The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has denied appointing Naira Marley as an ambassador of the agency.
It also described the reports of such an appointment, especially by some online media, as outright falsehoods.
The anti-narcotics agency stated this in reaction to the reports, saying it never appointed the musical star as its ambassador.
The refusal was contained in a statement, today, by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
It stated that its engagement with Afeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, was to encourage him to use his skills and platforms to put out contents that will discourage millions of his followers and Nigerian youths from substance abuse.
The artiste had, on Thursday, led members of his team on a visit to the Headquarters of the agency in Abuja, saying he was prepared to join the fight against drug abuse in the country.
Babafemi stated the clarification became necessary following continued misrepresentation of the purpose of the visit.
This he said was “especially on online platforms where some reports suggest that the British-Nigerian singer was appointed as an NDLEA ambassador.”
He added that the report on Naira Marley’s appointment as ambassador was misleading and an absolute lie.
He said the pictures of the visit and the short video containing Naira Marley’s advocacy message to his followers were properly captioned and shared by the agency without any suggestion of such an appointment.
The agency’s decision to encourage Naira Marley was to balance drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
The agency stated that Naira Marley can effectively serve that purpose because of his over seven million followers, which was half of the population of those who abuse drugs in the country.
It added that his platform can be used “to share anti-substance abuse messages as against using same to promote and glamourise drug abuse with the dire consequence of misleading millions of Nigerian youths into their peril.
“This is also in line with the agency’s whole society approach to the fight against drug abuse.
“[It is] in tune with global best practice as well as the theme for this year’s World Drug Day; People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention.
“When an artiste, who professes marijuana is good to seven million followers turns a new leaf after some serious counselling, do we reject him, turn our back to him and allow him to continue in his old habit?
“Or [do] we accept him, give him a chance so he can reach out to his followers to quit substance abuse?
In other words, why should we take our anti-drug abuse advocacy messages to schools, churches, mosques, marketplaces, motor parks, Nollywood, Kannywood, traditional rulers, labour and the entertainment industry but when one of their members accepts to turn a new leaf, we turn our back to him?
“These are questions those opposed to Naira Marley’s needed change may have to ponder.
“Indeed, no one is better suited to take the message against drug abuse to the Marlians than the head of the same movement.
“This is no time for mischief or cynicism but the right moment we all need to encourage the singer and hold him accountable to his public commitment against substance abuse in his video message to his followers in the overall interest of our youths.”
