WEEK SIX
TOPIC: CULTISM
A cult is an organized group formed to alleviate some problems which they think the larger society cannot solve.
Secret cults are organization whose objectives are not made public and members are under an oath.
ORIGIN OF CULTISM IN NIGERIA
The origin of cultism is traceable to pirate confraternity founded by Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka and other people like; Prof. Olumuyiwa Awe, Ralph Opara , Nathaniel oyelola , Ifegbale Amata and others. The Latin meaning of pirate is ‘Attacker’ .This group was founded at university college Ibadan in 1953. There motive then was patriotic and progressive with a very good intention of ending tribalism and colonialism in Nigeria but now reverse is the case, they are now known for, killing ,rituals, violence, fighting ,attacking nonmembers ( lecturers and students) ,physical torture during initiation of new members e t c.
CAUSES OF CULTISM.
- Influence of friends: many students are influenced by intimate friends who they feel they cannot but obey.
- Crave for power:
many youth in Nigeria join cult for the sake of having some power, they want the lecturers, teachers or students to fear them. Also, they search for power so that nobody will oppress them in any form. - Search for security: To many of the youth, they join cult because they feel it will give them peace and protection from every form of harassment from lecturers and other cult members.
- Search for love: many youth join cult because they want to be love by their fellow members
EFFECTS OF CULTISM
- Fall in standard of education: Lecturers that are threatened by cult members awards marks freely to cult members in order to save their lives.
- It frightens and abuse
the right of a weaker person: cult members oppress non-members and deprive them of their rights on campuses(school) - Break down of law and
order: Cultism leads to killing, fighting, chaos e t c whenever a cult member attacks themselves or other students on campus, it disturbs the peace of the school and the lives of innocent students are at risk. - Problems in maintaining discipline:
most school authority finds it so difficult to enforce discipline on cult members because of the fear of been attack by various cult members and this encourages all form of lawlessness and indiscipline in schools and campuses.
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEM OF CULTISM IN SCHOOLS
- Students should be careful and vigilant of the type of friends they move with because evil communication corrupt good manners
- The Government should declare campuses cultism a criminal offence and enact a law with appropriate punishment for offenders.
- Parents should give more time to proper up bring of their children at early stage
- More enlightenment campaigns on the danger of cultism
- Religious groups particularly the Christians and Muslims should organize more programs for youth
EVALUATION:
- Define the following:
- Cult
- Secret cult
- Give a detail of the origin of cultism in Nigeria
- What are the causes of cultism
- State the effect of cultism in Nigeria
- Highlight the solutions to Cultist activities in Nigeria
ASSIGNMENT:
1. As a student’s profound 5 solutions to cult activities in Nigeria.