From drug abuse to lesbianism: an educational undertone

Princewill I. Egwuasi, Gertrude Archibong, Mercy U. Ette And Joy O. Omaga aDepartment of Curriculum Studies Educational Mangement and Planning, University of Uyo, Uyo, AkwaIbom State bDepartment of Educational Foundations, Guidance and Counseling, Faculty of Education, University of Uyo, Uyo. cDepartment of Curriculum Studies Educational Mangement and Planning, University of Uyo, Uyo, AkwaIbom State dDepartment of Science Education Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi Bauchi State


Introduction
Every school environment that must promote academic excellence, quality students output and the actualization of the objectives for the establishment of such a school, must have a mechanism that must filter the calibre and type of students it admits, not only from the academic yardstick, but also from the moral, psychological and emotional standpoints. This mechanism is very pertinent, considering the fact that the school has an environment that has both the living and non-living elements in their surroundings.
As Ekpu and Egwuasi [1] posited, this aspect of the school environment is entirely made by people. It basically concerns the relationships between the students and staff and within the students themselves. Upon this premise, Moronkola (2003) noted that for effective leaning to take place, both the teachers and learners must be psychologically ready to perform the task. The author further argued that this assertion became necessary due to the current pitiable and sorry state of our schools today, where the schools are exposed to many evils which lead to distractions that negatively affect the social and by extension, the health of staff and most importantly the students. According to him, these evils include but are not limited to strike actions by the teaching and non-teaching staff, violent demonstrations by students and staff alike, sexual malpractices including sexual harassment (lesbianism and/or gay practices), cultism, drug abuse, dilapidated buildings, electricity shortages and lack of water, among the ever endless evils.
To be more precise, a retrospective assessment of our universities in particular has revealed that what is currently obtained in these institutions of higher learning, as means of evaluation or screening of the new intakes, are the post-UME screening test or the 'operation show your certificates', all depending on the institution's policy. It is then veracity therefore to induce that these measures only take care of the academic dispositions of these candidates (would-be students), without also taking into consideration the moral, religious, psychological, emotional maturity and wellbeing.
The Federal Republic of Nigeria (2013), in Section 5 (86A), postulated that the university education shall make optimum contribution to the national development by:

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(a) Intensifying and diversifying its programmes for the development of high level manpower within the context of the needs of the nation; (b) Making professional course contents reflect our national requirements; (c) Making all students part of a general programme of all round improvement in university education, to offer general study courses such as history of ideas, philosophy of knowledge, nationalism and information technology (IT); and (d) Making entrepreneurial skills acquisition a requirement for all Nigerian universities.
Suffice it to assert therefore, that the main objective of the establishment of the university is in the quality and quantity of the students that would graduate from their different courses of pursuit, to man different professional facets of human endeavours in Nigeria and also compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world. The impending question arises, how can these lofty objectives be met? When what we see as freshmen these days are merely children under the age of 18 years, mostly corrupt in their different views of life, social media virus infected, overgrown babies who may be easily lured into sexual evils such as indulging in drug abuse and misuse, which may in turn propel them into belonging to lesbianism clubs, a deadly movement than the secret cults. In line with these thoughts, wondered and lamented to what extent , the beneficiaries of university education have acquired both the physical and intellectual competencies which will enable them to be functional and useful members of the society?

Statement of the Problem
It is our position, that an emerging issue which is currently eating deep into campuses of Nigerian universities is lesbianism, also known as sapphism. This ugly trend, many have argued, is as a result of the global acceptability of same sex marriage among the world power countries and the near eradication of secret cults on campuses, hence, this becomes one of the other umbrellas that bring together like minds, since it is not proscribed in Nigerian universities as being a secret cult.
It is also very alarming and disheartening that lesbianism has so taken over our young female undergraduates that they become so distracted from their studies, family beliefs and religious faiths. Our observations have revealed further that this may be as a result of the abusive intake of substances such as pills, marijuana, cocaine, alcohol and cigarettes for those with lighter brains, and most recently codeine. The consequences thereafter are decline in academic desire and low positive behavioural approach to academic issues, drop out and involuntary suspension of studies, indulging in examination misconduct and most worrisomely, the hatred for the male folks. In most cases, it also leads the improper dressings, loss of confidence in woman hood and total failure in life after school. It seems that all these occur due to the inability of the university authorities to properly checkmate these students during and after the admission processes. It is based on this springboard that the problem of this study is to investigate how drugs intake and abuse by the female students can lead them into lesbianism in Nigerianuniversities,

