In almost every tertiary institution of learning in Nigeria, there is hardly any academic semester without cult clashes and related activities, often leading to the death of students and at times lecturers. Even records have it that as at September 2003, at least not less than 5,000 persons including students and lecturers have been killed in cult-related violence. Cultism has continued to be a very embarrassing problem facing tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
According to Wikipedia, there are over 90 different cult groups on campuses in Nigeria, with each perpetrating its nefarious acts to cause mayhem on campuses. Academic calendars of tertiary institutions are constantly disrupted because of cult clashes which end up bringing academic activities to a halt abruptly. Even worse still, lots of students, who could have contributed meaningfully to the nation’s growth, have encountered untimely death because of the desire by some persons who think they are free to do anything they want on campus without anybody or authority to question them. As a matter of fact, the possible effects of the continued clashes of cultists cannot be completely exhausted as they increase on a daily basis.
A key feature of these confraternities is the fact that they keep their activities secret and they have different forms of attires and symbols or signs which they use in self-branding. In addition, cultists carry out their activities at the dead of the night but in recent times, they have grown more barefaced. Also, their meetings are often held at bizarre places like thick bushes around campuses, uncompleted buildings, cemeteries, graveyards and others.
Hence, in an article entitled “Menace of cultism in Nigeria tertiary institution: the way out”, Haastrup Ekundayo et al, defined cultism as “a ritual practice by a group whose membership, admission, policy and initiation formalities as well as their mode of operations are done in secret and kept secret with their activities having negative effects on both members and non-members alike.”
Historically, cultism on Nigerian campuses can be traced back to the pre-colonial era in 1952 when the Pyrates Confraternity was created at the foremost Western University of Ibadan now University of Ibadan. The founders of the Pyrates, who were known as “the magnificent seven”, comprised Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, Prof Olumuyiwa Awe, Ralph Opara, Tunji Tubi, Daign Imokhuede, Pius Olegbe and Olu Agunloye. The group was created with noble and selfless objectives and its activities were open to the general public. The group never had any hidden or secret agenda as most cults now have.
The Pyrates came on board at a time when Nigeria was at the verge of gaining independence and there was need for heated agitations to wrestle freedom from the colonial masters. In view of this, the Pyrates took as their objectives the abolishment of conventions, the eradication of racism, the promotion of Nigeria’s culture, the termination of tribalism and elitism among Nigerians, the revival of the age of chivalry and so on.
It should however be stated that the group was made up of members with intellectual prowess because academic intelligence was part of the criteria for joining the group. As a result, splinter groups emerged because intending members could not meet up with the rigorous demands of the Pyrates. According to Wikipedia, there are at least over 90 cultist groups in the country. Some of the groups are the Vikings, Black Axe, Buccaneers, Black Brassier, Black Scorpion, King Cobra, Brotherhood of Blood and many more.
Even the initiation and recruitment processes of most of these cult groups are very bizarre and questionable. In the process of recruiting members, cultists try several means in getting students on campus to join them. Students who are generally unsuspecting and excessively lustful end up falling victims. However, cultists, at times, are interested in students with well-built body physique. Once they have succeeded in luring would-be cultists in joining them, they carry out the initiation process for them. The initiation is one of the worst things about cultism. At this stage, the level of courage and resilience of would-be cultists is tested by being beaten, forced to take in some deadly concoction which may be made up of the human blood which serves as the sign of the oath. But the question begging for answer is why do students still join cultist groups despite the inhuman process of initiation?
In recent times, cultist groups across campuses in Nigeria have been very deadly and gruesome in their attacks, causing so much destruction to the already-ill academic structure of the country. The first secret cult violence was reported to have occurred at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka in 1985, involving a clash between a cultist and a non-cultist over “snatching” of a girlfriend. Thereafter, there have been numerous cases of violent clashes. A foremost among them is a gruesome clash that occurred at the Obafemi Awolowo University killing at least ten students within a day.
Towards combating this menace of cultism in Nigerian institutions, there is a need for the government to beef up security in higher institutions in the country. Higher institutions in the country lack adequate security which gives secret cults the leeway to perpetrate their evil acts.
Damilola, 300-Level Mass Comm., AAUA
