CULTISM IN ELEME: THE WAY FORWARD
INTRODUCTION
Cultists are group of persons or
illegal gang that operates underworld and without public recognition that may
be violent in nature against nonmembers especially when a member or group
inordinate needs and demands are not met. Cultism is a cankerworm that has
eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society and has shattered the once
serene Ebubu clan. In recent times we have recorded over thirty painful
cult related deaths. While some were shot dead; others were strangled to
death, yet others died in cult associated fatal road mishap during the
burial of a victim of cultists’ outburst.
Apart
from the display of shame, the Ebubu Cult Crisis from August 8 to September 29,
2013 resulted in the dead of over 30 people; a hundred families and two hundred
and twenty individuals were displaced; about 10 others were injured; properties
worth over 1billion Naira were damaged and the socio-economic life of Ebubu
completely paralyzed.
Of the five categories of cults in
Nigeria namely: classical confraternities, mafia cults, female cults,
godfathers’ cults and terrorists’ cults, two are present and operational in
Ebubu. These are godfather’s cults and terrorist’s cults. Godfatherism is fast
growing secret cult in Eleme, especially with the approach of elections. The
godfathers lure these innocent youths with drugs and monetary inducement and
further promises to shield them, give them political appointments and huge
monetary rewards which usually turn out to be ruse.
The cultists in Ebubu concern
themselves with perpetuating crimes and fear of crimes by constantly
terrorizing law abiding citizens, disposing them of their properties, rapping
and killing. The ancient city became deserted when the cultists introduced
robbing and rapping into their operating formula.
The chiefs and elders’ attempt to
use “Ogbe” to control arms bearing and other violent crimes failed due to high
level of insincerity displaced by the traditional rulers, Chiefs and Elders.
The fear by some of these chiefs that their family may be victimized due to
their complexity in the cult crisis necessitated the quick removal of the
“Ogbe”. And the secret revocation of the “Ogbe”, brought about the collapsed of
traditional authority as things felled apart. However, efforts were marshaled
by few traditional rulers who were at home with the assistant of the Executive
Chairman of Eleme Local Government Council, Hon. Oji N. Ngofa to use
intelligence and law enforcement resources to control these youths, which
yielded positive results and provided the platform for the majority of the Traditional
Rulers, Chiefs and Elders on self-exile to return home.
It is clear that the Ebubu Youth
Council Caretaker Committee have failed to address the Ebubu Cult crisis, the
major problem it was created to solve. This failure is a clear manifestation of
the rot in our system and the danger in politicizing youth leadership.
As peace is gradually returning, it
will be disservice to the Eleme nation, if we wait until these young boys and
girls get further loose, relocate to “Ɔpε” or into the creeks and
consolidate to unleash greater havoc on the masses before we act. The
invocation of “Ete Ɔpᴐᴐ”
(Traditional Mace) and “Nkpᴐrᴐ” (Traditional Staff) are but temporary measures
likely to fail as did “Ogbe”.
CAUSES OF CULTISM
IN EBUBU
The problems of rising cases of
cultism and insecurity in Ebubu in particular and Eleme in general can be
traced to so many factors. Some of these factors are:
1. Intermittent Communal Crises
between Eleme and Okrika
These crises encouraged the procurement
of gun and knife proof charms for majority of the youths to protect them during
these wars. The cessation of hostilities did not terminate the potency or
otherwise of the charms. Majority of these youths still believe that they are
invisible, that they are guns and matches resistant. The crises also exposed
the youths to places where they can procure these charms.
2.
Chieftaincy Tussle and Acrimony
among the Chiefs
Chieftaincy tussle and acrimony
among the chiefs of Ebubu have assumed an alarming state. It is a cold war that
many do not know it exist yet its impact is being fetched in the activities of
these young boys and girls who are being misled for their sponsors’ selfish
goal. Government must address the emerging time bomb in Ebubu and in other clans
and communities of Eleme before it explodes and consume us all.
Government must step in to solve the
problems of acrimony among the chiefs in Ebubu to avoid total breakdown of law
and order. The rising fire can be felt by careful observers, especially
security experts who cannot claim ignorance of the danger posed by increasing
chieftaincy tussle and acrimony in Ebubu.
3.
Rivalry among Youths’ Body
The way and manner most of the youth’s
bodies in Ebubu were elected and inaugurated left much to be desired. In
most communities that constitute Ebubu due processes were not followed.
Besides, political considerations and personal interests took prominence over
transparency, common sense, and community interests. The results are rising
cult related killings, crimes and general fear of crimes. The government owes
it a duty to check undue rivalry among the youths by ensuring that where due
processes were not followed to elect and constitute a youth body, something is
done to address the shortcomings so as to carry everybody along and promote the
spirit of comradeship and brotherhood among the youths.
4.
Social Decay
The general collapse of the value
system, disregard for human life, lack of respect for elders and constituted
authorities, absence of the once cherished spirit of communal love and peaceful
coexistence, and total alienation of the youth from customs and tradition of
the people of Eleme due to rapid industrialization and shameless display of ill-gotten
wealth are major contributory factors to the uncontrollable incidents of cult
induced killings and wide spread terrorism in Ebubu that needed urgent remedy
through reorientation and reawakening.
5.
Unemployment
An idle mind is the devil’s workshop
says a popular adage. The rate of unemployment in Ebubu is alarming. You need
to take a walk around the community any afternoon and see for yourself the
number of youths idling away doing nothing. Something need to be done and
quickly too to address the problem of unemployment in Ebubu.
