With Saliu Woru Mohammed
Continued from last week
“Look, being once a policeman, it is true I am bound to do my duty by reporting you to the Police. But remember you are my good friend and it is an obligation on my part to warn you of dangers ahead of your trip. Usman, please, understand that you are dead drunk and cannot drive”.
In a flash, he raced out, banged my door and called on his wife, I held the helpless woman and prayed for God’s mercy and protection on her and her kid.
Saturday passed by, no message from Usman, one Sunday morning I was woken by the sound of the telephone saying: “I should have listened to your warnings”? What happened? I quizzed eagerly. “Usman narrated how he was involved in a ghastly motor accident after sleeping off on steering due to fatigue and hangover. He has seriously injured and was now hospitalized. He sustained a serious fracture on his legs and hand. He was so lucky that he was later discharged by the doctor having spent months at the hospital. The vehicle was a total write-off, but miraculously, his little child and wife escaped unscratched!
“Usman, I must be honest with you, this is the price of disobedience. Why not ask yourself.” “What do you gain as a responsible man by getting drunk and driving? Why not take this incident as a warning from Allah and resolve to limit your alcoholic intake but most importantly, avoid the careless habit of drinking and driving”.
My dear readers, the danger and the unpalatable consequence associated with being a drunkard need not to be emphasised. As medical records indicated that a drunkard is very likely to die early, drunkenness can affect proper functioning of the liver, its resultant effect of sudden death.
In the same vein, the kidney of a drunkard person may not be able to function effectively, thereby creating health hazard to the affected person. Furthermore, it is likely for a drunkard to behave abnormally, thereby not only becoming a liability to himself but nuisance to the public, hence becoming a disgrace to himself and family.
Drunkenness and behaviour in disorderly manner is a crime punishable under Penal Code laws which carry a term of imprisonment or fine. It is therefore advisable for all and sundry to keep off from all-dangerous acts of drunkenness. To be continued next week.
