SS1 Civic Education Lesson Note on Cultism

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TOPIC:          CULTISM

CONTENT: 

1. Meaning and origin of cultism.
2. Different cult groups especially those in educational institutions

SUB-TOPIC 1: MEANING OF CULTISM

Cultism is a practice performed by group of individuals who engage in secret activities for protection of member and for other motive and their activities are guided by ritual.

It is a practice of small group of people which deviate from the norms and expected pattern of behavior of a particular society.

It is the membership and operation of secret cults. A cult is a small group of people who have extreme religious beliefs and who are not part of any established religion. The relationship is based on blood covenant.

A cult is a secret society which is not open to everybody. Cultism therefore is an act of belonging to a secret cult in an educational institution. Members of a secret cult have particular spiritual beliefs usually regarded by others as misguided. They come together for certain purposes that might not be approved by other people. Members use dangerous weapons to kill and maim rival groups or innocent students in order to assert their influence and get undue advantages such as good grades, girl friends, etc in the campus.

EVALUATION

1. Differentiate between cultism and cult

Origin of Cultism

Secret cults have existed in Africa for a long time. The Ogboni was prominent among the Yorubas. It is a group of elderly men whose major duty was to put a check on the traditional rulers to ensure that they did not overstep their bound. Some other cults that have existed in Nigeria includes; Ekine, Ekpe, Okonko and Owegbe.

What is known as secret cult in tertiary institutions started at University College, Ibadan, in 1953 with the establishment of Pirates confraternity. It was formed by Nigeria’s first Nobel Laureate for Literature, Prof. Wole Soyinka and others. Their main aim included:

• To abolish convention
• To revive the age chivalry
• To end tribalism and elitism

Their ideas were patriotic as it was not imagined as a secret cult even though their activities were done secretly. Their objectives which revolve round the maintenance of polite behaviour among people of different background and chivalry portrayed the dream of the founder. It is noteworthy that the group was not to harm, maim, kill or destroy.

From about 1980 till date, campus cult groups in Nigeria have continued to grow in number. This is because many more tertiary institutions have been established and the students’ population in the country has increased considerably. As it is, each group is eager to eliminate all others and enforce its own authority because of the doctrinal differences.

SUB-TOPIC 2: DIFFERENT CULT GROUPS

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