CAMPAIGN AGAINST CULTISM AND OTHER VICES, THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS
The rampaging activities of cult groups in society and their negative consequences on the lives of our youths, social activities amongst others cannot be overemphasized. Cultism has remained the mother of all crime and source of various social disorders such as violent behaviors, substance and Drug Abuse as well as sexual Risky Behaviours.
Studies indicate that some youths have lost their lives while some are seen to have abandoned their businesses and academic activities due to fear of reprisal hit by rival cult groups while others are yet to finish their woeful stories due to injuries and maiming of the body. Indeed, studies conducted by POCACOV Research Centre, Enugu has shown that young minds usually become members of Secret Cult groups because of certain ideologies and narratives usually presented to them such as becoming influential (Famous), Protection, Peer group influence, Lack of confidence, Ignorance, Threat/Coercion, Inability of young minds to understand that secret cult is not a culture to be embraced or way of life to make them become champions of their dreams. The consequences of cultism are enormous and with its detrimental effects such as imprisonment, Rustication or expulsion from school, Protracted Sorrows, Perpetual fear, Loss of peace of mind, untimely death and also occasioning of life-threatening injuries, Disruption of Business, Academic and Social Activities amongst.
When Cultism started, it was left then at the corridors of tertiary education students and later grew up to become a worrying issue until the then Nationwide mass Renunciation of suspected cult members in campuses organized by the Federal Government through the federal ministry of Education which paid off as the menace was reduced. Today, Cultism has now become a global pandemic which was shown in the arrests of some young Nigerians last year in Italy by the Italian Police over their involvement in cult activities such as voodoo, trafficking in persons, internet fraud, and other associated vices in Italy with their branches all over Europe and other parts of the country.
The young Nigerians were said to be members of the Supreme Eiye Confraternity(S.E,C) with its root from Nigeria to Italy and Europe, and other parts of the world. Today, some young Nigerians who are Artisans such as mason, Carpenter, Commercial Bus drivers and conductors, some political class, business moguls amongst others have taken to membership into cult groups and a situation that has promoted violent behaviors and activities in our various communities.
If Nothing drastic is done now to help our young minds overcome the challenges of this negative ideology/Narratives, it will then means that society is comfortably sitting on the keg of gunpowder. Stakeholders must have to identify with the noble community-driven program of the Nigeria Police Force called Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices (POCACOV) and support it to constantly carry out its functions of Advocacy, Awareness Creation and sensitization, Mentoring, and Reorientation in order to save our young minds from the claws of cultism and other vices.
POCACOV was initiated as a community-driven program to combat cultism and other vices through stakeholders engagement and away from core law enforcement approach as issues relating to cultism revolves around the creation of ideologies and narratives that usually trapped down our young minds and shutting off from discovering themselves as the veritable source and channels for community development. It is also a way of applying new remedies of cutting off the supply chains and conveyor belt just as Francis bacon will put it that He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils: for time is the greatest innovator. It is a community-driven and Public Relations program of the Nigeria Police Force linked to its Public safety and security framework.
It is a program that has come to provide sustainable solutions to Youths Challenges leading to involvement in crime and criminality especially cultism and other vices through stakeholders’ participation and involvement. It is a program that has come to redirect the thinking and mindset of our young minds towards meaningful ventures and also the fact that they are future champions who need to be focused, dedicated, Say No to cultism and other vices and be a champion. The Nigeria Police Force has built the program around the people hence the slogan IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU because according to Robert peel, the Police Are the Public and the public are the police. As a community-driven program, it has POCACOV/NYSC Community Development Service(CDS), It has Pocacov Ambassadors drawn from amongst broadspectrum of Notable movie actors, actress, celebrities, and superstars serving as influenzas to our young minds, The program has POCACOV Volunteer Clubs for safer school and communities drawn from amongst relevant stakeholders in a given state and community.
Pocacov has Fan clubs in schools with mouth-watering activity-based programs such as chess clubs, taekwondo, Dikeohamatics games, Passion Talks for schools amongst others. Pocacov has Traditional Rulers consultative forums and Religious Leaders Consultative forums amongst others. The campaign is currently ongoing in the country to mitigate cultism, substance and drug Abuse, Associated violence, and other vices in society.
The recent passing into law a bill on Anti Cultism known now as Anti-Cultism Law by the Lagos State Government is a welcome development as it will help mitigate cultism and other vices, this also will reinforce the efforts of the Nigeria Police Force in its campaign Against cultism and other vices while others are expected to emulate Lagos examples. It is also on record that many members of suspected cult groups have turned into a new leaf by leaving their old ways have embraced the message of POCACOV thereby serving as peace committee members.
They have also returned their weapons and stepping out from the negative ideologies shutting them from becoming a champion. As the campaign is intensified across the federation using various community-driven measures and platforms, the efforts of Some Royal Fathers in the community serving as Grand patrons and patrons of the campaign are commendable especially that of the traditional Ruler Ikere-Ekiti, OBA Adejimi Adu whose community organized Voluntary Renunciation of cult members recently which led to the renunciation of seventy (70) Youths of various cult membership group as well surrendering of dangerous weapons.
Similar Renunciation exercises have taken place in many Ikwerre and Etche Rivers state communities I the recent time where the Nigeria Police Force has domiciled the campaign as it begins to roll from state to state. What is now required in the ongoing campaign against cultism and other vices by the Nigeria Police Force to achieve the overall success in the youths value reorientation, self-discovery, and strategic leadership direction which in turn will promote community peace and development, is for all stakeholders to identify with the ongoing campaign and participate actively for effective reorientation of our young minds.
LET’S JOIN HANDS WITH POCACOV TODAY TO SAY NO CULTISM AND OTHER VICES AND BE A CHAMPION.