Curbing the Menace of Cultism in Our University Campuses

Student crises on campus are becoming more ferocious and dangerous than
hitherto. The intrusion of secret cults into student unionism and campus life
has brought this change. Although public expectations from our universities
have altered significantly over decades in response to those changes that have
taken place in society itself.

The proliferation of secret societies and cultism has remained a most powerful instrument of retrogression. In recent times, the university community and indeed, a great number of the Nigerian society no longer live on total oblivion of the nature and activities of cult groups in Nigerian universities and other institutions of learning. The havoc being caused by these violent cultist activities in our universities and other tertiary institutions has become a source of worry and concern to so many students,
lecturers, parents, guardians and the government at large.

There are now incidents of cultist activities on our campuses with oath-taking and Blood sucking ceremonies, cases of Burglary and House breaking, raping involving
sons and daughters of lightly placed members of the society under the influence of drugs, such as cocaine. Indian hemp and so on, dangerous weapons such as guns, swords, spear, axes, knives, explosives, are reported to be freely used by these secret cults member.

Thus, there existed in the universities now a legion of these ocultic groups such as the Pyrate Confraternity, Eiye Fraternity, Buccaneers, the Black Nationalist of Ife, the Black Cobra of Ife, Axe Black Night, Black Berret, Green Berret, Vikings and so on.

A university environment which should thrive through exchange of intellectual
and moral ideas suddenly becomes a battle field where violent cultism looms
large. It is generally accepted that campus cultism is a social problem and as such
needs the corporate action of all and sundry in the society to curb its menace.
However, a publicity campaign launched by some university authorities against
cultism is already working as they have been reports of open confessions and
renunciation by cult members.

Such pious declarations and call for forgiveness by erstwhile cult members however is not the magic wand to vanish this cankerwam. The activities of non-governmental organizations like the natural Anti-cult movement, the evolution of federation of parent against campus cult (FEPAC) and the United Network of Institutions and Schools Against Campus Cults (UNISACC) are all recoding success in promoting anti- cultism in tertiary institutions, what is required, in addition is the determination
of purpose and sincerity of the collective will of the society to address the
issue.

There is the need for a total re-evaluation of roles and values and
indeed an over haul of the curricular of our tertiary institutions. For instance in
1994, a high powered federal government officials, University administration
and law enforcement agents met, examined the problem of secret cults in all
its ramifications, and came out with what were believed to be far-reaching
recommendations for stamping out cul tism in the tertiary institutions, some of
these include the RE-EXAMINATION OF JAMB ADMISSISION procedure to
enable individual universities to further screen students. This policy has been
implemented by all universities, as result introduction of the post Jamb
entrance examination by the federal ministry of education. Other remedies
proffered for the eradication of cultism in our university campuses includes:
that government should improve the deplorable social and infrastructural
conditions in the campuses of higher institutions in the country that, there is
high need for adequate funding of higher institutions in the country to ensure
effective teaching and learning. That there is need to improve recreational
facilities in tertiary institutions so as to enable students channel their energy
to useful and creative purposes. Tertiary institutions should evolve a "reward
system" for both academic and good social behaviour for both staffs and
students.

It also recommended that sports activities should be made compulsory for all
students of high institution in the country. According to the late minister of
sports and social development, (Mr. Steve Akiga) if sporting programmes are
well designed and religiously implemented, students will have less time to
engage in anti-social behaviour. He noted that positive engagement of youth
in schools sports competitions is another way/solution to ripping cultism in
the bud.

The school authority should maintain open door policy in dealing with matters
concerning students, they should guarantee peace and security in our
campuses. From the above points therefore, the student must play their roles
effectively. They must report all cases of suspected cultist to high authorities,
the authority should reciprocate such magnanimity and courage by showing
the villains the way out, possible prosecution against such apprehended
cultist will act as deterrence to other.

Organizations of public lectures, drama, enlightenment posters should be
embarked u pon by the school authorities to create awareness to curb this
social problem in our campuses. The authorities must raise standard of
morality of our campuses; endeavour to regain the high ground of spiritual
values and standard of morality among students and staffs. Our nation citadel
of learning must not be breeding ground for bandits and killers. There should
be no "sacred cows" or "Cover ups" over this phenomenon. This war we
cannot afford to loss "the war against cultism".

Benavat Says "Shun Cultism" . Love You #Kisses