The menace of cultism has attained its zenith among the youth and the evil that comes with it is currently taking its toll on us. From the Dowen boys to the current cult-related killings in Abeokuta and Sagamu, it is no longer arguable that we have murdered peace; thus, there is no sleep for us.
A cultist is like a moving vessel of violence that is searching for a harbour to berth and birth their evil products. Lately, Ogun State has proven to be the safe harbour for killings despite the governor’s commendable huge investment in the security architecture of the state.
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One of the social problems in Nigeria today that accounts for the prevalence of evils among us is cultism. It is a major contributor to the moral meltdown that has befallen our society, the outcome of which manifests in violence, inhumanity, and our descent into anarchy.
The cultism problem has invaded our society such that it has become a joke and is considered woke. That is the more reason we have comedians who glorify cultism in their skits and almost all the youth now find the phrases, “Na cultist you dey follow argue?”, “You wan collect wotowoto from cultist’’ and so on, fancy and as the latest fad.
It is so unfortunate that rather than address this problem comprehensively, the authorities often prefer to look the other way while cosmetic solutions are being sought for a situation that deserves a set of knee-jerk and decisive actions.
Education, in the sense of what we have reduced it to in Nigeria, seems to have failed to stem the tide as cultism continues to be a monster in many institutions. We have lost our moral compass. Whether we like it or not, poor parenting— as the family is the first agent of socialisation— has greatly contributed to this disturbing development.
As a result of this, most children grow into youth, lacking appropriate upbringing and knowledge of social norms which have led to the astronomical increase in the numbers of miscreants, street urchins, cultists, and rapists prevalent among the youth in society.
Our leaders and our security chiefs are not doing enough in the aspect of securing the lives and property of the citizens. Wherever lives and property are in danger, development dwindles.
Cultism must be stamped out of society; it is worse than coronavirus because its impact on the social fabric is devastating. Thus, serious war should be waged against cultism to save the current generation from sinking deeper into degeneration and restore peace to our society.
Finally, even though Governor Dapo Abiodun recently took a commendable stride by donating over 15 patrol vehicles, two Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) vehicles and other crime-fighting equipment to the security operatives in the state, I hope he takes stricter measures against this disturbing development as residents of Ogun State are feeling the heat of these killings. As we comb around the streets for something to eat, we do not want to be eaten and hit (by gunshots).
Folorunso Fatai Adisa wrote from Abeokuta, [email protected]
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