CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- GENERAL OVERVIEW
Whenever the story of secret cults in our tertiary institutions today is told it is always synonymous with blackmail and intimidation, terror, panic and pandemonium often resulting in Wreckages and Wanton Blord letting.
In the media, one hears cases of female students being raped here and there, other students losing their lives as rival cult groups clash, cars and apartments belonging to lecturers and school authorities being burnt down, threats, counter threats and extortion of money and materials from fellow students by cult members.
Infact, the manner of violence often exhibited by these cult groups on campus would surprise horror movie actors and made nonsense of the tactics of guerilla terrorist.
Ironically, any of these cults some of which had been in existence close to four decades, where in the first place established by people who in their own rights or good and responsible citizens of this country. Many of founding fetters are now renowned internationals figures, world acclaimed intellectuals and achievers one right then begin to wonder as to why such great personalities could have had a hand in the laying of fiber eggs that eventually hatched and are now rampaging and threatening to bring our school system down to its foundations.
Interestingly, many of them now utilize every forum they attend to disown and totally disclaim these clandestine societies whose activities they say negate the spirit and circumstances for which they were put in place originally. They would tell all those who cared to listen that the secret campus cults as we known them today had not always been “secret” both in membership and operation and that they were at inception set up to highlight and protect the interest of students from evil intentions of some mischievous lectures who would victimize students in one way or the other.
How them did these seemingly harmless students, clubs and societies come to metamorphose into cheques of criminal banditry and devitish gangster ion. From the foregoing, it does appear that in forming these cults, their founding fathers probably did not reckon with the devastating effects their actions would later have on the society and the nations educational system. It could as well be that there are more to the situation than the public would be made to know.
Whichever way it is, the fact is that the seed of fire planted decades ago has now grown into a dangerous and uncontrollable wild fire. Gradually, the entire society is earring into the bite of this cankerworm which has continued to eat deeper and deeper everyday. Unfortunately the prey to this cult activities are the youths presented to be heir-apparent to the leadership of this country. If we fail in our guest to find the solution now, what kind of leadership would the youths of today offer the nation tomorrow? Some of them have left school and agree now to mixed with the society. The bad signs are already showing
Everybody now feel concerned and it is good that social organizations, religious groups and public spirited individuals are making frantic efforts to eliminate secret cult activities from our campuses. The government on the other hand had emaciated laws and legislations to check the ugly phenomenon security agent have as well been arresting and persecuting some cult members as deterrents to others.
But as all those were going on, campus cults seem to be going more ground and rings round themselves making their members. Untouchable perhaps we are not trying enough or that we are just wasting efforts at the wrong direction. Why is it that the membership of these cults is often drawn from the children of the shakers and movers of the society or from the sons and relations of men and women at the corridors of power and influence? Some of these children have never known violence before they left their homes for the school. Why is it also that not even the several laws and legislations in existence nor the arrests and prosecution cult members were able to deter them? r what is so mysterious about these cults that members and former members are always afraid to reveal anything to non-members even at gum points. Moreover, are there some existing pips in the lives of these youths which are neglected and which they sought to fill in their own ways.
This research work takes a close and critical look at all these and more the write-up is quite incisive though by no mean exhaustive.
- OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to examine the major effects of student’s involvement in campus cults. It is often said that the tertiary institution is an intellectual bakery. This study tries to find out the true position of the statement in our schools. Special emphasis is therefore placed on the effects of cult activities in our tertiary institution. Attention is also paid to the impact on the lives of the youths involved both as special elements, as students and as leaders of the forthcoming generation.
In other words, the researchers bring to light the immediate and future consequences of campus cults on the society.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
Much effort is begin put into finding lasting solutions to the menace of secret societies in our schools. Perhaps there are areas that need to be checked out to ensure that in finding the solutions, the society is not just treating a sickness without first diagnosing the systems. This study mighty as well provides the missing link. It tries to do this by promoting out some of the hitherto neglected long-term effects of students involvement in secret cults and by showing the forces keeping these cults alive in schools are very much far beyond the school building.