GOOD HEALTH:-MARIA AND MARITA: UNITED AGAINST YOUTHFUL DELINQUENCE

TOWARDS curtailing the rising incidence of drug and alcohol abuse as well
as cultism amongst teenagers and young adults in Nigeria, two young
Nigerians based in the United states of America are set to establish the
Nigerian Chapter of the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) in
secondary schools and tertiary institutions in the country.

The duo, Maria and Marita Ayodele, who are daughters of the nation's
pioneer herbal slimmer, Dr. Quincy Sumbo Ayodele, are students of the
University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA. They told Good Health Weekly during
an interactive session that the local chapter of the organization which is
being launched August this year, is aimed to inform Nigerian youths on how
best to have quality fun without resort to dangerous and destructive
behaviours.

Activities for the event tagged Summer Fiesta, will feature a student forum
in which musicians, comedians and artistes will help propagate the message
to teenagers and young adults. Also, Maria and Marita are billed to visit
schools and colleges in Lagos State with the aim of outlining the aims and
objectives of SADD.

According to 20-year-old Maria, "SADD was principally informed by the fact
that Nigerian youths and teenagers are in a conundrum of conflicting
cultures and are hampered with lack of guidance when making important
decisions which affect lifestyle choices."

Continuing, Maria, a Resident Assistant and Secretary General of the
African Students Association at the institution, is quick to note that:
"SADD is action-oriented. SADD also seeks to utilise students as peer
educators and to be able to reach out and assist each other in instances
where issues involving alcohol, tobacco, and or other drugs are involved.
We also hope to aid students in choosing not to make 'destructive
decisions' and to help them better influence each other to live healthy
lifestyles.

We are not out to 'preach' to the students but let them know that there are
better alternatives."

Since inception in the USA, the SADD programme has undergone many changes
by expanding its mission and endorsing a firm 'no use' message that is
related to the use of alcohol and other drugs. With its expanded focus,
SADD now highlights prevention of destructive behaviours and attitudes that
are harmful to young people, which includes underage drinking and smoking,
substance abuse, impaired driving violence and cultism.

On her own part, 18-year-old Marita (Maria's younger sister) simply says:
"I want the youths to know that SADD is offering an alternative to
destructive behaviour. I want them to know that you can get your grades and
still be trendy. I want students to know that you can still catch your fun
on campus without any destructive behaviour or decisions." The philosophy
of SADD, they note, is to utilize students as peer mediators on how to
better educate themselves in making healthier lifestyle choices.

Delectable Marita is well known here in Nigeria as the New Face of Quincy,
by virtue of the fact that she copresents with her mother, the teenage
segment of the weekly network program- Healthy Living with Quincy on NTA 2
Channel 5.