Freedom Foundation to address drug abuse, mental health at webinar conference

As part of the activities to commemorate 2020 edition of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse & Illicit Trafficking (World Drug Day), Freedom Foundation will be hosting a webinar session themed; “Substance Abuse and Mental Health- Preserving The Next Generation”.

The impact of substance abuse disorder in recent times continues to be a source of concern for our society as a whole. As a country, Nigeria is grappling with the problem of substance abuse, use of alcohol, illegal drugs, and/or prescribed medications in ways that produce harm to uses and others around them.

In line with the UN’s theme of Better Knowledge for Better Care, this webinar session is aimed at creating awareness of the menace that psychoactive substances pose to citizens’ mental health, provide guidance on sensitizing the next generation who are the highest group of substance users, and address the various stakeholders relevant to the ongoing conversation of substance use.

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This webinar session will be moderated by Tony Rapu, who is famous for his remarkable contribution in the rehabilitation of substance abuse dependent persons.

Other speakers to be featured at this session include: Tayo Ajirotutu, a Mental Health expert and the Head of Department, Clinical Psychology Department, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos, and Osasuyi Dirisu, a Public Health and Policy Expert. She works as a consultant with House of Refuge, a residential drug rehabilitation centre aimed at providing a comprehensive approach for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug and alcohol dependent persons.

Freedom Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to addressing the ever-mounting and staggering challenges in society by empowering individuals who are plagued with various categories of social and economic problems.

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.