A new wind of hope is blowing through the valleys of Southern Kaduna—and it carries the unmistakable scent of purpose. In what many have called a watershed moment in Nigeria’s grassroots war against drug abuse, the revered Kpop Ham, His Royal Highness Dr. Danladi Gyet Maude, OON, has given his full-throated endorsement to the bold campaign launched by the Drug-Free Arewa Movement (DFAM).
DFAM, a youth-powered initiative under the Triumphant Youth Foundation, made a powerful statement this week when its delegation paid a high-level advocacy visit to the monarch’s palace in Kwoi, Jaba LGA of Kaduna State.
In a statement released via the group’s official X handle (@drugfreearewa), DFAM announced that the visit marks a pivotal first step in “galvanizing traditional leadership in the fight against drug abuse.” And galvanize, it certainly did.
Led by its Lead-Convener, Ibrahim Yusuf Gombe, the delegation was welcomed with royal honors by the Kpop Ham himself, alongside his council of elders and representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), and key youth leaders from across the Ham Chiefdom.
The visit kicks off activities for the Southern Kaduna Week of Action Against Illicit Drug Trafficking and Substance Abuse, billed for mid-July under the stirring theme:
“Rising Beyond the Scars: A United Front Against Drugs, Despair, and Destruction.”
Addressing the royal court, Gombe didn’t mince words. He painted a sobering picture of a generation at risk—youths ensnared by the claws of addiction, families torn apart, and communities hollowed out by despair. But his message wasn’t just grim—it was a call to arms.
The upcoming campaign, he said, will feature town halls, school outreaches, faith dialogues, street rallies, and community engagements—all designed to spark a mass awakening across the region.
And the message hit home.
Visibly moved, His Royal Highness Dr. Maude praised the DFAM team for “taking ownership of our collective destiny.”
> “This is not just laudable—it’s a lifeline,” the monarch declared. “The poison of illicit drugs is robbing our young people of their future, and it’s breeding violence, school dropouts, and broken homes. But today, I see hope. I see a movement rising from within. You have my royal blessings. The Ham Chiefdom will walk this path with you.”
In a rare show of unified purpose, faith leaders from CAN and JNI, along with the youth president of the Chiefdom, pledged their total commitment to the campaign. They vowed to mobilize churches, mosques, schools, and grassroots networks to ensure maximum impact.
The advocacy visit didn’t just secure a royal nod—it ignited a movement.
With the Southern Kaduna Week of Action on the horizon, DFAM is now poised to rally an army of traditional rulers, clergy, policymakers, educators, health workers, and, most crucially, the youth themselves, in a united stand against the scourge of substance abuse.