Daily Independent (Lagos)
Hakeem Jamiu
18 November 2008
opinion
The report of cult clashes in the nation's universities in the print and electronic media lately is a source of worry to all men of goodwill. The latest of such bestial attacks is the stabbing to death of a student of the University of Ado -Ekiti by a notorious cultist called 'Osama'. Newspaper reports has it that the deceased, Femi appealed to Osama and his gang who were howling and partying in what they called end of exams party not to disturb the remaining students still reading for their exams. Osama was said to have been infuriated over Femi's audacity to challenge him and he subsequently stabbed him on the neck with a knife and left the knife there. Femi later died in the hospital after losing so much blood. Osama and his gang were beaten up by irate students and were only rescued from being lynched by the police who has since taken them to custody. It was learnt that the same Osama stabbed another student in August 2008 after which he was arrested but was shortly released.
What is now bastardized as cultism has its root in the pirate confraternity founded by Professor Wole Soyinka and others in the 60s. The pirate confraternity was an adventurous organization founded by a band of exuberant young men whose main agenda were noble. It was to demonstrate freedom and nationalism which the youths believed the University environment bestowed on the students. They engaged in regular discussions and plans of action to make members become notable and respectable on campus. Members of the confraternity are champions of human rights, they formed a vanguard against colonialism, they engaged in charity work by visiting homes, giving a helping hand to the needy in the society and engaging in community development work. Professor Soyinka (2001) explained further 'other noble ideas and ideals acted out even in the immediate years following the inception of cultism in tertiary institutions include blood donation to hospitals, accidents wards and emergency units, visitations to Cheshire home, Public sanitation and Traffic control'. These are no doubt noble ideals which they carried out diligently. Unfortunately, many splinter confraternities has emerged since then and this are what we now know today as cults in our higher institutions who are tormenting not only their fellow cult members but also innocent students and members of the public.
Unlike the pirate confraternity that was founded on noble ideals, the modern day cult groups are founded by youths suffering from low self esteem, inferiority complex, self confidence and academic challenges. The issues that preoccupy today's cults are solely bloody plans to attain selfish goals like the satisfaction of illicit and dangerous drug thirst, perverted sexual gratifications and other ill motivated pleasure oriented desires of members. The most disturbing of the attacks is those on female values and dignity. Women are raped, forced into relationships, beauty pageants are taxed arbitrarily and refusal to pay would attract serious sanctions, any social event that does not get the approval of cult groups on campus would be disrupted while those who ignore them do so at their own peril. They became Lords of the campuses and they even query the authority of their lecturers. But cultists derive their strength in numbers and the dangerous weapons they brandish because whenever cultists were apprehended by the security agents, their cowardly nature is laid bare for all to see as most of them weep like babies. A boy who cannot woo a lady would employ intimidation to win the lady as soon as he joins a cult group. A student who is academically lazy would use membership of a cult group to harass his lecturer to pass him by force.
Cultism is derived from the culture of impunity that permeates our society. This was entrenched by the military especially under Ibrahim Babangida who employed a cult-like leadership style. This culture of impunity was transferred to Abacha and inherited by Obasanjo. There is no leader that had perpetrated acts of impunity like ex- President Obasanjo who exhibited a total disregard for the rule of law and instead embraced the rule of the thumb in his eight year rule. The assault on a lady by some naval ratings recently is a carry over of this culture of impunity. Motor Park touts have also entrenched the culture of impunity as long as they can forcefully take over a motor park, they become laws unto themselves. During the struggle to take over a park, dangerous weapons are employed in a war like situation. Cultism also has its root in other traditional secret organizations in the society such as the Ogboni, Awopa, Okija etc. It seems as if the cult groups on campuses have taken a cue from the traditional cult groups whose members are highly placed individuals that are occupying important position in society. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that any great Nigerian derived his greatness by being a cultist while in school. Cultism is thriving because no apprehended cultist have been made to face the full wrath of the law as they are usually released shortly after arrest for what the courts call , lack of evidence or lack of diligent prosecution. The powerful parents of these cultists who are themselves members of the traditional cult groups in the society protect them from the long arms of the law. In many higher institutions, lecturers and top officials in the institutions are patrons of cult groups. It has also been said that some security agents provide cover for the cultists and this has made the eradication of cultism very difficult. Cultists have struck and killed many students in higher institutions in Nigeria with the most gruesome happening at the Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile - Ife when about ten students were gunned down in a day by cultists. The same trend is noticeable in almost all the higher institutions in Nigeria . It got so bad that cultism spread to secondary schools.
The way out is to employ a multi dimensional approach to tackling the hydra headed monster called cultism. The first step is to put preventive measures in place. Such measures include discouraging students from being recruited into cultism. The factors which attract students to join cultism must be identified and neutralized by the school authorities so that there will be little or nothing to attract them with. Psychologists should be engaged to talk to the students on the evils of cultism. Reprisals should be severe against cultists who kill other students so as to serve as deterrents to others. The environments in most campuses are such that encourages cultism as most of the students suffer from low self esteem. This is especially in terms of lack of infrastructures which made most campuses look like farm settlements. This is the kind of environment that cultism needs to fester. The school authorities must intensify armed patrol and surveillance on campuses. The current effort where students form vigilante groups to monitor cultists should be encouraged. This is the practice that almost eradicated cultism in Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile- Ife after the gruesome massacre of many students by cultists. The security agents must be more alive to their responsibilities by making sure that apprehended cultists were made to face the full wrath of the law. If Osama had been prosecuted diligently in August when he stabbed another student and had been kept away, he would not have killed Femi. Cultism is evil and we must all combine to stem the tide before it consumes us all. We cannot all afford to send our children to Universities abroad where they will be free from stray bullets and axes of cultists.
.Jamiu is a media consultant and columnist
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