CULTISM IN NIGERIA AND HOW IT AFFECTS BUCCANEERS AS A CONFRATERNITY

1. Introduction

It is disheartening to note that cultism activities in Nigeria has become something of great concern. The prevalence of cultism in Nigerian universities today cannot be over-emphasized. Cults are also called secret societies because their activities and practices are hidden from the public eye and done in highly secretive and secluded places. Members of secret cults often swear an oath of allegiance or go into covenant with each other and they are meant to defend their beliefs and practices to their last breath. Cultism is one of the major vices confronting the educational sector as members engage in various destructive acts such as making painful inscriptions on the bodies of new members, ritual practice, murder, taking of hard drugs, indecent dressing, intimidation of others, armed robbery, sexual assault, and kidnapping, among others.

Cultism can be defined as a ritual practice by a group of people 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 (Ajayi, 2015). Thomas (2002) asserted that confraternities operated at no degree of violence when they emerged in the 1950’s. Unfortunately, they were later high jacked by military governments who were anxious to consolidate their holds on University students who might challenge their authorities. For example virile student Unionism was perceived by military authorities as a threat to their power consolidation.

Countless number of students and youths across the country had lost their lives due to this menace. Legit.ng describes cultism as activities or practices of a group of people with one common spiritual, religious or philosophical belief. The term ‘cult’ is a collective name for those practising cultism.

• History of Cultism in Nigeria

The secret cult activism in Nigeria was initiated by group of G-seven. In the 1953/54 session at the University College Ibadan, now University of Ibadan, seven idealist young students namely Wole Soyinka (now Professor emeritus), Pius Oleghe, Raph Opara, Tunji Tubi, Daign Imokhuede, Olu Agunlay and Muyiwa Awe (now Emeritus Professor of Physics) formed the Seadogs Confraternity (a.k.a Pyrates). According to Orintusin (1990). The ideas behind the formation of the confraternity were both patriotic and altruistic as it was not imagined as a secret cult. The main objectives of the Seadogs were to be non-violent but intellectually and effectively be against the imposition of foreign conventions; to revive the age of chivalry; and to find a lasting solution to the problems of tribalism and elitism.

In 1972, a schism occurred within the confraternity; some of the members were expelled and they promptly started a rival organization, Buccaneers confraternity. About the same time, an informal association friends who got together in Nnamdi Hall of UI in 1965, was transformed into the Eiye Confraternity. It is to be noted, the three confraternity started from University of Ibadan (UI). In 1962/63 session, four Universities came on stream, namely: the University of Nigeria Nsukka, the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), University of Lagos and Ahmadu Bello University. More of Universities were subsequently established in different parts of the country. During the 1970s, the three confraternities started to spread to other tertiary level educational institutions throughout the country. (Muyiwa, 2004). In the early 1990s, female students started their own cults.

Their original idea has suffered so much corruption that no one now likes to be openly identified with campus cults. They have degenerated to secret societies and have become a terror not only to communities within the tertiary level institutions where they are based, but also to outside communities as well.

According to Adewale (2005) is a by-product of many decades of military rule in Nigeria and its attendant culture of institutionalized violence. Indeed, the onset of military rule in Nigeria seemed to have coincided with the metamorphosis of the original Pyrates confraternity to secret cults.

• Buccaneers in Nigeria

The Pyrates Confraternity was founded to fight societal ills. In 1972, in Jolly Rogers 1, Odas had ceased to be Odas, each and every creed of the Pyrates Confraternity was turned upside down with corruption and nepotism assuming exalted positions therein. The whistle of disintegration which had started to blow within the Pyrates Confraternity reached a crescendo in 1972. A cadre of supposed Super Pyrates were violating the confraternity’s creed with impunity; tribalism, clannishness and petty alliances were being enshrined in the confraternity. At this point odas had ceased to be odas, giving rise to chaos, anarchy, ridicule, confrontations black spotting and counter black spotting.

At this juncture, two young gentlemen decided that the Pyrates confraternity had failed them and left and formed a new confraternity to uphold all the wrong doings the Pyrates had come to embrace. These gentlemen – BOLAJI CAREW and KUNLE ADIGUN – chose the name of their new confraternity with specific intent. Referring to the book “Fanny”, they knew that Buccaneers were meant to be society`s roving policemen, who are naturally and morally superior to all seafaring creatures – Hence, the name SEALORD.

