Cultism: Termites ravaging Nigeria’s university campuses

By Bassey, Ita Bassey

               The rate at which cultism has ravaged the Nigerian university system is alarming, and even more cause for serious concern is the fact that cultists are gradually becoming the majority in society.

                Campus cultism has put many families in problems, while many academic session get extended, as a fallout of  cults’ activities. Parents are known to lose children in cult clashes and students who should run four year degree courses end up using six years, ib consequence of being a cultist.

                 The word ‘Cultism’ originated from the Latin word ‘occulere’ which denotes something hidden, concealed, enigmatical, mysterious, mystical, etc. Cultism in Nigeria is dated back to 1952, when Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka (then a student) and a group of friends at the University of Ibadan formed the Pyrates Confraternity with the motto “Against all Conventions”. Their skull and cross bones insignia cultivated a bohemian style that ridiculed the colonial platitudes of the day, and though it is noteworthy that that group’s was neither anti-social nor delinquent, present day fraternities have fallen far from the proverbial tree.

                The effects of cultism on campus cannot be overlooked in hurry as cults constitute themselves into protection groups that fight for the privileges of members in matters such as passing exams and acquiring social partners.  Indeed, the growth and maturation of examination malpractice in our tertiary institutions are considered a consequence of cultism.

                The possible effects of cultism on the learning process cannot be exhausted as both intra and inter-cult clashes negatively affect students in stupendous proportions. They lead to perennial outbursts of violence which at times leave many students, teaching and non teaching staff wounded, maimed and frequently, dead. Innocents are not spared pain and at such times, lectures are suspended for days or even weeks. This not only affects the culprits but the entire institution and makes life unsafe for students and staff.

                Female students who turn down amorous advances of cultists are mishandled and sometimes raped. Lecturers who insist on merits are sometimes attacked, robbed and even killed. Some cult clashes result in school facilities and infrastructure worth millions of naira being damaged.

                Making cultism unattractive and unnecessary is therefore paramount to minimize resultant strains on the social system and all hands must be on deck to check their activities. Managements of various institutions across the country, both private and public, should make the school environment safe havens for students and staff and scrutinize students’ extra-curricular activities.

                The mass media on the other hand, should strive in creating more awareness through jingles and programmes on dangers of cultism on campuses. They should educate the nonchalant students on the need to shun social vices (cultism), while Government should be more aggressive in her quest to eradicate cultism from tertiary institutions across the country.

 Today’s cult activities are far from Soyinka’s vision and have constituted themselves into gangs of “never-do-wells”, with missions today being to loot, kill, steal and destroy lives and properties at will. Secret cult could therefore be defined as a set of practices, belief system or idea whose essence is known only to the inner members and excessively admired and defended even to the point of laying down one’s life.

The early 90s witnessed explosions of cult activities in Nigerian campuses, with every university plagued with fraternities like The Reformed Ogboni , Eiye, Vikings, Amazons, Jezebel, Alora Oboni Society, Clans , Bakar , Axe-men, Bukonia fraternity, Skylo, Nurse Men, Scorpion, Kaci, and Skolombo.