Still on drugs and Arewa (1)
Recently, Bala Muhammad of Daily Trust Saturday Column spent several weeks on this very important topic – Drugs and Arewa, calling on Arewa to defend itself against the onslaught of illicit drugs. Just as Bala was about to complete his series on his column, the BBC came out with its own bombshell, the documentary ‘Sweet […]
Recently, Bala Muhammad of Daily Trust Saturday Column spent several weeks on this very important topic – Drugs and Arewa, calling on Arewa to defend itself against the onslaught of illicit drugs. Just as Bala was about to complete his series on his column, the BBC came out with its own bombshell, the documentary ‘Sweet Sweet Codeine’.
Indeed, Arewa must defend itself against the assailant called Arewa – I mean to say here that actually the adversary is within. The assailant is Arewa itself. The drug culture threatening to consume the youths of Northern Nigeria has been with us for a long time.
The drug abuse culture can at least be traced to the practice of ‘tsumi’ as an invigorating tonic used by farmers. Youth-related drug use has been presented as part of folklore indicating the changes that accompany drug addiction are illustrated in Lambe Lawali’s song produced with a xylophone. “…Samari na don Allah/Samari ku daina shan ƙwaya/Idan ƙwaya ta narke ma/Ka bar baba/Ka bar mama/Ka bar mata/Ka bar ‘ya’ya…/Jiniya Bambo mai waƙa/Jiniya Bambo yai roko/Samari ku daina shan ƙwaya…”
Katsina, one of the states benefitting from Bala Muhammad’s thoughts happens to be the haven where my childhood was nurtured. It will not be surprising that the highest prevalence of recreational substance use is in Northern Nigeria, because substance abuse like cigarette smoking, alcohol ingestion and intake of stimulants notably the amphetamines were a common sight in Katsina in the mid-seventies.
My first shock as the child of a recently transferred civil servant in October 1974 was when I was sent on errand by a neighbour (a married woman) to buy “sabuwa mai dagi.” Sabuwa mai dagi” was a brand of cigarette produced by Philip Morris which later merged with the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) to become British American Tobacco Company (BATC).
I was brought up to assume that cigarette smoking was the exclusive preserve of men who had nothing better to do with their money; and cigarette-smoking women were immoral. But on getting to Katsina, I discovered that cigarette smoking women were part of the norm. Suffice to note that cigarette smoking is considered the first step to substance abuse. Passing on a glowing cigarette between young men was considered a sign of strong camaraderie. A mischievous child’s biography in Katsina would not be complete without a childish puff at a cigarette stub with diminishing glow. There were instances when men bought sticks of cigarette as part of the house-keeping groceries (kayan cefane) for their wives.
Next to cigarette smoking was alcohol intake. Before the enactment of shariah-compliant laws, drinking pubs were a common sight in many cities. Katsina had the peculiarity accommodating some of these pubs within the ancient city. Some examples were Central Hotel located on the junction between IBB Way and Sabuwar Kasuwa. Republic Hotel was located not far from Sabon Layi in the heart of Sha’iskawa quarters. In other Hausa cities, pubs were commonly located in the Sabon Garis or Immigrants’ Sections of the town. May be the Katsina peculiarity was because Katsina is called Ɗakin kara (home of hospitality and/or solidarity), and the city tolerated the pubs.
Weakness in the Bakatsine personality was summarised in GMTC (Giya, Mata, Taba, Caca) meaning ‘alcohol, women, tobacco and gambling’. The paradox in Katsina was that, it was home to one of the best colleges of Arabic studies in Northern Nigeria. I am a proud product of alumni of the college.
Free peddling in alcohol existed side-by-side with peddling in psychoactive drugs. Names of psychoactive drugs like ‘A-Rungumi-Zaki’, ICD, Madras and ‘Zaƙami’ were part of adolescent vocabulary. Zaƙami is the extract of the hairy-thorn apple commonly found in Northern Nigeria, and it is capable of inducing hallucinations. Madras, ICD and ‘A-Rungumi-Zaki’ were variants of stimulants scientifically called the amphetamines.
In the late seventies, cough syrups exemplified by cofta® and the benylin brands® were considered the first aid medicines for cough and were marketed as ‘over the counter’ (OTC) drugs in patent medicine stores in many our cities, Katsina was no exception. There were benylin brands marketed by Parke-Davis namely Benylin®, Children’s Benylin® and Benylin with Codeine®. As a primary school pupil, I vividly remember reading the cautionary note written on packets of benylin® that “Persons taking benylin® must not drive or operate machinery, as it was apt to cause drowsiness.
Medicines like promethazine (Phenergan®), chlorpheniramine (Plasil®) were part of a physician’s prescription and were only dispensed in hospital pharmacies. Commonly available OTC drugs were part of cold medicines that carried strong cautionary messages. Most importantly, these medicines were sold only by licensed vendors. Hawking drugs was unknown.
While drugs like, zaƙami, a rungumi zaki, madras and ICD have stimulant effect, alcohol and the sedative agents suppressed the central nervous system. All agents irrespective of their nature invariably removed inhibitions thus making the affected individual carry out abominable activities which psychiatrists describe as personality disorders. Hallmarks of personality disorders include absenteeism from school or work, poor work performance, poor personal and environmental hygiene, and poor academic performance at school.
Drowsy young men with unsteady gaits, as they wended along alleys and streets falling and rolling in dry ditches, with children in tow as they pelted the barely conscious youth with stones, chanting derogatory songs like: Ya sha kafso, yayi marisa. There were instances when these intoxicated men spent the nights in ditches miles away from home. The consequence of such intoxication was loss of productivity at work or absenteeism from school. Worse still was the stigma that accompanied being related to such persons. Snide remarks and insults were never short in supply. The changes that accompany drug addiction are illustrated in Lambe Lawali’s song cited earlier ‘…Idan ƙwaya ta narke ma, ka bar baba, ka bar mama, ka bar mata, ka bar ‘ya’ya…’ (When drugs really take hold, the addict abandons his father, abandons his mother, abandons his wife, abandons his own children…’)
Aisha Indo Mamman is a Professor of Haematology at ABU Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria [email protected]