Drug Abuse and Students' Engrossment
Drugs are those substances that the body requires in order to function maximally. This is not only seen from the medical perspective, hence, any stuff that is taken into the body for any purpose, with resultant effect when abused, could be seen as a drug. These include but not limited to: However, from the medical viewpoint, a drug is a substance used for medical purposes that changes the state or function of the body. According to sources such as Caroll [1] drug is any substance which upon entering the body can change either the function or structure of the organism. It is also any substance other than food, that provides nutritional support, which when inhaled, injected, smoked, consumed, absorbed, via a patch on the skin or dissolved under the tongue, causes a temporary physiological (opened and offered) change in the body. These changes in the body, especially the negative can only occur when the drugs are either abused or misused.
Drug abuse therefore, is the taking into the body system of drugs or a deliberate use of drugs for purposes other than its intended purpose without the supervision of a physician or medical practitioner. Coleman [2,3], further posited that drug abuse is the substance abuse or disorder that is characterized by a destructive pattern of using a substance that leads to significant problem or distress., arguing that the scenario is usually when drug is taken more than it is prescribed or not even prescribed.
Capturing this as a menace in present day Nigeria, that despite the unrelenting efforts of individuals, agencies, mass media and the government at different levels against drug abuse, the prevalent practice among post-primary school students, tertiary institutions, teenagers and even adults in the community has not decreased, but rather continues to increase geometrically. From the above, it is clear that the problem lies with the youths from secondary to tertiary institutions with an age range of between 10-18 years. This is supported by the report of the study by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) (2012) on drug use and abuse from schools, records of patients admitted at mental health institutions for drug related problems and interview of persons arrested for drug offences. The results showed that youths constituted the high risk group for drug trafficking and abuse. Most importantly, friends and school mates accounted for about 90% of the source of influence of the use and abuse of various psychoactive substances.
According to literature, the most frequently abused drugs include: Stimulants like methamphetamines and cocaine, hallucinogens It is rather unfortunate as observed that the reasons advanced by these students for taking drugs are: to feel on top like adults; to feel good; to get excited; to be like friends; and to be like stars. While added that other reasons may include: experimental curiosity, lack of parental supervision, personality problems due to socio-economic conditions, need for energy to work for long hours, availability of the drugs, need to prevent the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms, advertisement, social pathologies and emotional/psychological stresses.
Buttressing the above positions, the American Psychiatric Association (2000) reported that there are a number of causes (reasons) drugs are abused. These are:  Biological factors: Here, mostly in substance abuse, professionals recognize a genetic to the risk of drug addiction.  Psychological factors: These include mood, depression, anxiety and personalitydisorder.  Social factors: These include gender, marital status, lower economicstatus.
Another interesting revelation was concluded that other reasons for drug abuse include: curiosity, social rebellions, early initiation, poor control, low self-esteem, poor stress management, to escape reality, genetic predisposition, withdrawal effects and craving and sensational feeling.

Impression of Drug Abuse on Undergraduates in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
Establishing a stance whether or not drug and its abuse has left negative or positive impression on undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions gives room for one to wonder in the wilderness of knowledge. As could or may have been argued by several quarters, what is determined to mean good or bad becomes an individual perception on the prevailing situation. However, the findings of the NDLEA yearly data on drug abuse (1977,1991,1992,1996) in Essien (2010) cleared the air and doubt by reporting that the immediate effects (impression) of drug abuse on Nigerian students is that of initial stimulation which fades into relaxation accompanied by euphoria and increased ability to communicate. There are also blood-shot eyes, occasional nausea and vomiting, clumsiness, decrease muscular coordination and dizziness, among others.
From another perspective, Kobiowu (2006) [6] reported from his study on the social and academic implications of drug abuse among undergraduates of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, that the academic pursuit of those undergraduates who engage in drug abuse is not unduly jeopardized and that the abusers do not socialize extraordinarily, contrary to seemingly popular expectation. Hence, if going by the position of Kobiowu [4] is anything to hold onto, it would then be out of justification to imagine that the impression of drug abuse on the undergraduate students in Nigerian tertiary institutions is not necessarily on the negative or poor outcome in their academic pursuit, but in the fact that drugs would make them to become unassumingly hard and secretive in dealings and in associations with their teachers and most importantly with their peers, classmates and associates. That is why Kobiowu [6] concluded further that "man has long sought ways to enhance his pleasure and to ease his discomforts". Curiosity, as

