The Effect of Cultism on Students’ Academic Performance (A Case Study of the College of Education Ekiadolor, Benin City, Edo State)
Chapter One
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of cultism on student’s emotions. A case study if the College of Education Ekiadolor-Benin with the view to educate the public about magnitude of the problems. It will also examine the factors that promote the growth of cultism in our institutions of higher learning. Furthermore, it will also help to know its sanctions placed on students by the school outward contribution to the growth of cultism in our institution of higher learning. Lastly, it will examine how cultism affects the intellectual ability of the students.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter is concerned with the review of related literature. Some factors have been identified on student’s emotions.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF CULTISM
Secrete cult (societies) exist in almost all nation of the world. Most of the secrete societies are noted for their benevolent activities that are devoid of satanic agenda. Some are politically formed having, interest in the control of the government and harmony in the society. Example include boxes revolution, mau, mau of Kenya, ku, klux klan (KKK) of USA, wa of Japan, menders of Sierra Leone etc. some other are formed with philanthropic tendencies, examples are man sonic orders, knight of Columbus etc on the other hand, there with satanic tendencies formed with criminal interest such as rape, murder, terrorist etc include the media of Italy, thugs of India etc. in Nigeria, secrete societies exist in the different ethnic groups since the pre-colonial era. The Yoruba’s have the “Ogboni”, the “Osugbo”, the “Oro”, “Ano Ora” etc. The Edo’s have the ‘Owegbe”, the “Asigidi”, the “Asokpikan’, the ‘Ogboni”, etc the Ibos have the “Odozi”, Obodo, the northerners have the dodo (Amadi 2002 Babatunde 2000, Adegboye, 2002).
In the past, the purpose of those secrete societies include playing leadership role in traditional practices, selection or election of people into high positions, like the Oba, chief etc securing rapid promotion for oneself or his close relations, or to become highly influential in the society, to win court casaes that one does not merit or win, recovery of debts and protection or properties etc (Ige, 2001, 88-89). Membership is not limited to males only females also exist as memnbersd for example the Ogboni fraternity whose original cult was “Bora’ in the old Yoruba kingdom of the Egba in western Nigeria. The truth about Ogboni is that they neither makes nor help their neighbours. It makes them unselfish that what supporter of the society say. But the fraternity in Nigeria. It shows the three insignia of skeleton, coffin and club. Even some Christian priest holds these cards. “Drum July, 1955”.`
They take their duties seriously too, the people who make up the society, it does not matter who suffers in the process as long as the fraternity members benefits. the Ogboni fraternity members is taught to certain secrete signs by which he can make his membership clear to others of the fraternity without a non member realism what is going on. Another traditional cultism is the “Awo Opa’ cult of the Yoruba as Ijinia Olokun and to the outside world as Aino Opa. Originally Awo-opa was a society of elders having as its main purpose the setting of dispute, and palavers among its members and their families.
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
This study is designed to investigate the effect of cultism on the academic performance of students in college of education, Ekiadolor Benin.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The instrument used was questionnaire. The same set of questionnaire was administered to the students in the college. The purpose of this method was to solicit information on the effect of cultism on student’s emotion.
POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The population of this study consists of students of college of education, Ekiadolor in Edo state. A sample of 300 students was drawn from the different department in the college.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
In this chapter, the data collected in respect of the study were repented and analyzed by collecting the percentage to establish the degree of 150 questionnaire distributed, 140 were returned and found usable.
The analysis below is based on the information gathered from the mentioned completed questionnaire, which are shown in the table.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
SUMMARY
This study was embarked upon to analysed cultism, its effects on students emotions in the college of Education Ekiadolor, Benin. In the course of this research work a set of questionnaires was prepared and distributed and the instrument used for data collection was used to invalidate the statement. The response made by various participants were collected, arranged in tabular forms and analyzed by simple percentage. Based on the findings of the research work the researchers made a conclusion and recommendations.
RESEARCH FINDINGS
Based on the result of the analysis of data collected for the research work and the subsequent simple percentage workings outcome, the findings have shown that:
- Cultism still exists in colleges.
