Dokun Adedeji, Chief Executive Officer, Compassionate Care Recovery Initiative (CCRI), said achieving a drug-free university requires honesty about substance use and the active involvement of students, parents and the university management.
According to him, the university system must strengthen counselling services, establish clear mental health and substance-use policies, educate parents, and provide access to treatment and rehabilitation.
‘A drug-free campus is achievable through collective responsibility, early intervention, education and compassionate support,’ Adedeji said in a seminar paper titled, ‘Actualising a Drug-Free Caleb University: Stakeholders and Responsibilities,’ at the recent two-day campus mental health awareness and war against drug abuse organised by Caleb University’s Centre for Counselling and Development Services, in collaboration with the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Club.
He urged the students to resist peer pressure and seek help early, while parents were advised to remain involved, observant and responsible role models. ‘A positive drug test does not automatically mean that a person has an addiction,’ Adedeji said, advocating for a stigma-free environment where students experiencing substance-related difficulties can access appropriate help,
Ayodeji Ajayi, clinical psychologist, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, described youth mental health challenges in Nigeria as an urgent public health concern requiring immediate and collective action.
He highlighted the growing burden of anxiety and depression among young people, alongside limited access to mental health services, stigma, inadequate awareness and misconceptions that prevent many from seeking appropriate care.
Speaking on ‘Mental Health Challenges in Nigeria: A Reality and Ticking Time Bomb,’ Ajayi acknowledged the progress made with Nigeria’s National Mental Health Act of 2023 but reiterated that legislation alone cannot guarantee access to effective careSanmi Johnson Ibidapo, Acting Director, Centre for Counselling and Development Services, Caleb University, said mental health is essential to students’ wellbeing, academic success and future potential. He stressed the importance of seeking help early, breaking the stigma surrounding mental health, and encouraged students to pause, check on themselves, connect with trusted people and seek professional help when required.
Ibidapo urged the students to practise healthy daily habits, including adequate sleep, healthy eating habits, emotional regulation, balanced use of social media and the maintenance of supportive relationships. He also warned against the use alcohol or non-prescribed drugs to cope with stress.