Naira Marley not our ambassador — NDLEA stated

Naira Marley not our ambassador — NDLEA

19th August 2023

Femi-Babafemi

Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA By 

Abiodun Sanusi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has said that music star, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, who was recently engaged in its drug abuse advocacy campaign, is not an ambassador of the anti-graft agency.

The NDLEA said its engagement with Naira Marley was to encourage him to use his skills and platforms to put out content that will discourage millions of his followers and Nigerian youths from substance abuse.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, stated this in a statement on Saturday.

The PUNCH reports that the artiste had on Thursday, August 17, 2023, led members of his team on a visit to the National Headquarters of the agency in Abuja to express his preparedness to join the fight against drug abuse in the country.

The NDLEA spokesperson noted that the clarification became necessary following continued misrepresentation of the purpose of the visit especially on online platforms where some reports suggest that the British-Nigerian singer was appointed as an NDLEA Ambassador 

In other words, why should we take our anti-drug abuse advocacy messages to schools, churches, mosques, marketplaces, motor parks, Nollywood, Kannywood, traditional rulers, labour and the entertainment industry but when one of their members accepts to turn a new leaf, we turn our back to him? These are questions those opposed to Naira Marley’s needed change may have to ponder.

Indeed, no one is better suited to take the message against drug abuse to the Marlians than the head of the same movement. This is no time for mischief or cynicism but the right moment we all need to encourage the singer and hold him accountable to his public commitment against substance abuse in his video message to his followers in the overall interest of our youths,” Babafemi said