Thus the Buccaneers Confraternity was born in University of Ibadan (Modaship) with Bolaji Carew as its first head in 1972. The confraternity remained in the University of Ibadan from 1972 till 1976 when the idea of a national outlook was conceived. The graduate body was growing and spreading to other areas of the country and their good deeds were spreading too; a clamour for other decks increased and was accepted. This led to decks being established in various institutions of higher learning around the country.

The growth and spread of Bucccaneers confraternity on university campuses were not without attendant problems, for this coincided with the expansion of other student movements which consequently resulted in squabbles in many campuses. Conscious of the need to provide direction, uphold the ideals of the confraternity and to further cement the ideals of a nationally recognised body, a group of older Buccaneers gave strength to the formation of the Buccaneers Association of Nigeria (BAN) whose inauguration was performed at Modaship in 1982 during our tenth anniversary tagged DOUBLOON.

The period from 1982 provided another beginning and new challenges for the confraternity. The restructuring of the hierarchy came into effect. As a first step towards reining in the excesses of the under graduate members, the student body lost their autonomy and became subordinate to the odas of the Grand Eye, the national head.

The Buccaneers confraternity has weathered many storms and is beginning its 5th decade as a vibrant confraternity with a social and moral conscience and proper brotherliness amongst its members and the society in general. Our confraternity is a worldwide organization with presence in most parts of the world including the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), Canada, South Africa, Malaysia and Mainland Europe.

• Manifestation of Cultism at Different Levels of the Education System

 Cultism and activities of cults are more prevalent in the tertiary institutions such as Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities, although occasionally, the pervasive influence of cults gradually infiltrate other tiers of the education system, especially the secondary school level, where the attendant violence, torture, harassment and intimidation associated with cultism have since found its way in Nigeria (Adewale, 2005).

The influence of cults and cultism has also permeated the entire society, meaning that it has found its way into social groups and organizations, establishments and even religious organizations. Little wonder why cults have been reported to manifest in Nigerian primary schools (Abayomi and Nnabugwu, 2012). In the views of Ossai (2007), secondary schools in Nigeria have their fair share of cultism. In fact, Enoch (2003), Mbayur (2011) and Orukpe (1998) affirm that secondary schools are fast becoming breeding grounds for cults.

• Causes of Cultism in Nigerian Educational Institutions

The emergence of cults on the Nigerian educational landscape, as alarming as it is, burgeoned as a result of several factors affecting the fabrics of the Nigerian society. Authors’ views are divergent on these factors. Paulley (2014), Fageyinbo (2004), Wokacha and Okujugu (1999), Onyemwinmina and Aibieyi (2015), Mediayanose (2016), Nnajieto and Ahamefula (2015) and a host of others adduced causes of cultism in Nigerian educational institutions.

These causes include but are not limited to the following:

1. Need for Protection: Some meek students are lured or bullied into cults as a result of their anxiety not to be attacked or harassed by members of secret cults or other aggressive individuals.
2. Economic/Financial Benefits: Some individuals see cultism as a veritable avenue for making money through unwholesome activities such as prostitution, blackmail, examination racketeering and other unscrupulous activities.
3. Exerting Authority or Supremacy: Individuals patronize cults in order to be able to flaunt their power or influence to other members of their school community.
4. Broken Family: Some cultists embrace cultism as an outlet from their traumatic home experiences, especially where there is lack of harmony.
5. Drug Abuse: Some students dabble into cultism as a result of overpowering influence of drugs which they get easily from cults and they could not bail out later, having been sworn to oaths of allegiance to the cult.
6. Lack of Guidance or Direction: Some members of secret cults are usually muscled or lured into joining cults due to inadequate guidance by adults.
7. Indoctrination and Deceit: Usually new cult recruits are indoctrinated about bloated ideals of the group and benefits accruable from it.
8. Influence of Politicians and School Administration: Assurance of connection to powerful people in schools and politicians from larger society is a motivating factor for some eventual members of cults.
9. Academic Excellence: Promise of success in school work through cheating and other unconventional means provide attractive prospect for some cult members.
10. Peer Influence: Some students join cult groups because their friends also belong to such cults. This is accentuated by adolescence.

