Encomium
Cultism, as prohibited as it is in the Nigerian society, has remained a nightmare which the country has been dealing with for several years. With myriad cases of cult clashes reported yearly which have claimed lots of innocent lives, one would wonder: “who are those behind all these atrocities?” However, it is most surprising that whenever cultists are apprehended and paraded, young people who are regarded as future leaders make the list. This, however, prompted the question: ‘Why do young people (boys) join cult groups?’
ENCOMIUM Weekly sought the opinions of Nigerians as to why boys join cult groups and they have these to say:
Onapepo Shorunke
The reason why I think those boys join cult groups is because of fame. Some joined because they think they can be in charge, while some joined because they forced them to the group.
Ojo Olamide
They think it offers them a kind of fortress, they feel it’s gives them protection against bullying and cheating. Most times, it’s due to peer pressure/influence.
Sikiru Sirajudeen
I can’t say much but what I think is the type of character you have may lead to the reason why you join cult groups.
Adelani Toheeb
I think some joined because of money, power and girls. Those things influence some boys to join.
Nurudeen Olaoye
Some joined cult because of power, confidence, influence etc. But there are different types of cult’s – one for rich people and one for poor. They include Badoo, local Aiye, Eiye, Buccania etc. But what baffles me most is that at the end of everything, they gain nothing.
Kuraga Adam
They just join all because of greed, girls and they think they want to belong. Which is stupidity.
Sanni Omololu
Boys join cult groups because they want protection and also to become powerful and command respect wherever they go. They feel once they belong to these groups, they have it all and they can go away with all sorts of atrocities they commit.
Omiyinka Odunayo
Most boys, because of the kind of upbringing they have, maybe their parents didn’t always have time for them and they are not being guided. They fall victims of cultists and they are forced to join these groups. Some even do it willingly because they have no other choice. Their main confidants are these cultists. Some join cult just for the fun of it, in order to be able to use powers, sleep with girls whenever they want and deal with whoever crosses their paths.
Olushola Ifeoluwa
Boys join cult groups because of their thirst for power. Some do it because they want people to fear them. Some also join to avenge a wrong done to them in the past which they couldn’t get justice for.
Aberuagba Yetunde
Most boys join cult groups in order to get connected to people in high places. Some guys just want to be noticed and command respect among their peers.
Nigerian higher institutions have a handful of cult groups that terrorize the campuses. Aside commanding respect from other students on campus, rival cult groups clash on several occasions at the slightest provocation from a member of a rival group. This in most times leads to killing of each of the rival cult’s members, innocent students and most times forces the affected institution to close down till further notice.
Below are some of the most deadly cult groups on Nigeria campuses:
Pyrate confranternity AKA Sea Dogs
The Pyrate confraternity is arguably the first secret cult in the Nigerian university system. The mother of all cults as it were.
Its objectives thus “against moribund convention, tribalism, for humanistic ideas and comradeship and chivalry” they insisted on an African content in a White-oriented Campus. But this halycon days soon passed by when the Buccaneers split from them.
- Buccaneers Confraternity AKA National Associations of Sea Lords Founded by Bolaji Carew, the dead man who is at the same time alive.
The Buccaneers came to be very powerful and become the main rival to their mother Pyrate Confraternity (they spli from them).
- The Supreme Eiye Confraternity (also known as the National Association of Air Lords) was formed in the University of Ibadan in 1965.
- The Neo-Black Movement of Africa (also called ) emerged from the
University of Benin in Edo state.
- Klan Konfraternity
- Supreme Vikings Confraternity (the Adventurers or, alternately, the De Norsemen Club of Nigeria).
- Family Confraternity (the Campus Mafia or the Mafia) Founded in Abia state University, ABSU. The Mafia modeled itself after the Italian Mafia.
- The Brotherhood of the Blood (also known as Two-Two or Black Beret), another confraternity, was founded at Enugu State University of Science and Technology ESUT.
- Black Axe Confraternity or Aye
Axemen Such confraternity is aimed at fighting against oppression against Black men. One of their beliefs and exclamations is – The Black man will be freed with an axe.
– AZEEZAT KAREEM and SHUKURAT ALIMI
