There's an interesting article in the August 2, 2008 issue of
The Economist about
"Cults of violence" in Nigeria. Campus "cults" have arisen in Nigeria's university system that are something along the lines of a cross between a fraternity and a criminal gang. These "cults" have killed 115 students and teachers between 1993 and 2003, according to the Exam Ethics Project. The first such group, the Pyrates Confraternity, was founded by Wole Soyinka, a Nobel prizewinner in literature, in 1952 at the University of Ibadan. Subsequent groups had names like the Black Axe, the Vikings Confraternity, and the Klansmen Konfraternity. Members of these groups were originally elite students who have moved on to positions of authority in Nigeria. The groups charge membership fees, but members typically make the money back by performing actions for the group, such as acting on behalf of politicians connected to the group. Such actions of late have included harassment, violence, and murder. Rivers State University banned "cultism" in 2004, but since the groups are provided with cash and weapons by politicians, the ban has had little effect.
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2 comments:
I had never heard of anything like this before today. very interesting, if I believed in evil this would be included under the title.
firstly, i don't see a reason why prof. WOLE SOYINKA should alwasy b under attack for d actions of cultist in d high intitutions,out of every good things a bad is attached to it & its not his fault that things are d way they are. cultism in general was meant for young undergraduates to come together with a common purpose of success & higher achivement within & after their university. it is not d entire body of a particular cult that steals,rapes or perform any crime that its labeled with.most young people that carry out these crimes do them without the knowledge of the family or not even cultist but when caught hides under the banner of one. i was a member of d BROTHERHOOD OF BLOOD AKA 22(apache aka black berets) in futo & graduated as of 08,till date i think its one of the best things that happend to me as an undergraduate. the government can never eradicate cultism, but they should try to reorientate these young undergraduates to use their position to help,challenge & advance our socities in positive ways because majority have the view of fraternty. what promted me to become a cultist was after saw d movie STOMP THE YARD,the government should help organise events & sbows that will challenge them & produce awinner openly because f tey are open,they are nolonger secret & dengerous. still remain a tiger in ODB,Apaches the night is ALWAYS DARK. DEVILS MAILBAG.
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