Toba Owojaiye reporting
Jos South, Plateau State
In a bold move to address the scourge of alcoholism plaguing their communities, women in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State have taken matters into their own hands.
Frustrated by the effects of alcohol on their husbands and youths, these women have launched a campaign to seize and destroy alcoholic drinks and related substances from local shops.
The initiative, which saw a significant turnout of women primarily from Sabon Bariki and Bukuru Low Cost areas of Gel District, aims to combat the perceived decline in responsibility among men due to alcohol consumption. With determination and unity, the women, accompanied by young girls, children, vigilantes, and other volunteers, systematically targeted shops and joints selling these harmful products.
Expressing their grievances, one woman lamented, “These drinks are turning our men into irresponsible people. The drinks are weakening them; taking away their strengths and making them useless.” She further highlighted the detrimental impact on youth productivity, stating, “Our youths don’t have the strength to do menial jobs or farm to fend for themselves again. They spend most of their time in these drinking places.”
Truth Live News gathered that the women’s frustration extended to their marital relationships, with concerns raised about the inability of husbands to fulfill their conjugal duties. “Today, instead of having a man and a woman at home, we now have two women at home since our husbands cannot be called men any longer,” voiced another participant.
The exercise, reportedly sanctioned by community and traditional leaders, encountered resistance from some shop owners who chose to lock their shops and flee. Undeterred, the women vowed to return with more stringent measures to tackle the issue head-on.