The African Council on Narcotics (ACON) has called on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to suspend Azeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley as its ambassador until an investigation into the death of Ilerioluwa Oladimeni Aloba, aka MOHBAD is concluded.
The council also called on other government agencies intending to confer brand ambassadors on individuals to painstakingly carry out background checks to be sure they fit into such a role and can be positive role models, which is what a brand ambassadorial role stands for.
In a statement on Thursday by its president, Rekpene Bassey, ACON said, “In the wake of this, the Nigeria Police authorities directed detailed special homicide inquest into the cause of his death.
“Consequently, the homicide investigators swung into action with several steps including the exhuming of his remains for autopsy.
“Several persons are being interrogated and/or interviewed over the case. All of these are being done because of the suspicion that his death was masterminded through the forced ingestion of some deadly substances by certain folks who were directly or indirectly connected to him.
“However, as we await the outcome of the official security investigation into the case, it may be expedient to question the rationale for the engagement of one of those suspected to be the brains behind MOHBAD’s death namely Azeez Adeshina Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley as an ambassador of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) – Nigeria’s foremost anti-drug agency.
“Naira Marley hardly represents any strong positive social energy as can be seen in his public conduct and the character traits of the so-called Marlians modeling after him.
“Most of them are deviants, to say the least; engulfed in youth bulge, cultism, petty criminality, internet fraud and the abuse of dangerous drugs. How can such a fellow be a role model for our youth?
”The essence of appointing a brand ambassador is to showcase a positive drive for the brand. To engage someone whose outward conduct is seemingly antithetical to what the NDLEA represents is tantamount to an official endorsement of what the agency is supposed to be against.
“We, hereby, call upon the NDLEA to stand down that appointment so as not to create a wrong impression on the psyche of our youth, particularly at this time.
“Going forward, government agencies intending to confer brand ambassadors on proposed persons must carefully profile such a person(s) to be certain they are fit and proper persons capable of flying the brand flag untainted and very high rather than bringing bad influence on those being targeted by the brand.”