6. Illiteracy
The level of illiteracy in Ebubu is
very high compare to other clans of Eleme. This may sound embarrassing and
unacceptable to some of us, but, we must tell ourselves the truth for once. There
is urgent need for the government to device ways of getting our youths back to
school. An educated mind cannot be easily convinced into carrying weapons to
terminate the life of a fellow human being or destroy properties maliciously.
Government should look in this direction as part of long term solutions to
insecurity in Ebubu and Eleme generally.
7.
Desperate Politicians
It may seem myopic or even
unspeakable, but the fact is that some desperate politicians are behind the
cult crises in Ebubu either in preparation for the launch of their political
ambition or to propagate their popularity. Either way, ignorantly, though, they
should be told in clear terms that what they are doing tantamount to building
terrorists cell and is against the law of this country especially the
provisions of the Terrorism Prevention Act of 2011.
8.
Laxity on the Parts of Law
Enforcement
The laxity on the part of law
enforcement arises from the failure of intelligence security and the gap
existing between the Police, Neighborhood Guards and the citizens. The
State Security Service (SSS) as plain clothes force should as a matter of
priority sit up to its responsibility by gathering real time intelligence that
will help check these cultists and criminals. They can create a local ruse
force to conduct pseudo operations among these youths. There is urgent need for
greater presence and interactions in the communities, use of non-law
enforcement resources that breaks cultural, language and information barriers
and promotes trust and common goal.
Besides, the animosity and struggle
for supremacy between the SSS and the Police in Eleme which is visible and
which has robbed them the sharing of intelligence and other information over
the years, must be resolved now if the security agencies must deliver on their
mandates.
9.
Drug Abuse and Addiction
A walk along any street in Ebubu in
particalr and Eleme in general will reveal immediately the harm hard drugs has
done to our young boys and girls. There is virtually no street in Ebubu without
at least three to five drinking joints and a hard drugs dispensing closet. Most
cult related violence is traceable to effects of hard drugs. Security agencies
must brace up to the fight against drug abuse in the area. Identification and
rehabilitation of addicts is not out of place as part of immediate solution.
10. Arms
Proliferations
The proliferation of small arms in
Eleme is of great concern to security practitioners. While many of these arms
can be traced to the Eleme and Okrika communal conflicts as pointed out
earlier, others are linked to the recent Niger Delta “militants for negotiation
for development” operations. Still others were purchased by the criminally
minded to terrorized innocent citizens and residents and dispose them of their
belongings. There is therefore urgent need for the government to put all
necessary machinery into motion to mop-up these arms. Arm for money
strategy is recommended here propelled by the spirit of conditional amnesty.
11. Influx of Displaced Waterfronts’ Residents
The demolition
of waterfronts in Port Harcourt and its environs and the sacking of the
residents created hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Rivers
State. This development resulted in mass movement of different types of people
into Ebubu and contributed immensely to rising cases crimes in the area. The social
decays which prompted the sacking of these waterfronts are known to all of us.
These evils find their way into Ebubu and the result is increasing cult cases,
armed robbery, rapping and other crimes.
The inability of
the Rivers State Government to provide alternative settlements for these
internally displaced persons coupled with the lack of adequate arrangement to
mitigate the diverse negative impacts of unplanned mass movement of people into
Ebubu is worrisome, and therefore calls for immediate attention to addressing
the increasing security challenges arising therefrom.
It is therefore
not out of place to call on the authorities of Eleme Local Government to do something about “Trailer Park” in Ejamah Ebubu which has become the den of
criminals in the area. Attention should also be focused on the security red
spots in Alesa, Agbonchia, Akpajo, and Onne that are fast emerging as criminals
breeding centers in Eleme.
Conclusion
Cultism is
a thorn in the flesh of the people and a clog in the wheel of progress of Ebubu
Clan. To eradicate this monster, the family, school and church must
accept their responsibilities of providing good basic home training, moral and
spiritual orientation to the children. The government must eradicate those
issues that give rise to crimes and social decay, while law enforcement should
ensure that any person who falls short of the law faces the rod of the law.
This will create and sustain sanity in our society.
It is now the duty of
the various stakeholders in Ebubu Clan to avoid a repetition of the ugly
experience of the past which led to breakdown of law and order, and work
towards ensuring lasting peace in the area. This, they could do by constantly
and continuously monitoring the youth bodies in the area and calling them to
order whenever they are derailing. The chiefs on their part are also advised to
institute an effective and efficient peer review mechanism to prevent what
might be detrimental to the fragile peace in the area.
The Rivers State
Government should also consider the request of the traditional rulers, chiefs,
elders and opinion leaders of Ebubu Clan concerning establishing a Police Post
in the area. Considering the rapid industrialization that is taking place in
the area and uncontrollable influx of people from various parts of the world and
the country into Ebubu the request for a police station in the area is not out
of place but a priority. Police presence is a good deterrent.
Let it be pointed out
here that a place have been donated by the people, it has been inspected and
confirmed suitable by the police authority in Eleme. What is delaying the
approval and take off of the Police Post in Ebubu?
While appreciating the
efforts of the Council Chairman and Chiefs and Elders of Ebubu to checkmate the
menace of cultism, it is pertinent to call on all concerned stakeholders to
ensure that the passion and zeal demonstrated in the course of searching for
workable solutions to the problems of cultism is not abandoned midway as that
will be more disastrous.
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