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one of man's outstanding characteristics, appears early in life and leads to extensive exploratory behaviour, such as belonging to secret cults and in this context, lesbianism fraternity in tertiary institutions.
Jordan [5] while reporting the findings of Jessor and Jessor (1977), stated that one prominent theory of substance (drugs) postulates that adolescents who engage in one problem behaviour are more likely to engage in other problem behaviours -substance (drug) use, conduct problems, aggression, delinquency and sexual activity -with the thread being an underlying construct of unconventionality. Jordan also posited that drug abuse and alcohol serve as a tool to rationalize their same sex feelings and behaviours. He further concluded that same sex sexual behaviour (lesbianism), with a rationalization such as, "I only had sex with X (female) because I was drunk". And that lesbians use drugs to alleviate the anxiety they feel when in a lesbian environment or situation. To this end, it becomes evident that drug abuse has led several undergraduates into becoming lesbians. This is the case in Nigerian tertiary institutions as the study [5] proved this, when it revealed that some students who indulged in this practice did not go into it on their own volition, rather they were cajoled and hired into the practice by those individuals (students) who are more experienced with it, while some voluntarily waded into the practice in order to perfect the rudimentary experience they had during or while in their secondary education through school mothers and daughters, but may be, did not go deep into it for fear of their teachers, who may convey the information to their parents and guardians. Hence, the experience is perfected when admitted into tertiary institutions where they have enough freedom coupled with the fact that more experienced persons are there to aid them and with drugs by their reach, the sky only becomes the next room. .

Lesbianism: the Act, the Student
Lesbianism is the sexual relationship between two females. lesbianism is the sexual and romantic desire between females. Simply put, lesbianism means female homosexuality. That is, making love to a person of the same sex. According to the authors, lesbianism commences mostly during the onset (outset) of adolescence and its unwanted wide dissemination is overwhelming as it is spreading like wild fire, especially in Nigeria.
It is with great displeasure then, lesbianism is increasing in leaps and bounds while it is booming in tertiary institutions in Nigeria. To the present researchers, our institutions of higher learning have become breeding grounds of all sorts of sexual evils, with lesbianism being the most preferred by the female students. It is now an open secret occurrence among female married women, and either married or unmarried female students, without fear of stigmatization, humiliation and importantly, the fear of the Almighty Creator.
Nairaland Forum (2018) is of the view that some of these teens practiced lesbianism from the childhood through hide and seek games, without knowing the implications, while some are initiated in tertiary institutions to lesbian groups or cults such as black bra, aro queen, and marine queen, among others. The university students initiate year one students to join them to perform lesbianism in groups, while some perform initiation rituals by imposing the young undergraduates to sleep with the same sex, by sometimes attracting them with money, gifts and most recently through drug use and alcohol in schools.
Our observations have shown that these lesbians can be identified in schools in the following ways: 1) Wearing of chains on the right or left legs; 2) They usually will talk nothing good about a man; 3) They are heartless and jealous; Eleyon Publishers 4) They move together, i.e. in peers at all times; 5) They wear rings on the thumb finger 6) Some of them have tattoos on their bodies 7) Some of them wear dresses that can expose their bodies 8) They usually would look sexy at all times.
In support of the researchers' observations, thirty more characteristics of the lesbians to include:  They generally like to view an erotic video or image.  Some do swerve their hips during movement.  Some do like to hang their hand on the shoulder, or hip region of their respective femalefriends.  Most of them are fun to be with, and as well, they like making female friends.  Their choices of music are usually blues, hip-hops and gospel; some do like playing music via a headphone.  Some do rub glossy substance below their eyebrow, and their lips, whereas some do shave part or their entire eyebrow.  You may likely see two or more erotic films, magazines, images, etc. in their room. They also have porn videos on their mobile devices.  They generally pay more attention to their bodies and underwear.  Some do like to dash out luxurious gifts to their femalefriends.  When talking to a female friend, they always like to look straight into hereyes.  They generally love erotic jokes, and as well, they like to chew gums.  Whenever a female friend is in their apartment, they do put on somethingseductive.  Some do skip a date with the oppositesex.  Their underwear is usually lingerie, and for bra, some do wear laced bra. They do wear laced undies too.
 Some do spray erotic perfumes on their bodies whenever they want to go out, and as well, use an erotic soap.  They generally like exotic materials, i.e. things that are exorbitant and fashionable.  Some do encounter loss of concentration in their studies or business.  They generally encounter loss of memory or amnesia.  Their choices of colour are usually black, pink, white, red, orange, violet, etc.  They generally like to attend parties, especially those that unveil nudity.  Some are social in disguise, just to lure their femalefriends.  Majority of them love to sing, especially blues or a gospel music.  Some do suffer from insomnia.  Some do exhibit a role model, and this is usually to create an allure.  Some don't like to detail their full information on a social network like facebook, eskimi, netlog, twitter, badoo, etc.  They generally love kissing and fondling, and as well, they are addicted topornography.  Those that live in secondary school hostel, generally have a lot of schooldaughters.  They do like to touch a female on their erogenous zones, and do overlook it as aplay.  Some do have a long flat tongue, depending on their geneticvariation.  They always find it hard to engage in a real relationship with aman.