• Effects of Cultism in Nigeria

Oju (1991) opines that the greatest crisis besetting the Nigerian education system, especially the University system, is that of cult violence. The brutish attacks unleashed by cults indiscriminately, at the slightest provocation in universities across the nation leaves much to be desired. As a result of attacks and counter attacks that are motivated by cults, the educational system has gradually become a theatre of war, rather than a serene atmosphere that is otherwise required for effective and pleasant transmission and reception of learning experiences, respectively. It is therefore pertinent to outline some ills associated with cultism as they manifest in the education system.

Researchers have been explicit in cataloguing woes of the educational system as a result of cultism. For instance, Ossai (2001) asserts that secondary school education in Nigeria has been besieged and destroyed by secret cults which openly cheat at examinations while brazenly threatening teachers and students alike with their dangerous arsenal of weapons like daggers, axes and knives. Ivagher, Onyeanisi and Agugu (2016), Nnam (2014), Mediayanose (2016), Omebe and Omebe (2015), Birabil and Okanezi (2017), Udoh and Ikezu (2015), Ajayi, Ekundayo and Osalusi (2010), Onyemwinmina and Aibieyi (2015) explicitly stated some of the adverse effects of cultism to the education system which includes but are not limited to:

1. Wanton Destruction of Lives of Stakeholders in the Education Sector: Cultists unleash mayhem on teachers, students and members of school managements, to the extent that some have been killed or permanently maimed through violent acts such as shooting, stabbing, acid baths and other dangerous attacks. Such attacks destabilize the educational system by creating palpable fear in the hearts of its stakeholders.
2. Heinous crimes like armed robbery, rape, kidnapping black mailing Prostitution: Cult members engage in robbery and other dangerous crime to terrorise their victims and usually to make money needed to sustain their expensive lifestyles, procure arms, buy protection from corrupt law enforcement agents, pay hospital bills when attacked and pay for legal fees when their members are arrested for crimes.
3. Examination Malpractice: Cultism invariably leads to examination malpractice as cult members, who do not study hard, attempt to compromise evaluation procedures through the use of inducement, sheer aggression or blackmail. This ultimately attenuates standards and quality assurance in the Nigerian education system.
4. Poor Academic Performance: The reign of terror unleashed by cults in educational institutions inhibits learning by creating fear and tension in the school environment. Learning is known to thrive best in an atmosphere devoid of elements of threat, therefore, it takes its toll on academic performance of students. Cultists also fail to study hard while attacking rivals or their victims or worse still while attempting to evade attack.
5. Destruction of Property: Cults are known to destroy the property of their victims or school, to draw attention of their grievances. Houses, vehicles, stationery, and other facilities belonging to educational institutions have been razed or utterly damaged by cults. The economic implications recession, is best imaged.
6. Disruption of School Calendar: School managements have been compelled to shut down their institutions, sometimes for a long time, as a result of mindless destruction of lives and property due to cultism. This elongates or disrupts the school calendar.

Conclusion and Recommendation

There is urgent need to stem the tide of cult related violence, that is ravaging the Nigerian education system. Although, cultism appears to have defied all efforts to curtail it in the past, while instead it has permeated all spheres of life in the larger society. Concerted effort, by all stakeholders such as churches, mosques, law enforcement agents, as well as other members of the larger society, is required to put a stop to the corrosive effect of cultism on education in Nigeria.

The study is of the opinion that cultism among students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria could be minimized by introducing programmes in the television, radio and other awareness programme such as workshop and seminars designed to enlightened the students on the implications and the danger of joining secret cults. Guidance and counselor should be posted to every tertiary institution in Nigeria with the duty of counseling the students and staff only. These counselors should report systematically cases of unexplained and unjustified advances of students to female or male lectures, and that of lectures to students. The institution administrators should maintain adequate inspection, supervision and monitoring the staff and students on cultism.

There should be forum where the students and lectures should discuss the issues of cultism. Parents should train their children in moral and try to meet their needs. They should check the company their children keep and counsel them regularly. Government should establish tribunal to try cultist and if found guilty should be sentenced accordingly. This will be the detriment to those who have joined or to those who have the the intention of joining the secret cults. They should reduce the high cost of education in Nigeria so that everyone can afford it. Finally, churches and mosques and other religious organization should have strong youth forum in other to give youths opportunity to vent out their issues.

Research

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