CIVIC EDUCATION
CULTISM
Meaning of Cultism:
The word cult in current
popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered
abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices.
The word was first used in the early 17th century denoting homage
paid to the divinity and derive from the
latin word cultus “worship” for cult “inhabited “ cultivated worship from
the verb colere, care, cultivation. Cult is also derived from French word
“culte” meaning “worship “ cult is an ideological organization held together by
charismatic relationship and the demand of total commitment. An Anticult movement
defines cult as a group that tend to manipulate, exploit, and control it’s
members specific factors in cult behavior are said to include manipulative and
authoritarian mind centrol over members, for Michal Langone, cults, are group
that often exploit members psychologically and financially, typically by making
members comply with leadership’s demand west saw “cult” as a group or movement
exhibiting a greater or excessive devotion or dedication to some person idea or
thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques to persuasion and
control.
Cultism therefore is
defined as a ritual practice by a group of people whose membership, admission,
policy and initiation formalities as well as their mode of operations are done
in secret with their activities having negative effects on both members and nonmembers
alike. In simple terms cultism means adherence to a cult.
ORIGIN OF CULTISM
Secret cults have always
existed in many parts of the country. The Ogboni secret cult is notable among
the Yorubas,Ekpe secret cult in the Delta region. Ovia-Osese is notable in
Ogoni land and Owegbe cult among the Edos. In Sierra Leone. We have Poor and mended
societies. Infect, almost everywhere in the world have different types of
secret ritual,groupings are manipulated in the articulation of organization
function for a variety of social and political purpose. These societies differ
in what is kept secret and what is made public. In some, membership is secret
but the rituals are not. While in some others, membership is made public but
the rituals are secret. What is known as secret cult in tertiary institutions
started at University college of Ibadan in 1952 It was formed by Nigeria’sonly
Nobel laureate, professor WoleSoyinka, AigImonkhueme, Pius Oleghe, Ralph Opara,
Nat Oyelola and ProfessorMuyiwa Awe. Their main objective include: to abolish
convention to end tribalism and cultism. Although the philosophical foundation
of this group could be appropriately in the tales of treasure Island. Their
objective revolved among the maintenance of polite behavior.
HISTORICIAL
DEVELOPMENT OF CULTISM IN NIGERIA
Secret cult in Nigeria’s
higher institution started as fraternities with the sole aim of maintaining law
and order in the campus.
This is a role performed by
secret societies in the adult communities. The cult were in existence with the
aim of addressing acts of injustice, victimization and other issues capable of
disturbing the peaceful atmosphere of the institutions. One of the ways by
which they achieve their aims is through the various publications where they
expose various activities on the campuses.
In 1952, the pirates
confraternity (also known as seadogs) was formed at the university of Ibadan as
a student protest group. The student protest were against the coat and attitude
of sigma. The pirates being the first known social club in any Nigerian
Universities, saw their mode of dressing as typical example of colonial
mentality and therefore adopted a motto swum enemies of convention a position
which potrayed them as a radical students. The group also acted as a corrective
organ of students union.
In this, they fought
against all forms of injustice perpetuated either by the university authority
or by students union government. The pirates confraternity dominated the
university scene to twenty years before the emergency of the Buccaneers
confraternity (also known as sealord) in 1972. Every prominent Nigerian Student
then belong to the pirates confraternity and their presence was felt in the
society. They have the Seven ladder blades of the confraternity which serve as
their oral code, for example, “ leap before yap” teaches members the importance
of thinking before action, to show the importance of the Ibadan registered the
group as a student confraternity.
In 1960, another book known
as the Eiyefarmanity also in the university if Ibadan and was constituently
registered as the authority, as a cultural association. Eiye bed in Yoruba
language, is known as “Air Lord” and adopted a motto no feather, no bird, the
members adopted different kinds of birds. The groups was formed to preserved
Yoruba culture as the guideand the traditional way of healing and making things
happen spiritualty.
REASONS
WHY STUDENT JOIN CULT
Students are attacked to
cult groups as a variety of cult are:
1. They
argue and desire the important, they want to be recognized and be seen as part
of those that make things happen in the society.
2. Search
for security: Many students especially the female join cult group for
protection, some male join to protect their female friends.
3. Financial
Assistant: they are student who search for reasons of wealth.
4. Injustice:
Many people join cult group to seek for their own avenue to protect injustice
in the society.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF CULT GROUP
Some of the noted
characteristics of present day cult groups are:
a. Illegal
possession of fire arms.
b. Drug
abuse.
c. Violent
crimes like armed robber.
d. Sexual
abuses.
e. Killing
of innocent students academic and non-academic staff.
f. Rape,
extortion, threats, physical attack, blackmail and others in human practice.
g.
Fractional struggle and war of
supremacy resulting in bloody clashes between the cult groups.
