Cultism II – Consequence & How to Prevent Cultism SS1 Civic Education Lesson Note

CONSEQUENCES OF CULTISM

1. Breakdown of law and order
2. Violence and social instability
3. Disruption of academic activities
4. Disorientation of societal values
5. The premature death of a youth who are cult member/innocent victims
6. Drug addiction and related health problems
7. Embarrassment for families and parents
8. Bad image for the individual family and the nation
9. Spiritual problems for cultists and their families
10. The proliferation of arms and other weapons
11. Destroys the future of the youths
12. Committing murder and crimes eg armed robbery, rape, and kidnapping, among others
13. Poor academic performance
14. Immoral activities and indiscipline Fear
15. Hinders development

PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST CULTISM

1. The government should carry out an enlightenment campaign against cultism
2. Parents should pay more attention to their children’s upbringing and educate them properly on acceptable standards of behaviour.
3. Students should be encouraged to join religious groups and develop a fear of God because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
4. Educational institutions and the government should enact very stiff laws against cultism and strictly enforce such laws
5. Religious organizations should specifically organize their religious programmes to preach against cultism.
6. Authorities of higher institutions should organize regular seminars and sensitization campaigns to enlighten people on the adverse effects of cultism.
7. All students should be screened and investigated properly before granting them admission.
8. Students should be encouraged to work hard in school.
9. Parents should show good examples to their children.
10. The teaching and learning environment should be conducive.
11. Civil society groups should embark on advocacy programmes against cultism.
12. Stiffer punishment for cultists to serve as a deterrent to others.
13. The media/press should be encouraged to project programmes that would sensitize the youths to the dangers of cultism.
14. Sports and recreational activities should be encouraged to engage the youths.
15. Students should be responsible enough to shun acts that could lead to cultism eg keeping bad company, drunkenness, and use of hard drugs, among others.
16. Students should be expelled from school when found out that they belong to a cult group.
17. Strict measures should be taken against cult members.
18. Lecturers/teachers should engage the students in more academic work.
19. Counselling units in school should be more effective in assisting cultists to renounce their membership and preventing others from joining.
20. Politicians and wealthy and influential members of society should desist from patronizing, protecting and rendering financial support to cultists.
21. Maximum protection by relevant authorities for cultists who are willing or have renounced their membership.
22. Schools should sensitize student bodies against cultism and encourage them to form vanguard groups to resist cult activities.
23. Lasting solutions to cultism should be sought by all stakeholders in the education of the child eg parents, teachers, religious leaders, and government, among others.
24. Definite legislation that will pass a death sentence to anybody found guilty of cult activities on campuses.
25. Moral education should be made compulsory in primary, and secondary schools and should also be taught in General studies in tertiary
26. Parents should take time to understand their children, give enough time to listen to them at home and satisfy their emotional, psychological and physical needs.
27. Parents should know and watch the friends of their wards. They should also take the time to watch any strange behaviour put up by their wards and correct them immediately.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS IN PREVENTING CULTISM

1. Youth empowerment
2. Enacting enabling laws proscribing cultism and other secret societies.
3. Newly admitted students are made to take an oath not to belong to any secret cult.
4. Expulsion of any student found to be a member of the secret cult from campus.
5. Prosecution and sentencing to jail term for those found guilty of any cult-related activities.
6. Public enlightenment campaign against cultism.
7. Encouraging public renunciation of membership of secret societies/cults.
8. Introduction of civic education to educate citizens on social vices and other immoral behaviour associated with cultism in schools.
9. Enhancing secret presence in schools and colleges.
10. Sensitization on traditional, print and social media on the implication of cultism