In recent times the number of deaths has increased in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, mid-south Nigeria. It is reported frequently of death of youths in different parts of the city without authorities in the state doing anything to arrest the ugly trend.
Lifeless bodies are found lying in blood pool on roads, street corners, uncompleted buildings, bushes and other places. It looks like people are now living in the jungle where the stronger animals devour their weaker mates. Life is no longer sacred, but is gruesomely terminated on the slightest provocation.
It's no longer news that rival cultists engage in street fights brandishing weapons like guns, battle axes, sticks, etc to assert superiority over one another. In the process, they get injured and some are killed.
Discreet investigations carried out revealed that the inter-cult war began when members of opposing groups were involved in personal quarrels. It could emanate from struggle over girls, drinking brawl or mere ego boost. They would threaten one another and boast of their cult connections. Attacks are clandestinely organized to 'treat' the 'action of their offenders to create fear and gain respect within the locality. The victim reports the treatment meted to him to his cult who rally round to defend him. This is what led to brutal deaths and vicious serial killings.
It is well known that the mode of initiation into the different cults in Nigeria is terrible. Confessions from apprehended cultists by the police or those bold enough to renounce their membership point to one direction - violence. Existing members approach a target who is talked into it like the Christian evangelists, promising protection or deliverance when in trouble. If he or she declines to be enrolled they look for a way to coerce him or her into the confraternity.
This include but not limited to intimidation, blackmail, hostage and attacks. For instance, he is regularly harassed or severely beaten even without provocation. When this becomes
unbearable he succumbs to pressure. He dare not report to the police. If he did, it means he incurs death sentence which could lead to being hunted until he falls into their net.
At initiation, the initiate is roundly beaten known in their parlance as 'balming'. Balming is to infuse fearlessness, mercilessness and sheepish or coward obedience to his superiors. The female folks are raped in turns to harden their hearts to carry out delicate assignments. Sometimes the initiates' health become aggravated or may even die if they could not cope with the rigours of the initiation. Cultists were known to bear tattoos on peculiar parts of the body for identification but have desisted because it easily gives them away when they run into police trouble. The anti-cultism section of the police is usually hard on them when they get into police net.
Moreover, cultists are ready tools in the hands of Nigerian politicians who employ them into their game of illegally acquiring power by deploying them to elections which are unfortunately adjudged free, fair and credible. The weapons illicitly assigned to cultists during elections find their way into the society and become ready instruments of brutality and subjugation in terms of kidnapping and armed robbery.
In the previous administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole the government normally bring the leaders of the various cult groups to a roundtable where they are talked into and financially induced to halt the killing rage. The leaders in turns dish out instructions to their followers who obey them without complaint. It bred more rascality and audacity to do more evil and chieftains benefitted immensely. Unfortunately, the current government of Godwin Obaseki is looking the other way, so they freely unleash a wave of terror on the members of the public. It is not ideal to pamper any group but the present government has failed to churn out policies and framework that will discourage cultism. Keeping quite for the hostile cults to sought out things by themselves can be interpreted as acquiescence. The situation is worsened by the inability of the police to settle down for its statutory function of crime prevention and bursting. Aftermath of the #ENDSARS nationwide protests has left in their trails a docile police unable to find the circadian rhythm to perform its primary purpose of adequate protection of the society.
Cultism create a vicious circle which aggravates the original condition when you attempt to ameliorate it. Youths who are readily acknowledged as leaders of tomorrow are being groomed in violence of darkness. How can products of brutality give birth to leaders of compassion and tolerance and vision when the breeding ground is tainted with moral corruption?
The nation is in serious trouble as those in authority appear not to be concerned or doing nothing or so little about it because many are equally products of cultism. In such case you shouldn't expect the bicycle thief to be willing to catch someone who stole fish. The menace has eaten deep into the fabric of society and is now a cankerworm and a corrosive element. There are no adequate legislation nationally or in the states to deal with this hydra-head or measures put in place to pull it down. Like in the words of Frantz Fanon, an Algerian born French philosopher: "Each generation must out of relative obscurity discover its mission: fulfil it or betray it." It is a pity that this current generation don't know its direction and mission, both leaders and followers alike.

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