CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
It is always a tale of sorrows, tears and blood whenever cult members are on strike. Inorderwords, they have no regard for laws and respect, any Authority or order. In some higher institutions’ today, they have almost taken over control of activities even those who tried to cross their bridge were wasted in a terrible manner.
Hanks (2003) in a paper titled “focus on the menace of student cult” raised an alarm on senseless killings on the campus and mass acquiring of dangerous weapons by students for they are gradually running the university into a theatre of war. In a further emphasis, the writer attributed this act to inadequate parental care that gives rise to such violent groups of people. Instead they are mostly concerned with their businesses leaving their children to attend late night parties, watch pornographic video films, leading to negative values.
Cult members engage in many dangerous acts such as armed robbery, ritual killing, arson, rape, prostitution, drugs, open conflicts, witch-hunting, assassination and host of other deviant behaviors. In recent times, most of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University lecturers and students have been battered upon and utimediated by cult members. Many lives have lost and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. According to Mr. Gabriel Okpalaeze ( head of news department) in Anambra Broadcasting Service Awka presently their managing director asserted, it is estimated that twenty thousand student have been killed since cultism started at the institution in the 1990s. It has equally been projected that absence of any radical action, another four thousand would die in next twenty years.
There is no doubt that many serious minded students and lecturers on campus are under constant fear of being attacked deliberately or mistakenly by members of secret cults.
The frequency of cult activities in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka has become a source of anxiety to educators, religious ministers, students, government, the professionally trained guidance counselors and the general public hence the clarion call from all and sundry to find a lasting solution to cultism among the youths in the university is necessary.
The number of secret cult members in the campus has not only increased but have also become more instruments in recent times. In other words they no longer hide their identities; their activities disrupt academic programs and anger, violence and social disorder as well as threaten the security of lives and property in the school as they operate in broad daylight.
However, the fact still remains that the school was established with the basic aim of producing students who are expected to take over the month of leadership in the nearest future.
To have a balanced education however, can only be given and received in the school with conducive atmosphere that is the school that is not polluted by the activities of secret cult members.
Nigeria television authority Awka which performs function like informing, educating, entertaining, educating, entertaining, agenda setting etc need to be employed adequately in the fight against cultism in the school.