The phenomenon of drugs abuse caught the critical attention of the Veritas University, Abuja community for all of Friday when the university’s Centre for Peace and Development, (CEPAD) gathered practitioners at a workshop to that effect. Granted a university event status, the CEPAD workshop featured speakers from the National Hospital, Abuja and the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA).
A full house in rapt attention at the workshop
Prof Isaac Adewole, Nigeria’s Minister for Health
On hand to play the chief host himself was Prof Hyacinth Eme Ichoku, the Vice-Chancellor of the university along with very senior academics and administrators.
Ahead of a General Elections in which thuggery fuelled by drug abuse could be a game changer in many parts of Nigeria, CEPAD might have registered a major advantage in “problem- solving” academia through the workshop although it has not declared that as its school of peace practice yet. Added to its easily remembered previous engagements on hate speech and violent conflicts, the workshop on drugs abuse points to that as opposed to alternative schools of the Peace – Development nexus. Notwithstanding criticisms of “problem-solving” theory and practice, it might not be a bad idea for CEPAD to emerge as Nigeria’s leading “problem-solving” research centre in the field. There doesn’t appear to be any in Nigeria yet.
A communiqué synthesizing discussions at the workshop is being expected from the centre, assures Dr. Innocent Jooji, the Director.
