By Moses Taban Ejidio
I’m writing this article while engulfed with sadness due to the daily alcoholic and drugs abuses in our society of South Sudan. The rates of alcoholic consumption in our communities are so high and the reasons can be attributed to our cultural ceremonial feast. Alcohol demand is competing at the higher rate like food items; it has become a top priority in most family gatherings or functions. Yes, it’s taken for leisure time after a long day of struggle but it seems like the negative implications are being undermined even at the high level of leadership. However, the vast percentages that are involved in alcoholism are the youths as a result of lack of opportunities to utilize their time in productive activities that will contribute towards national development.
Someone may say youths are just after alcohol and youths are so lazy to handle opportunities. Even others say youths have nothing to do or contribute in this country, so let them continue with their alcoholism. Hey! Come! Better think first about the origan of too much influence of drugs and alcoholism on youths before criticizing because if you think deep, the first national industry to be established was an alcoholic industry. So how do you expect youths to contribute to the national development meanwhile their leaders gave them alcohol upon their births.
Many people in this country does not value youths due to negative stereotypes existence surrounding youths. Youths are the future of this country whether you believe or not, it’s only their communities’ representatives in the senate houses who are failing to preserve youths’ interest in terms of policy formulation that can favor youth’s future.
And their leaders have also contributed much in granting foreigners the privileges to conquer the alcoholic business industries other than food industries. It’s sad that youths are granted an open space to hold drinking, chewing and smoking competition zones. Just imagine and see the Gudele streets, foreigners are exchanging youth’s future with money by trading with those unknown drugs called Marungi or Mira plus other drugs openly without being questioned by the relevant authorities especially on the implications of those substances on the youths. Imagine touring just the areas of Juba, like Munuki, Kator, Atlabara, Thongpiny, Amarat or Juba Hongkong, Gabat, Mouna, and Nykuron streets. What will you be seeing nor even experiencing? All you will be seeing are youths everywhere kicking and vanishing to survive in these forceful situations to consume alcohol as a factor to fight stresses and depressions among themselves. Leave alone the other parts of South Sudan, because what I know nobody is caring to safeguard the future of youths in this country. All in all, safeguarding South Sudan without critically assessing the real problems facing youths is just a waste of national resources. Youths are the fundamental factor in securing future generation prosperity and development. Therefore, the fight to end youths’ sufferings is the sole responsibility of every leader, to start putting youths in the center of national development agenda. And I’m urging the parliamentarians to design certain policies that can reduce the excessive consumption of alcohol and drugs.
Honestly, there is no any excessive form of drugs or alcohol that is helpful in human body, otherwise the future is at risk, neither you nor I and even your children will be safe and productive if the concerned authorities continue to undermine the fight against drugs and alcoholism.
Oh! God bless South Sudan and May you spread your Wisdom and knowledge upon the policy makers of South Sudan.
The Writer is a student in the University of Juba and can be reached via email: mosesejidio@gmail.com/+211926363637