Conceivable Ways of Curing the Menace
There have been serious debates, protests and contentions on whether or not the act of lesbianism should be legalized in tertiary institutions in the global community. This is as a result of the acceptance of same sex marriage in the developed countries. In India, Kenya, South Africa and USA, among other countries, some tertiary institutions have had to contend with several court suits instituted against them by either parents or students, who were either punished by dismissals, suspensions and isolations of female students who were identified as being lesbians. Hence, the present researchers also agree that the measures as mentioned above, would only aggravate the situation instead of profferingsolutions.
To this end, we believe that the following therapy could be applied towards solving this puzzle. These are:  Introduction of sex education course as GST or GNS for newly admitted students: This is very important, in that, when freshmen in all tertiary institutions are made to undertake a compulsory GST or GNS course on sex education, the new students would have been well informed about all the dangers as regards sex while on campus. This would at least aid them in their choices of sex relationships.  Compulsory counselling for all students: A mandatory counselling programme to be instituted in all tertiary institutions, where all the students, both old and new, would be counselled on the evils of drugs intake and lesbianism on campus. This could be achieved when all the department s have counseling units.  Every hostel on campus must have a well-trained guidance counsellor, who would monitor, counsel and enforce first aid rehabilitation to suspected and identified drug addicts who are into lesbianism.  Employment and detailing of spies on campuses: These personnel would be to monitor every gathering, activity, party and occasion on campus, both in the day and night times. The aim would be to identify the victim and recommend them to the institutions' management for possible rehabilitation. However, this must be done under the highest level ofconfidentiality.  Mounting of awareness campaigns: Awareness campaigns should be mounted immediately in all Nigerian tertiary institutions' campuses on the dangers of drug addiction or abuse, which leads to lesbianism, with the possible negative effects on students' academic performance, students' health and most importantly, knowing that it is a sin against God and humanity. This should be done on the beginning of a new semester for all students.

Conclusion
The issue of drug abuse, which leads to lesbianism especially among our youth and young adults in Nigerian tertiary institutions, is gradually gaining national attention. This was the prevailing circumstance that led to this present conceptual study on the relationship between drug abuse and lesbianism, with a resultant concern on our educational system. As a fallout, the study is of the conclusion that lesbianism or sophism has come to stay in Nigerian tertiary institutions, but that all hope is not lost if concrete mechanisms are put in place by the management of these institutions to curtail the further spread of the menace before it becomes unbearably difficult and impossible to handle. We believe that if this is not immediately done, then the Nigerian educational system is in for another showdown as regards its survival, sustainability and growth in next century.

Recommendations
The following recommendations become inevitable due to the findings in this article. These are:  Management of all tertiary institutions in Nigeria must recognize the fact that there is a time bomb waiting to explode in our students' indulging in drugabuse.  Every department in our institutions must have both male and female guidance counselors highly trained on sex education.  institutionalising sex education as a GST or GNS course in the first year of study is an urgent need in our higher institutions.  Every freshman in the institutions must pass through a thoroughly organised character screening exercise simultaneously with other screening exercises before admission into the institutions.  Every nook and cranny of our tertiary institutions must be well lit to forestall clandestine activities such as drug abuse and lesbianism.  Alcohol and other related substances sales and intake should be banned in all tertiary institutions.  Every tertiary institution in Nigeria must have and enforce dress codes, especially for female students.