- It was revealed that 67% of the respondents were on the opinion that cultism can affect the emotional stability of students in the colleges. This confirmed that the government or board of educators should look into this and try there very best to eradicate cultism from school in order for students to walk in the college without fear or trembling.
- Cultism has turned some students to killer, rapist, trouble makers, behave dangerously to parents at home due to the taking of drugs like cocaine, cigarettes and oath e.g. drinking of blood mixed with red like.
- Any caught cultism should be dismissed from the school premises and be made an ex-convict in order not to be useful in other universities and colleges.
CONCLUSION
In the light of the above findings already discussed, the following conclusions are drawn that the alarming spread of cultism on campuses throughout the reiteration has generally conflicting reports, pains, death, public reproach etc cultism has endangered the lives of many people in our campuses today due to cultism activities. It has been a social problem in our society, it has caused a lot of havoc. Many lives have been lost that would have contributed to the development of our nation.
The effect of cultism on student’s emotions today has made the students unsafe for hearty academic work to takes place. This is because most students are even driven home by these cult members whenever there are conflicts among different cult groups. The alarming growth of cultism has been a great concern to the government, public agencies, voluntary bodies, and churches etc this have small measures to curtail the activities of cultist in our campuses by enacting laws, preaching the gospel, cultism can be minimized if not eradicated, if we take the postulations in this study in order to put a stop to the threatened existence of students lives and thus make them live in peace and in a conducive atmosphere in the environment.
SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDIES
Though this has revealed various factors influencing the growth of cultism in schools, it has nevertheless opened doors for further studies as this study was constrained essentially by time and finance uses limited the scope of the College of Education, Ekiadolor – Benin.
In the light of the above, further studies could be extended to larger population are over the state i.e. Edo, to have a fairly representative sample that will make for a better and well-informed judgment. These studies could be undertaken at the secondary school level or tertiary level that will furthermore studies could be conducted in the following areas;
- The role of government in curtailing the growth of cultism in schools
- The extra ordinary influence of cultism in the larger society
- The role of parents in the fight against cultism in schools.
RECOMMENDATIONS
In the light of the findings of this study, the researcher thereby recommends the following:
- Government should enact and implement laws that will make membership of secrete cults by parents and other members of the larger society illegally.
- The authorities should monitor all registered clubs and organisation.
- A constant orientation programmes should be organized for the general students in the school.
- All students found to be member of secrete cult should have their identities published in both national print and electronic media along with sanctions appropriated. This will go along way in deciding the excess of children from the supposed affluent and famous families.
- The fear of God should be inculcated into the hearts of the youths it is very important. The fear of God gives genuine, strong, truthful and beneficial behaviour to anyone.
- Government should make laws that will ensure that any students found to be a member of any secrete cult should not be spared by been expelled from the institutions. Such students should be tried for criminal activities and sentenced to appropriated jail terms such person there after be treated ex-convict who cannot attend any other institution of higher learning in Nigeria.
REFERENCE
- Adelola, I. A. (1997): Secret Cult in Nigeria Institution of Learning, Apenscope Appraisal in Ogunsantan, OA (ed) reading on campus. Secret cult Ile-Ife, Obafemi Awolowo Universities
- Akak Oghenejode (2004) The member of secret cults. Symposium Organized by National Federation of Catholic students.
- Apaye Babatunde (1999) A psychology Approach to cultism in Nigeria institution of learning, Adigboye A. et al (eds) cultism in Nigeria institution of learning Akors A. E. Ladenzor (Nig. ) Ent
- Banjo, A. (1997) Factors that led to up surge in secret cult and solution, Lagos Guardian 13, July.
- Bobonkeje, J. O. (1998) terror in the campus, the insight Ebin, A Catholic thematific and partial magazines, vol. 8 No. 1
- Curbiary Campus cults: Benin Observer May (1991) Evil fraternity.
- Ogunibido, R. O. (1997): Problems of managing cultism in Nigeria tertiary institution. The way out in Adegboye, et al (eds) cultism in Nigeria Institution of learning, Akure, K. E. Ladenzor (Nig) Ent
