Street Theatre Therapy Organizes Drama On Drugs, Violence In Agege

The crime rate in Nigeria and most of the crimes are committed by young people. However, a group of theatre practitioners, Street Theatre Therapy, says it is dedicated to reducing the incidence of rape, child abuse, drug abuse, cultism, gender-based violence among young people in society. It is also organizing events to sensitize young people on the need to stay away from crime and criminality.

Last week, the group staged a play in the Agege area of Lagos State to spread the message of a drug-free and crime-free life.

Speaking at the event, the convener of Street Theatre Therapy, said, “We are theatre arts graduates and want to use theatre to talk about social vices that affect the lives of youth and part of the things we are talking about are rape, cultismy, gender-based violence, drug abuse and many others. We are talking about substance abuse and drug abuse, irresponsible parenting.  We are also talking about how these things affect the lives of young people, especially in the Agege area of Lagos State.”

Nwachukwu disclosed the group is also engaging in advocacy to help people who do the vices on how to stop and do better their lives.

“So we want to use drama to talk about these things so that people will easily see and remember what impact the vice can impact their lives,” he stated.

On what motivated the formation of the group, Nwachukwu said, “After school, I came back to Agege and seeing what was happening in society, I was not happy. There were teenage pregnancies here, cultism, and drug abuse. You see people under the influence of drugs roaming the streets and I decided to do something about the situation.

“I said we are going to come up with a drama performance that will dramatize the impact these things have on victims.”

Nwachukwu described young people in Agege as vibrant people who are just being distracted.

He urged them not to fall to peer pressure and do the right thing, adding the organization will continue to advocate a drug- and violence-free society.

Guest speakers urged everyone in society to stay away from drugs and crime.