FIGHTING CULTISM IN OUR SCHOOLS

FIGHTING CULTISM IN OUR SCHOOLS

I don’t intend to sound too academic in this discourse. Rather, I intend to raise some moral questions, which I believe will be sufficient food for thought to every respectable and responsible parent. Cultism has for so long reared its ugly head in our society. It has not stopped ravaging the very embryo of our future. Several attempts have been made and are still being made to curb this hydra headed monster cultism. The questions is how much success have we registered from this noble fight? In the 70s and to a reasonable content in the 80s, cultism was principally a phenomenon identifiable in tertiary institutions and references to it in campus were d one in whispers but cultism has become a nebulous institution shrouded in secrecy and suspicion for every tom, dick and Harry. Not only do we find traces of cultism even in junior secondary school and primary schools, school drop out, wheel barrow pushers, apprentice to another but a few found solace in this unholy venture.

It is most regrettable those even some members of the society rather than think positively on how to come out of the wood, use these cultists to administer jungle justice. There had been many cases where creditors employ services of cultist to force a debtor to pay the debt owned. Well, this you may say, is an indication of how much confidence the society has in the Nigerian police force. Isn’t this unfortunate? The most disturbing aspect of this phenomenon is that the cultists are predominantly adolescent, the preparatory stage for responsible adulthood. A daring cultist is no doubt a potential armed robber. Let us really ask ourselves, why do the youth join cult? One of the many reasons why do the youth join cult for social security within the organized system. The desire to feel secured within the social circle drives many young boys and girls into cultism. This grew in the young a gangsteristic tendency, which ultimately culminates in clashes of titans within the school circle. A potent reason is the tendency to be seen to be coping socially in spite of the psychological defect. Therefore, this is an obvious manifestation of inferiority complex. Poverty and ignorance equally play a part where a student goes to school with little or nothing to sustain him for the semester. The tendency to flow along with a room mate who is affluently endowed to secure for him a flock of follower who ultimately remain at his beck and call is rife. Many a good students have fallen victim this way. In addition, parents have contributed in no small measure to the cause of student falling prey to cultism. Many parents have been found to be non-challant, and grossly irresponsible in this respect. Now, let’s come to think of it, what moral justification has a parent who belongs to a cult to question his/her word’s enlisting with a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to a cult group? A good number of our parents belong to one cult or the other. One can now.

Understand why some parents pay lip service to the war against cultism. Dear parent, if you must be seen fighting a just war, do relinquish your membership of that cult you belong. After all, charity begins at home. Most parents are concerned with enrolling their wards in the school. The ward’s study habit use of lecture time, the type of friends he keeps remains essentially irrelevant to them. With this attitude, how can we nurture the child to blossom? You must know that your child is like a seed planted that needs watering and tending, if you must get better yield. Let us show more concern on our children. How often do you go to your child’s school to check how he’s coping socially and academically? How many of your child’s friend do you know? Not just knowing them, but their parental back-ground.

Coming to the school; has the teachers seen their job beyond the classroom? It must be borne in mind that the teacher’s duty is not just to teach how to read and write but should take up the holistic responsibility of the total character transformation of his students.

In curbing the tide of cultism, counseling has been identified as one of the potent tools. The time when counselors sit in the office and expect students to come has faded out. Good enough, the Counseling association of Nigeria has developed a counseling curriculum for school. The counselor should go to the classroom to teach counseling. It is only through this, the entire students can be reached. It is gratifying to note that some schools have included guidance and counseling on the time table. This is a very good step.

It is the duty of the school counselor too to ensure that extra curricular activities in school are revived and made functional to the extent that all students must be involved in at least time extra curricular activities. Such activities like games, debating, man O’war, drug fire club, anti HIV/AIDS club and a host of others should be encouraged.
The fight against cultism shouldn’t be treated with child’s gloves. It is one of the indices that are deterministic of our future well-being. The parents, the school, the government and the society in general should see it as a challenge and a just war.