By Chernor Alimamy Kamara
In order to consolidate society's efforts at mitigating the use of the drug Kush, Musician Alhaji Amadu Bah, aka L.A.J who is serving time at the Male Correctional Centre in Freetown has championed a campaign to tackle the intake of the substance by youths.
The initiative originated from LAJ himself and another inmate- Bola Nicol. LAJ has so far released a song in prison to discourage young people from taking the substance, highlighting the dangers it poses to society.
According to the Communications Officer of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) Chief Officer Leslie Cole-Showers in an interview, the campaign sends out a message to all including kush partakers, dealers, and prospective partakers. He said it hammers home the fact that Kush is harmful and will only contribute to society's downfall- especially the youthful population.
He noted that should the song released by the musician be regularly aired in every “nook and cranny of the country,” it is highly likely that the message would sink into society's conscience and there would be a reduction in substance intake.
Cole-Showers stated that LAJ is part of the youthful demography in the country and commands a huge youthful following as well.
“Youths tend to obey the voice of those whom they admire,” he said.
He further stated that if LAJ's ‘mammoth following’ is anything to go by, then he would have succeeded in redeeming a lot of youths from Kush addiction and intake.
The SLCS Communication Officer pointed out that they consider what LAJ has done at the Correctional Service as 'Rehabilitation' which is a means, among other things of getting involved in useful activities while behind bars. He noted that the campaign is a way of also encouraging other talented inmates who may have been in hiding to show up and unleash their “God-given talents.”
“LAJ” is serving a jail term of nine years after being found guilty on four counts of robbery with violence and assault on attendants at a petrol station at Congo Cross in Freetown, in June last year.
Copyright © 2023 Politico (04/10/23)
