Stakeholders in Bonny Island must collaborate to combat the scourge of indecent dressing, cultism and drug abuse, the Bonny Women Forum has said.

Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Helen Pepple said this on Wednesday, November 29, 2023 during a Stakeholders Meeting on Indecent Dressing, Cultism and Drug Abuse in Bonny, Rivers State.

“It is with mixed feelings that I welcome you all to this stakeholders meeting to find out the road map to tackle the rising social menace of indecent dressings, cultism and Drugs abuse in our local government. I am not happy over the rising trend but consoled that we are all gathered here to tackle the challenges facing us.”

“As the custodians of the cultural heritage of Bonny Kingdom, women cannot sit back and fold our hands to watch this town get turned into a brothel, or headquarter for immorality. This land has owners and there are amorous conducts that offends the spirit of its owners.”

“There is no better time to come together and restore some sanity in the kingdom. We must be seen to be taking responsibility. We must save our land. This is not Columbia where drug abuse and other unwholesome activities take place without recourse to the spirit of the land.

She called for synergy among the various stakeholders such as parents, students and youths, government at the three levels, traditional and cultural institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations and faith-based organizations and the Press.

“Working together in partnership can change the narratives as one party or some parties cannot achieve success. It’s my appeal that we all join hands together to address this challenges.”

In her remarks, Chairman of Bonny LGA, Anengi Claude-Wilcox, who was represented by her Vice, Omoni Longjohn commended the Bonny Women Forum for organizing such an avenue for discussions on fashioning out ways to curb drug abuse, cultism and other social vices in Bonny LGA.

“I want to thank God for this day and also the Bonny Women Forum for calling on stakeholders as mothers for all of us to come together and reason together on the problems facing us, killing us and wiping away our culture and values.”

She called for a revisit to the cherished values of contentment, rectitude and community spirit upon society rode upon in the days of yore, urging parents to be intentional and diligent in the upbringing of their children, assuring that her administration would do all within its powers to accentuate efforts to checkmate social vices in Bonny LGA.

On his part, Chairman of the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), Amairigha Hart, who was represented by a member of the Committee, Biekpo Chapp-Jumbo applauded the stakeholders meeting, declaring that it was a succinct forum to discuss how to curtail social vices affecting the youths.

He observed that over time there have been several for a where issues of social vices amongst youths have been discussed, asserting that it is time for concerted action among stakeholders to address the teething issues, insisting that diversity of views were germane to identifying and dealing with the problems.

In his remarks, the Area Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), who represented by his Assistant, Ayim Ogar stated that aberrant behaviour amongst young people is fueled by drug abuse, admonishing that curtailing drug abuse and addiction would serve to checkmate social vices in the society.

In attendance at the event were the Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC); Se-Alabo Dagogo Claude-Wilcox, a former Chairman of the BCC; Se-Alabo Reginald Abbey-Hart, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bonny LGA; Nelson Irimagha, and Executives of the Bonny Kingdom Women Forum, amongst others.

The Bonny Kingdom Women Forum has sustained its drive to address social ills in the society, serving as the vanguard for social rectitude, decent dressing, promotion of positive values and entrenchment of the community spirit.

The body under the watch of its Leader, Helen Pepple, has continued to act in the interest of women in Bonny Kingdom, providing social safety nets, empowerment opportunities, skills acquisition programmes and personal growth trainings which over time has repositioned women to take their rightful place in the scheme of things in Bonny Kingdom.