What is Cultism?
Cultism can be regarded as a group of people that share same beliefs and come together with the aims
of forming a secret unestablished religions that are out of people’s awareness.
According to oxford dictionary of current English 5th edition the word “cult” means a system of relious
worship especially one that us expressed in rituals.
And its objective is destruction.
Characteristics Of Cultism.
1• It is spiritual or religious convention.
2• It is a secret practice.
3• A group of individuals practice the belief.
4• Its people have a common value.
6• It has an impact on the lives of individual.
7• Its policies are unknown to the general public.
Causes of Cultism There are many causes to Cultism that influence people to engage and found themselves in it, those
causes are as following.
1. Improper Child Upbringing
2. Peer Group Influence
3. Revenge/Avenge
4. Social Identity
5. Security
6. Dropout Syndrome
Choice of Lifestyle.
7. Supremacy
8. Improper Child Upbringing…In this aspect some parent don’t have the ability and time to
trained their children well maybe they are busy working and with this, children do get engaged in
Cultism because they were not trained well by their parents.
1• PEER GROUP INFLUENCE: This as one major causes of Cultism affect people to engage in secret
group when they were influenced into bad peer group.
2• REVENGE/AVENGE: people found themselves in secret cult when they wish to avenge or
revenge any bad occurrence or situations happened to them in a past time of their life’s.
3• SOCIAL IDENTITY: environment is also one of the major causes of Cultism in Nigeria, the ways
of dressing, language skills etc. Those ethnic can make one’s get engaged in a secret cult group
because environment matter in the life’s of one.
4• SECURITY: when there is no a strong worth security in a Society, people think of ways to protect
the lives of themselves and their properties. And with this people can run into this secret cult
just with the aims of protecting themselves.
5• DROPOUT SYNDROME: This act were found in the life’s of students of higher institutions… When
there is no educational interest in the life’s of students there is possibility for him/her to
dropout and whenever this happen there will be influence over the students that dropout from
their education into secret cult.
6• CHOICE OF LIFESTYLE: This as one of the causes of Cultism, things are different from other
causes because this is the choice of living by some people, some people has natural interest in
cultist without any influence.
7• SUPREMACY: some students aims of getting into cultism in other to to find power and be Supreme than
their mates in school.
ACTIVITIES OF CULTISM
Cultist group practice some nefarious activities such as:
1• Armed robbery
2• Extortion
3• Maiming
4• Raping
5• Kidnapping
6• Drug abuse
Murder etc.
Disadvantage of Cultism
1• Untimely Death
2• Loss of Moral Value
3• Incomplete Education
4• Drug And Substance Addiction
5• Behavioral Disorder
Unrealizable Life Ambitions
6• Mental unstable
7• Spiritual Problems
8• Fear
9• Possible Loss of Family Member
1. UNTIMELY DEATH: One of the consequences of cultism is premature death, cultist member always die
young and this may happen if they fight with another cult group, it may also happen when they were
arrest by law because the law stated that who ever kill shall be killed and as a cult member killing is a
culture for them.
2. LOSES OF MORAL VALUE: Cultism leads to loss of value in the life of young people because the belief
system are against the objectives of moral life.
3.DRUG ADDICTION: This can also be the result of cultism, one of the dangerous activities practice by the
cult group is uses of drug, they take drug to prevent fear and to carry out their mission…And with this they
will be addicted to those dangerous drugs like Marijuana, cocaine, tramadol etc. Which can terminate
their life. 1.BEHAVIORAL DISORDER: This is also one of the effect of cultism, character of cultist member is so easy
to identity because it differ from a responsible one’s behavior in the society.
5.TERMINATION OF GOALS AND AMBITION: Cultism happens to terminate and destroy the goals, visions
and ambitions of youth because their mind won’t be functioning to think about their careers and their
future.
6.MENTAL ILLNESS: One of the nefarious act practice by all cultist group is use of dangerous
drug, and according to health maintenance those drugs destroy many organs of body most especially the
body system and it may probably causes mental illness to those who can’t stop taking them.
7.SPIRITUAL PROBLEM: In the process of cult membership many fetish act were practice e.g. Oath taking,
uses of blood, sleeping at burial ground, uses of charms for protection etc. All this have their effect and
later cause problem in the life’s of ones.
8.FEAR: Cult member always live their life in fear, this may be because of the wrong deed they have
committed in their life, one can even be the hitman of his group (killer). And with this they must be very
careful and be the first person to run anytime they hear unfamiliar sound.
LOSS OF FAMILY MEMBERS: Many life has been lost in the hand of cult member so therefore they
will have to be killed as well but they were difficult to find and with this their family may probably pay for
their sins.
BRIEF HISTORY OF CULTISM IN NIGERIA
Cultism in Nigeria began as far back as 1952 before Nigeria been independent from British colonialism. It
started out as fraternities, and they were confined within higher institutions campus within the motive of
maintaining law and order on campuses.
Cultism had became a cancerous disease all over Nigeria. It keep spreading and improve in all campuses
in Nigeria.
The first cult group was formed in 1952 by Wole Soyinka (Noble price winning Author) and his friends
named PYRATE CONFRATERNITY also known as SEA DOGS.
TYPES OF CULT GROUP IN NIGERIA
1. PYRATE CONFRATERNITY: it is the first cult group in Nigeria formed by Wole Soyinka and his
friends in 1952,this group is also known as The National Association of Sea dogs.
2• BUCCANEERS CONFRATERNITY: This group was formed by Bolaji Carew and Kunle Adigun in 1972
and they were also known as The Sea Lord.
3• BLACK AXE: It was formed at University of BENIN in 1976 to fight oppression against Blackman
students.
4. SUPREME VIKING CONFRATERNITY: It was established by some members of the Buccaneers at
university of Port Harcourt in 1982
5. SUPREME EIYE CONFRATERNITY: This is also known as Air Lords it was formed at university of
Ibadan in 1963.
6. DEBY NA DEBT: This cult group worship demon’s symbol.
7. CIAO-SONS OR MAFIA CULTISM: It was formed in 1978 at the university of Ilorin in KWARA State
but began operating in Obafemi Awolowo university at ile-ife in 1980.
8. KEGITE CLUB:This is among the few women’s movement and still thriving today it is known as
socio-cultural movement group.
9. BLACK BRA CONFRATERNITY: Also known as AXE QUEEN it is among the top women’s cults in
Nigeria.
10. DAUGHTER OF JEZEBEL: It is mostly practiced by the most popular female confraternity in Nigeria.
• And others…
SOLUTION TO CULTISM
1• Government should help invest to public awareness to this act
2• The education should teach the consequence and dangers of cultism to the students from primary
level till institution’s level
3• There should be strong punishment and law abide to the act.
4• Government should improve the standard of living and provide social amenities for the society.
LAWS AND PUNISHMENT ATTACH TO CULTISM IN NIGERIA
1• The Criminal code act stated that who ever allow cult meetings to be held in your residence is
regarded as a felony and will receive a 3years imprisonment sentence.
2• According to penal code Act, any cult member will be liable to spend 7years in prison with or
without fine depending due to the crime committed.
3• The law also stated that whoever aids or protect a cultist member is guilty of an offence and will
be in danger of being sentenced to 15 years imprisonment.
4• Recently The Lagos Anti CultismAgency says out that any parents or guardian who support or
aware of their child be in cult group will also face the bad side of the Law
By: Ayodeji oyelakin student of I-con Universal polytehnic
