By Yusuf Abdulbasit Hozaifah, Ilorin

Located in Ilorin-east local government of Kwara State is a community called Okesuna where buying and selling Marijuana thrive like a legal business. The business has successfully increased the number of smokers in the community which has been a pressing issue that calls for proper attention. In this report, Abdulbasit Hozaifah chronicles the pathetic plight of a community under the chokehold of drug abuse.

The insidious trading of marijuana has been sowing seeds of stagnation and decline to the growth of the Okesuna community. Selling of Marijuana poses a threat to the overall well-being of the community and has particularly devastating consequences on the younger generations which is the concern of the residents.

The brain behind the business is Saheed Olota, a middle-aged man who has made a lucrative living out of selling marijuana. His clandestine operations have not only perpetuated a cycle of substance abuse but have also hindered the community’s potential for improvement. When this reporter visited the community, it became evident that Olota’s enterprise has had a profound impact on Okesuna’s economic landscape.

In this community lives Bolakale Rasak (pseudonym) who explains how children, the hope and future of any community find themselves caught in the crossfire of this detrimental influence. “I was strolling around in my community and I came across a young boy tied up. I enquired about what was happening and was told he was harassing her parents due to his mental condition which was caused by the effects of too much drug abuse,” Rasak narrated one of his experiences in the Okesuna community.

A parent grappling with the heartbreak of watching a child succumb to addiction, Alaba Kafayat sheds light on the touching toll marijuana on households in Okesuna. She explains the effects and the consequences of the act as a sad scene by tussling with the challenges of shielding her children from the allure of drugs peddled by Saheed Olota and his entourage. Families are strained as they collectively confront the menace threatening the foundation of Okesuna.

Community Leader Reacts

One of the Okesuna community leaders, Adigun Yushau who seems concerned about the happenings in his community said, “As a leader who is deeply entrenched in the fabric of Okesuna community, I have taken numerous steps to reduce the action of marijuana intake on the growing generations in this community but all efforts proved abortive. The only result I normally get is threat to my well-being.”

Mr Adigun expressed bitterly, “I can no longer turn a blind eye to the destructive force that is tearing apart the very foundation of our collective aspirations. The proliferation of marijuana intake has brought with it a wave of apathy, lethargy, and crime, casting a pall over our once-thriving streets.”

Effect of Marijuana Intakes

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), they made it clear that “Marijuana use directly affects brain function—specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, attention, decision making, coordination, emotions, and reaction time. Developing brains, such as those in babies, children, and teenagers, are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of marijuana.”

Marijuana intake has influence on the brain, an organ of reasoning protected within the skull in the head region. The active compounds in marijuana, particularly THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), can alter brain function and affect mental capacities, memory, coordination, and decision-making, especially when used regularly or in high doses. Long-term use, especially during the youth stage when the brain is still developing, may have more pronounced consequences on brain structure and function.