Emir Sanusi II calls for revival of traditional values to tackle drug abuse in Kano
Kola Oyelere, Kano
Emir of Kano, His Highness Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, has called for the revival of traditional value systems as a major strategy in combating the rising challenge of drug abuse in the state.
Delivering a goodwill message as Royal Father of the Day at the three-day Stakeholders Summit on Drug Abuse themed “Strength in Unity – A Multi-Stakeholder Approach to Combating Drug Abuse in Kano,” the Emir described drug abuse as “a direct assault on the dignity of society.”
Represented by the District Head of Shanono, Dankade Kado, Dr. Bashir Mohammad, the Emir warned that the menace threatens both the future of young people and the moral foundation of Kano.
“Losing a young person to drugs means losing a lineage, a dream, and a future,” he said.
Sanusi emphasized that no single institution can win the fight against drug abuse, stressing the need for coordinated efforts involving intelligence gathering, community accountability, medical support, religious guidance, and traditional norms.
He recalled that Kano’s forefathers built strong systems rooted in mentorship, communal responsibility, moral upbringing, and discipline — structures that safeguarded families and communities for generations.
“In those days, every child belonged to the entire community. Every elder was a moral compass,” he said, urging district heads, village heads, imams, parents, and youth groups to “awaken the structures that once protected us.”
The Emir called for increased community involvement in awareness campaigns, stigma reduction, rehabilitation, and reintegration of affected youths, adding that “every child saved is a future restored.”
He also commended the Kano Reformative Centre (KRC) and other organizers for their commitment to addressing the crisis, pledging the Emirate Council’s continued support for initiatives that restore dignity and purpose among young people.
In her welcome address, Chief Coordinator of the Kano Reformative Centre, Cheryl Aminta Kwagga, said the fight against drug abuse requires a united front.
She stated that “no single agency or sector can curb drug abuse alone. Real Victory lies in collective action, shared strategies, and sustained collation
She then disclosed ” the daily consequences witnessed by the center, including “broken homes, shattered dreams, rising insecurity, and young lives drifting into hopelessness.”
The summit aims to forge stronger alliances between security agencies, traditional rulers, healthcare professionals, educators, parents, NGOs, and policymakers.
However in his speech,the former Kano State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalist’s ( NUJ) Comrade Abbas Ibrahim ,in his lecture at the occasion, said ” The media has a big role to play in fighting the drug abuse in the society
Comrade Ibrahim noted that the state being a radio listening society can develop series of programs that will educate the people in the grass root on the need to complement government ‘s efforts taming the menace of drug abuse in the society