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Contrary to the information flying around, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has said the visit of Afrobeats star Afeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, to the agency was not for an ambassadorial role.
In a surprise development, Marley visited the anti-narcotic body's headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, August 17, 2023, where he also met the agency's Executive Chairman, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (retd.).
Following the visit, the singer appeared in a video on social media where he was seen preaching to youths and teenagers to desist from abusing drugs.
In the wake of the development, the social media went agog, with many suggesting that Marley had bagged an ambassadorial role with the NDLEA during the visit.
Reacting to this in a statement on Saturday, August 19, 2023, the NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said the agency's engagement with the controversial artiste was to encourage him to use his platform and influence to put out content that will discourage millions of his followers from abusing substances.
“This clarification became necessary following continued misrepresentation of the purpose of the visit especially on online platforms where some reports suggest that the British-Nigerian singer was appointed as an NDLEA Ambassador.”
“This is a misleading and absolute falsehood as 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 decision by the Agency to encourage Naira Marley with over seven million followers, half the population of those who abuse drugs in Nigeria, to use his platform to share anti-substance abuse messages as against using same to promote and glamourize drug abuse with the dire consequence of misleading millions of Nigerian youths into their peril, is to create a balance between our drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts.
“This is also in line with the Agency’s whole society approach to the fight against drug abuse and in tune with global best practices as well as the theme for this year’s World Drug Day; People First: Stop Stigma and Discrimination, Strengthen Prevention,” the statement read in part.