On Wednesday, June 29, 2022, a video went viral on the Nigerian Twitter space. It showed two young men in a room. One of them sat with his neck hanging down his shoulder in an unusual position while the other sprang up and threw himself forcefully to the ground and started to thrash around. It was clear both of them were under the influence of hard substances. In the comment section, many argued about the specific substance that might have caused such reactions, while others also shared similar videos of young Nigerians in different states of disorientation, possibly under the influence of drugs.
According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)’s World Drug Report, 275 million people used drugs worldwide in 2021, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders. Drug usage was up by 22 per cent from 2010. The World Drug Report speculates that by 2030, the number of people using drugs will rise by 11 per cent around the world and as much as 40 per cent in Africa alone.
Young Nigerians engage in substance abuse for different reasons: unemployment, peer pressure, poverty, etc. Usually, addicts begin by experimenting with illegal substances before they become dependent on them and cannot let go. The National Drug Use Survey revealed that there are around 14.3 million drug users in Nigeria, of which close to 3 million suffer from a drug use disorder.
Music and movies have a significant influence on young people, and their portrayal of drugs as cool trendy substances plays a role in encouraging the use of illegal substances among young Nigerians. Pop artistes sing about drugs and how it makes them feel, explicitly projecting its usage in their music videos and infusing slang related to drugs in their lyrics.
With everything going on, one may ask: should artistes, creators, and players in the entertainment industry, who young people have taken as role models, be blamed for the rising cases of drug usage and abuse in the country?
The influence of artistes transcends their music, movie and other forms of art. Fandom and celebrity worship are so rife that it has birthed stans and fans who not only belong to dedicated groups but also go as far as engaging rival fandoms on social media. For example, in Nigeria, it is not uncommon to see Wizkid’s fans (Wizkid FC) slug it out with Davido’s fans (30BG). These fans follow their idols and try to emulate them.
The portrayal of drugs in music videos and movies is usually done in a positive light, which can influence young Nigerians who admire and idolise these stars and their art. According to a National Library of Medicine report, drugs are present in nearly half of all music videos. The glamorisation of drugs coupled with celebrity power and influence has led many young people into drug abuse as a mark of ‘street’ credibility or, in social media parlance, “to feel among.”
Globally, celebrity influence is huge, and with the advent of social media, they are able to reach more fans and also get feedback from them more easily. Their power has become so enormous that they are able to sway opinions, arouse interest and influence their followers. It is no surprise that brands and companies use celebrities to promote their products.
One example of the evidence of celebrity influence occurred in June 2021 when Coca-Cola’s shares dropped by $5 billion after footballer Cristiano Ronaldo visibly rejected the soft drink on his table during a press conference opting for water instead. Snapchat lost $1.3 billion of the company’s market value in 2018 after reality TV star Kylie Jenner tweeted that she had stopped using the social media app.
If celebrities do have such power to influence people and sway opinions, then they have the power to also positively impact the lives of their followers. Nigerian celebrities can help in the fight against substance abuse, especially among youths, by making a 180-degree turn from encouraging the use of drugs to abstaining from it by pointing out the short-term and long-term consequences of substance abuse.
Singer and Actor David Jones David has been at the fore in the fight against substance abuse by using his art to call attention to this menace. A regular participant in the MTN Anti-Substance Abuse Programme (ASAP), the singer has been intentional about his drive to rescue Nigerian youths from the shackles of drugs. He told Netng in an interview that his efforts have yielded positive results. His songs, “Sayo na Bastard” and “Hello Doctor” have become anthems against the use of illegal substances.
He said: “Music is a universal language, and if you want to pass a message, you sing it. On social media, people have sent me messages and in my DM and how my songs have had an impact on them. A lot of youths get involved in my social media challenge to ‘say no to drugs.”
The multiplier effect of having celebrities join in the campaign against drugs is that millions of youths will likely be influenced positively by their message. The fight against drug abuse cannot be left in the hands of professionals alone. It has become everyone’s fight.