitated in several communities, easing transportation challenges.

Schools have been renovated, and new classroom blocks have been provided in underserved areas. Health centres have been built or upgraded, improving access to primary healthcare services. The Commission has also awarded scholarships to students, including foreign postgraduate scholarships, empowering thousands of youths academically.Skills acquisition and youth empowerment programmes have helped many young people gain vocational competencies.Through various interventions, the NDDC has contributed to job creation and local economic stimulation.Solar-powered street lighting projects have been widely implemented in urban and semi-urban communities. These streetlights have improved visibility at night and contributed to enhanced security in some areas. Markets, highways, and public spaces illuminated by solar lights have experienced extended business hours.

For these efforts, the Commission deserves acknowledgment and commendation. However, development must always align with foundational mandates and pressing grassroots realities. A growing concern among residents is that while streets are illuminated, many homes remain in darkness. Rural electrification and household power access remain inconsistent and inadequate across large parts of the region. In riverine and remote communities, families still rely on generators, kerosene lamps, or complete darkness after sunset. The irony of brightly lit streets juxtaposed with powerless homes cannot be ignored. Electricity at the household level directly impacts education, health, and small-scale enterprise. Students cannot effectively study at night without reliable indoor lighting.Families cannot preserve food or power essential appliances without stable electricity.

Micro and small businesses struggle to grow without dependable energy access. While street lighting enhances public aesthetics and security, it does not substitute for domestic electrification. The proverb “charity begins at home” is especially relevant in this context. True community development must first empower households before beautifying public spaces. The Commission’s original mandate emphasizes integrated and sustainable development, not isolated infrastructural gestures. Balanced development requires that energy interventions prioritize homes alongside streets. Solar technology presents a unique opportunity for decentralized household electrification in off-grid communities. Extending solar solutions to individual homes would have a transformative social impact. Home-based solar systems could power lights, fans, small appliances, and communication devices.

Such interventions would reduce poverty, improve living standards, and stimulate grassroots productivity. By broadening its energy focus, the Commission would better reflect the spirit of its founding legislation. This is not a call to abandon street lighting projects, which have their merits. Rather, it is an appeal for balance, inclusivity, and alignment with core developmental objectives. Strategic planning should ensure that rural electrification and household access form a central pillar of ongoing interventions. Community engagement and needs assessments can help determine priority areas for household solar deployment. Twenty-five years after its establishment, the NDDC stands at a reflective moment in its institutional journey. The people of the Niger Delta say: thank you for the efforts so far—but not very much—because true appreciation will come when development begins at home and radiates outward, not merely when streets shine while houses remain in darkness.

By: King Onunwor