DIFFERENT
CULT GROUP IN SCHOOLS
There are many cult group
that exists in different campuses in university. They vary in mode of
operation, signs, confidential language (terms) that are very understood and
intelligible to the members we will list only few of them here; they are:
pirates confraternity, Buccaneers, mafia, vicking, Horse, Black panthers, the
twelve Disciple MGBA brother, Eiyemaphites, Temple of Eden, the jurists,
Kivklux Klan, the Executioners Black Beret, Black Scorpions Dreaded Friends of
friends, National Association of Adventures, Eagle Club, Sonmen,White Angels,
Amazons, Daughters of Jezebel, The Black Brassieres, Kk, Soko, Vigreens, the
Iyrox, Air Lord, Mafiase, The Apostles, West End, Hard Candies, Ten Angels,
Black Eye, The Dragon, Blood Suckers, Viking fraternity, New Black Movement.
GIRLS
IN CULTIEM
It is essential to note that female student are also
involved in cultism.
Their cult names are:
a. Amazon
b. Soko
c. West
end
d. Black
Brassiers
e. Daughters
of Jezebel
f. Hard
Candies
g. White
Angles etc.
They have the following reasons for involving in campus
cultism:
1. For
some of them, it gives them false feeling of fulfillment
2. The
girls wants to be prominent in the social activities of the institution .
3. It
is for them to be able to deal with anyone that steps on their toes.
4. They
try to form a cheque that can harass lectures sexual to help them pass their
examination.
5. They
join also liaise with their male counter pates toward of any threat from
lecturers and other male students.
CAUSES
OF CULTISM IN NIGERIA
The following factors is responsible for cultism in the
society.
1.
Parental
and Home Background: Student participation in cult
activities may be influenced by parent involvement in similar activities.
Parent who are members of secret cult will not see anything wrong n their
children involvement in cultism.
2.
Societal
Decay: The Nigeria adult society is materialist. There is a rush
to acquire wealth empower. This get the youth involved in cultism.
3.
Emotional
Sickness: Children who have emotional sickness tend
to be depressed and frustrated with life. In an attempt to express their anger neglect
they may join cult to unleash terror on the society that has caused them
emotional distressed.
4.
Peer
Group Influence: Motivation of joining cult may come from
peer group influence. Some student has become cultist because their friend
lures them into joining. The members of the peer group influence one another
with the experience they have had with their various families and environment.
5.
Support
Given by Staff of Educational Institution: In some institution, some officials of secret
cult. The student cult are used against other members of the community to
promote selfish interest.
6.
Unconducive
Learning Environment: Learning facilities provided
educational institution are inadequate to the extend that some students are
frustrated academically. Because of the weak student join cult to harass
lecturers and officers so that they can be given underserved mark.
CONSEQUENCES
OF CULTISM
The following are
consequences of involving cultism. They are:
1. Ultimately Death: Most cult clashes result into death statistic
has it that out of 60 cult clashes the rate of 60 to 70 death occur sometime it
is the innocent student that die but in other ones the cult clash leads to out
burst of violent in the campus which
leads many student wounded.
2. The
existence of cult has made life unsafe for other students even female students
who reuse their advances and sometimes threaten and sometimes also killed.
3. A
cultist is lawless, hence indisciplined. One is not disciplined in one’s approach to life, one would end up
being nothing.
4. It ruing a Cultist’s
Future: A cultist who is rusticated or incarcerated
has his future ruined of course, he/she becomes a university drop out. The loss
of a cultist rubbishes his potentials and left to rotten in regret.
5. Expulsion: Some
cultist have their education career terminated abruptly through expulsion or
rustication, or they may spend more than the required number of years.
PREVENTIVE
MEASURES AGAINST CULTISM
There is no gain saying the
fact that cultism has created a lot of destinies. Cult activities frustrate and
waste lives. Cultism does not help the society for this reason let us discuss
the preventive measure against cultism.
1. Abiding
by rule and regulations. A rule is a statement of what may, must not be done in
a particular situation. Rules and regulation are the guilding principles of the
institution making students to abide by rules could be achieved through moral
institution in secondary/primary school of students are properly taught and
guided on the need to abide by guided on the need cannot join cult.
2. Parents
should watch the friends their wards are keeping in the institutions they
should also take times to watch any strange behavior put up by their wards and
correct them immediately.
3. A
definite legislation that will pass a death sentence to anybody found guilty of
cult activities on the campuses.
4. Cultism
and its consequences should be treated in the general studies courses in all
tertiary institution in the country.
5. Aggressive
efforts to wage war against cultism in any tertiary institutions should be
allowed by government and religious in the country.
6. Parents
should take time to understand the children give enough time to listen to their
home and satisfy their emotional, phychological and physical needs.
7.
