Background of the study
Alcohol use has been a part of human history from the beginning of time. Alcohol intake in ancient Nigerian civilizations was dependent on age and gender. It was mostly eaten in social settings by adult males. Locally produced alcoholic beverages were produced and consumed under the control of customs and traditions. Even while some communities allowed youth to imbibe alcohol, Emeka, this was often done so in the company of adults who kept an eye on their intake (2013). Alcohol usage was limited to religious rites, marriage ceremonies, kingship enthronements, cultural festivals, and infant naming ceremonies. It was not a regular occurrence. Adults’ excessive drinking was nonetheless restrained culturally even on these occasions. The younger tribal members would serve the elders who would drink first, leaving little wine for the later group since the wine was not made in commercial amounts. Following the Group Changing Patterns of Alcohol Consumption in Nigeria, this tendency changed in the fifteenth century with the arrival of European slave merchants and their “trade spirit.” Despite the fact that alcohol was not a novel substance to the native population, the impact of Western merchants popularized the selling of alcohol and made it easier for individuals to misuse it.
This pattern persisted throughout the colonial period and beyond, eventually leading to the founding of the first brewery in 1946 (today known as Nigerian Breweries or NB Plc., the Nigerian Brewery Limited).
This signaled a change in the nation’s pattern of alcohol use. As the socio-political and economic institutions of the nation have grown, there have been some startling shifts in purchasing patterns in more recent years Gotman (2008). Consumption is no longer simply governed by popular tradition and is no longer restricted to social events or the exclusive amusement of visitors. Particularly among young drinkers, the patterns of usage, the users, and the reason(s) for use are all changing quickly. The alcohol competition among youths at bars, restaurants, drinking establishments, hotels, and nightclubs that are carefully placed close to different locations in Nigeria is a stark contrast to what has previously been present.
This has important ramifications since studies have shown that young people’s drinking habit has a negative impact on their parents and siblings. This is regarded as a severe illness, and its effects go beyond the alcoholics themselves to have an impact on family members, acquaintances, neighbors, and society as a whole.
In the state of Benue, drinking alcohol is acknowledged as a significant cultural component of all ceremonial events, including weddings and funerals. There is the customary recreational drinking that takes place during free time on weekends in addition to the holiday season drinking at events. The lives of young, old, wealthy, poor, men, and women, as well as successful businessmen, competent mechanics, workers, homemakers, and churchgoers of all faiths, are all being negatively impacted by this specific behavior. Despite how sad this may be, youths are mostly responsible for the crimes. Alcohol abusers in young people seem to have a wide range of issues. Parents, schools, society, and even the government have continued to be concerned about this because of the behavior that often follows it. Gotman, (2008). (2008).
Governments, non-governmental groups, and religious leaders are working together to lessen, if not completely eliminate, alcohol abuse and the repercussions that go along with it by educating the public about the negative effects of binge drinking alcohol.
However, despite the cautionary signals, excessive alcohol intake continues.
Description of the issue
Young drinking rates are high in Nigerian culture, and as a consequence of youth discontent, this behavior has taken on a deadly dimension, putting everyone involved in the educational system and the country at risk. The young people regarded as the future leaders of society often have this mindset. Alcohol abuse has been a significant issue throughout Nigeria’s severe crises. The major issue is that despite the many precautions put in place to stop alcohol use among Nigerian youngsters, the number of alcohol abusers keeps rising.
The severe problems that Nigerian undergraduates are now confronting are typified by this issue. It has been noted that this instability is present in schools. Youths have access to alcohol since it is sold in stores, pharmacies, market stalls, and alcohol distributors. Youths’ lives are at risk when alcohol is often used at special events. Even if alcohol and other drugs like cigarettes are socially acceptable, they nonetheless include stimulants like the caffeine in kola nuts and coffee. When it is used in excess of the amount that is typically allowed in the society, it may nevertheless be misused.
It has also been noted that young people, particularly college students, use alcohol at a significant rate. Alcohol consumption has detrimental effects on young people’s education. It causes risky sexual behavior in youths, which results in teen pregnancies. It also affects how well they perform academically due to personality disorders and cognitive impairment, which leads to regular fatigue and sleeping in class. Students who have used alcohol have a tendency to break rules, cheat, and behave in other unfavorable ways at school. Eventually, they may become theatrical, reckless, and too defensive. The instructor and other authorities will become aware of other issues. Such a mindset will encourage the abuser to act in ways that might be the first signs of a mental condition. If properly checked out in time, they may be impacted like some of the young people who are seen in our cultures wandering about nude and aimlessly while others are forced to partly sleep in public areas, upsetting the peace of the neighborhood.
If alcohol misuse persists, the abuser may end up struggling and eventually drop out of school; all of these consequences are brought on by the effects of alcohol abuse. The research offers advice and preventative measures since failure might result in the loss of such priceless human resources. As a result, it has become crucial to examine the widespread effects of alcohol on our kids, which is the foundation of this research.
Download Full Material-N5000