The Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun has charged youth in the State to share true love and affection between one another and not Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Mrs. Abiodun gave the charge at the flag-off of the 2020 Valentine’s Day programme, with the theme, ‘Share Love not HIV’, organised by the Ogun State Agency for Control of AIDS (OGSACA), held at the Matriculation Ground, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta.
She said the Day symbolises love, peace and unity among different age groups all over the world and should be celebrated with moderation, enjoining youths to know their HIV status, as it could be contacted from sexual relationships and other means such as, sharing sharp objects, manicure and pedicure kits, blood transfusion, among others.
According to her, the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration was very passionate about education and would do everything to promote it, while discouraging any form of disruption in the education of youths.
Also speaking, Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ayinde Adesanya, advised youths to abstain from sexual relationship while celebrating, in order to protect their future.
The Executive Director and Project Manager, OGSACA, Dr. Kehinde Fatungase, in his speech said, the State could reach zero level incidence, if all citizens know their status, people living with HIV take their medication as prescribed and youths abstain from unprotected sexual activities, adding that mother to child transmission would also be eradicated.
He advised those living with the virus to use their drug regularly, so as to reduce the viral load, noting that by using it their husbands and their baby for the expectant mothers would not be affected or contacted the disease.
Earlier, the Acting Rector, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Dr. Adeoye Adedeji, commended Mrs. Abiodun for her motherly role to the leaders of tomorrow, promising to ensure that students were encouraged to know their HIV status.
He the used the opportunity to hailed the present governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for his quick intervention on the polytechnic crisis of accreditation, noting that the institution had been cleared by National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), as a recognized tertiary institution in the country.
In their goodwill messages, the Chairman Youth Council, Comrade Ayelagbe Abdul Jabir and Mr. Damilola Sodiya, representing Civil Society In Ogun State, advised the youths in the country to be faithful their loved ones and stop cheating on their spouses, but if they could not ensure then they should use condom instead.
“You see, you are the future of tomorrow, try as much as possible to abstain from rampant sexual intercourse by cheating on your spouses, don’t destroy your life in the name rascality, you should have it mind the your family need you and the state in general”, they said.
Packaged by Hazeez Ayansola
