The word ‘cultism’ is though not new by any strand of imagination but appears pervasive lately, particularly in the nation’s education system. In the days of yore, it was a restrictive phenomenon, witnessed only in higher institutions of learning. It is however disheartening that teenagers in primary and post-primary schools now engage in this otherwise condemnable act. Secondary school students are cajoled or sometimes conscripted by their mates.
That there are now different cult groups, even in the larger society, with increased membership drive and concomitant increase in their nefarious activities, causing lots of damage to lives and property.
Cultism is an act of belonging to a secret cult either within or outside the school system. It is also known as a ritual carried out by a group of people whose membership, initiation, policies and activities are carried out secretly.
According to Wikipedia, a cult is a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. This sense of the term is controversial, having divergent definitions both in popular culture and academia, and has also been an ongoing source of contention among scholars across several fields of study. The word “cult” is usually considered pejorative.
Research has it that its origin in Nigeria is traceable to the activities of Seadog Confraternity (a.k.a Pirates), founded by Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka and six others at the University of Ibadan in the early 50s.
Reports say that the first manifestation of a campus confraternity (or campus cult) was in 1952 and at that time, Wole Soyinka, Olumuyiwa Awe, Raph Okpara, AIG-Imoukhuede, Ben Egbuchie, Nathaniel Oyelola, and Pius Oleghe (who were known as the “Magnificent Seven”) formed the Pirates Confraternity at the premier university.
The obvious purpose of the Professor Soyinka-led Pirates Confraternity was to combat societal ills and conformist degradation, which were being exhibited not only by students but by society at large. According to the Pirates, the first graduates of the University of Ibadan were elitists, as they were highly privileged since they were the first graduating class of Nigeria’s first university. Most of the university students adopted elitist behaviour, imitating the dress of the colonialists and mimicking their culture.
A notable incident that further provoked the Pirates into consolidating their position occurred after many privileged students organised a demonstration against the construction of a rail line that was to be built across a road leading to their campus. The students were paranoid that improved transportation access to the university would reduce its exclusivity. The Pirates decided to fight what they described as “elitist nonsense”. They succeeded not only in ridiculing the students’ argument but also accomplished the construction of the rail line.
Membership in the Pirates Confraternity was offered to intellectually promising men with no discrimination as to race, colour, or tribe. The majority of those who applied to join the Pirates were not accepted. The activity of members was rigidly controlled and the group promoted non-violent dispute resolution. From 1953 to 1972, the Pirates were the only confraternity on Nigerian campuses.
Although it was established for a peaceful and non-violent agitation, unfortunately over the years it has metamorphosed into a vicious, violent and nocturnal sect whose only language is death.
On the 10th of July, 1999, five students of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife were murdered while eleven others were seriously injured. This dastardly act was said to have been perpetrated by an organised death squad of 40 members of the “Black Axe Confraternity” branch at the OAU. They were said to have invaded the Awolowo Hall of the university at around 4:30 am, clad in black trousers and black T-shirts, they wore masks to cover their faces and reportedly used Dane guns and hatchets against their targets
Recently, Victor Oke, a final year student of Political Science at the Osun State University, was reportedly shot, macheted and set ablaze by suspected cultists. His offence was his refusal to join their cult group.
Similarly, the lives of two students of Abia State University were cut short in a clash involving two cult groups while other two students of the University of Jos identified as Jakob Kefers, a 100 Level student of the Administration and Planning Department and Gideon Chongtami, who had already graduated from the Theatre Art Department of the institution were killed in a clash between members of another two cult groups.
Also, thirteen students of Kogi State University, (KSU), Anyigba were killed in cold blood by members of a cult group from the institution, while another 300 level student of the Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Uyo was reportedly shot by a cultist while another student also sustained serious injuries.
Moses Adeshina, a 200 Level student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), was reportedly killed by cultists. He was killed in an alleged reprisal attack during the final year week celebration of the Faculty of Arts in the said institution.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Mr Soladoye Adewole, while speaking on the effect of cultism on education described it as an illegal act that is criminal and capable of having a negative impact on society.
He did not mince words when he said cultists as murderers that kill, maim and carry out other nefarious activities, stressing that such groups are not supposed to exist in any institution and even in society in order to curb their evil and criminal activities.
Causes of Cultism
- Poor Parental Upbringing
Any child who engages in cultism is believed to have come from an imbalanced home. Poor parental upbringing is a major cause of cultism. It is either the parents are divorced or the parents do not have the requisite time for their wards or children vis a vis proper training, monitoring and care.
It goes without saying that if parents play their roles properly, their children will not join the bad company or get parental care elsewhere. They will not seek security, love and assurance from anti-societal associations.
- Low Self Esteem
A false sense of low self-esteem is another reason why youths get involved in cultism. It is all to feel amongst intimidating colleagues as a blanket to cover their insecurities.
- Peer Pressure
A lot of people have spoken so well about this factor. It is not possible to rule out peer pressure, especially when it comes to adolescents who are characteristically known to be rebellious and want to find acceptance from their peers.
Similarly, most students are forced into cultism due to threats from their colleagues who are already in the system.
Its Effect On Education
The manifest effects of cultism on education are non-exhaustive as both intra and inter-cult clashes negatively affect students in tremendous proportions.
Cultism on campus has rendered life unsafe and meaningless for both staff and students. Female students, who refuse the amorous advances of cult members are manhandled and raped while some of the male students who refused to join are killed.
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Some lecturers who insist on merit for passing examinations are openly attacked and disgracefully beaten up or sometimes killed, paving way for the free reign of fear, violence and a palpable feeling of insecurity.
Mr Adewole hinted that involvement in cultism oftentimes lead to termination of life and shattering of dreams of the individuals involved and his loved ones such as the parents, siblings, spouses and the society at large.
Cultists often end up becoming a bad influence on society at large and that is if the patron does not lose his/her life in the process. He/she may end up incapacitated for life!
Another major effect of cultism on education is the expulsion of the student (s) involved. Any student caught in the act of cultism in higher institutions will be immediately expelled and after expulsion, there is a tendency that such a person may never get admitted to any of the tertiary institutions in the country.
Other effects of cultism include disruption of academic activities on campuses and unrest within the institution’s environments.
While proffering solutions to curbing the menace of cultism, Mr Adewole said that institutions across the country particularly the Polytechnic, Ibadan, are trying as much as possible to explain the negative effect of getting involved in cultism to the students. They organise orientations by bringing in people from the security agencies such as police, the internal security agents and some others involved in social development to talk to students on the reason they should avoid getting involved in the act which is detrimental to their development.
He also said that the Polytechnic, Ibadan has an anti-cultism group and anti-cultism regulations contained in the student’s matriculation oath which they must swear to before being admitted into the institution.
He disclosed that years back, the Polytechnic, Ibadan has sanctioned some students for their involvement in cult activities which include expulsion from the institution and handing such students to the security agencies, stressing that with this step, the institution at present, has been able to reduce students’ involvement in the nefarious act.
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