CUSHIONING THE EFFECT OF CULTISM IN NIGERIA TERTIARY INSTITUTION

CHAPTER ONE

1.1   INTRODUCTION

Cult according to the longman dictionary of contemporary English is the group of people believing in a particular system of religious worship with its special customs and ceremonies.   Similarly the Oxford advanced learners dictionary of current learning defines same as a system of religious worship especially one that is expressed in ritual.   Generally cultism has been identified as an obvious and problematic issue that prevailed in most social and cultural set up in the world today. Because of its changed nature of operation, it is said to be a religious groups devoted to livings authority, a new teaching or in human practice, ranging in size from few fellowers living under the command of their higher authority to world wide organization directed by a complex chain of command. However, this work “cushioning the effects of cultism in Nigerian tertiary institutions” is concerned with the educational sector that is, how the scenario affects the lives and activities of higher institution of higher learning in Nigeria like the universities, polytechnics, and the college of educations.   Although, cultism in Nigeria tertiary institution started in the 1950`s specifically in the universities of Ibadan where it served as an organized resistance of tyranny and oppression, today it has turned to a deadly and blood thirsty group that has living leaders and promotes new occult or mysterious doctrines.   Apparently, one my be prompted to say that the root of violence in our institution of higher learning came as a result of the dangerous and inhuman dictrine which contributed in making our campuses unstable. Cultism has coursed a lot of unbearable damages on the psyche of innocent students just as the social life in some tertiary institutions has been earnestly marked by terror, crime of different kinds and uneasiness. Live of students, lecturers as well as the management have been stark by this act of anti-social activities all in the guise of cultism. It is more sympathetic and unpleasant that cultism in our various campus today has taken a murderous stand and has become an epidemic to the education sector, which in recent time had led to the distortion of academic calendar and closure of many tertiary institution. A case in point can be traced to the cultism acts in the Olabisi Onobanjo University, Ile-Ife in Ogun State, Obafemi, Awolowo University (OOU) in Ogun state and that of university of Jos Respectively, whose presence has ruined the future of many potential students, lecturers and the management of some institutions. This is because those whom much is invested in are busy fighting and shading the blood of one another as if the campus is a competition floor in which everybody will claim his power.   Nevertheless, the situation has over the years thrown a saddened and piteous mood on the federal government of Nigeria ministry of education. The authorities of this institution themselves and has rendered their efforts useless reviving the sector. Infact, cultism is a bye product or an element of one fall to a lower level in moral and socio-economic order. Consequently, despite the open condemnation of cult activities in the institution of higher learning via the instrument of law and administrative sanctions, the battle appears to be lost to cults doctrines practice   Therefore, this term paper, a thirty (“30”) minutes radio discussion programme in “cushioning the Effect of cultism in Nigeria tertiary institution” will dig deeply into the nature, causes, effect and finally look into the ways out of the given scenario.   1.2      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The idea of conducting this works dates to the confusions and restless pressure imposed on some of the Nigerians institutions by this anti-social act (cultism), which resulted to some extent where campuses were unstable and administrative efforts dangling to and fro.    A study of this nature is considered significant in at least three respects namely; personal, social and academic. The study will enable the researcher to sharpen his/her focus, and understanding of the basis of cultism, how it affects the education sector and its immediate and remote solution or recommendations. The study which has its primary aim of exposing the nature of cultism and help to nurture and sustain an atmosphere in which students will function and advance in their chosen pattern of any given social groups with a better understanding of the past. In the light of this, it will help the institutions management and other interest groups to add to their mapped strategies against cultism in order to eliminate it in their sphere of jurisdiction.   Furthermore, this study intended not only to add to the existing body of knowledge about cultism but to also stimulate future researchers in related areas and in brief serve as a reference material for the students, lecturers as well as the management  of concerned institutions.   1.3   Although, it is believed that several studies have been done in the area of cultism, but that does not mean that all have been done. As it is often said “No man is an highland” so no man can claim that he/she has accomplished a study on cultism and its relevance solutions because the world and the society we live in is changing every moments.   However, this term paper covers   in term of geographical spread, the education sector especially the universities, polytechnic and colleges of education , because it is the root of any developed and developing country and if therefore left to be ruined by certain groups of individuals, the consequences will not only fall great on the sector but the globe at large.   1.4   PROGRAMME FORMAT The term paper takes a thirty (“30”) minutes radio discussion programme and will be featuring four discussants among which are a lecturer, parent and two students of Kaduna Polytechnic. They will be answering questions such as, in few minutes can you justify the nature of the cultism, what are the causes of cultism, what are the effects and the imperative ways of the cultism in Nigeria tertiary institutions.   The programme will start with a sign tone to usher in the presenter. It will take only one break after fifteen (“15”) minutes of discussion for musical time out to ease the discussant and the listeners at home. Moreover, the programme will run out with a signtone fades under the presenter and later boost up to the end of the programme ands fade out completely   1.5      THE LIMITATIONS Basically nothing comes easy or being advantageous without some aches or shortcomings. As such one problem observed in the cause of this work is time constraint. The time available of the researcher disposal is limited and as such hindered any proper research. It   therefore, be noted that the findings of the research may have limited global application