Civic Education · Lesson 6

Cultism and drug abuse

WAECNECO

What the syllabus asks

WAEC: WAEC/NECO Civic Education, Section B (Emerging Issues in the Society), Topic 8 Cultism: meaning and origin; cult groups in Nigeria and their symbols; reasons; consequences; prevention. Topic 9 Drugs and Drug Abuse: meaning; drugs that can be abused; how drugs are abused; symptoms; behaviours of drug addicts; prevention; government agencies (NDLEA, NAFDAC) and their activities; laws against drug…

NECO: WAEC/NECO Civic Education, Section B (Emerging Issues in the Society), Topic 8 Cultism: meaning and origin; cult groups in Nigeria and their symbols; reasons; consequences; prevention. Topic 9 Drugs and Drug Abuse: meaning; drugs that can be abused; how drugs are abused; symptoms; behaviours of drug addicts; prevention; government agencies (NDLEA, NAFDAC) and their activities; laws against drug…

What you will learn

Explain the meaning and origin of cultism and identify how cult groups in Nigeria show their identity.
State reasons why young people join cults and the consequences of cultism.
Suggest ways of preventing cultism.
Define drug abuse; identify drugs commonly abused and how they are abused.
Describe the symptoms of drug abuse and behaviours of addicts, and ways of prevention.
Explain the roles of NDLEA, NAFDAC and other bodies, and the laws against drug abuse.

Key points

Cultism: activities of secret groups bound by oaths and rituals, often violent; features include secrecy, initiation, signs and rivalry.
Origin: campus confraternities are often traced to the Pyrates Confraternity (University College, Ibadan, 1952, non-violent at founding); violent groups emerged later.
Symbols: colours, emblems, names, hand signs, slogans and tattoos; symbols are warning signs, not proof.
Reasons: peer pressure, protection, power, poor parenting, poverty, academic weakness, drugs, bad role models, weak enforcement.
Consequences: death, injury, jail, expulsion, insecurity, school closures, waste of talent, poor national image.
Prevention: parents, counselling, positive clubs, orientation, enforcing laws (s.38(4) and state laws), jobs.
Drug abuse: use without medical need, in excess, or other than prescribed; misuse is wrong use from ignorance.
Abused drugs: cannabis, tramadol, codeine, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, tobacco, sedatives, inhalants; methods: swallowing, smoking, sniffing, injecting, mixing.
Signs: red eyes, weight loss, mood swings, falling grades, stealing, secrecy, withdrawal from family.
Agencies and laws: NDLEA (Decree 48, 1989), NAFDAC (Decree 15, 1993), Police, Customs; NDLEA Act, NAFDAC Act, Tobacco Control Act 2015; 26 June is the international anti-drug day.

Start here: Meaning and origin of cultism

Imagine a first-year student who is approached by friendly senior students. They promise protection, popularity and good grades, but insist that everything must be kept secret. Within months he is attending night meetings, has sworn an oath and is carrying a weapon. This is how many young people are drawn into cultism.

Cultism is the practice and activities of a secret group (a cult) whose members are bound together by oaths, rituals and secret signs, whose aims and activities are hidden from the public, and which often uses intimidation and violence against members and non-members.

Features of secret cults

Secrecy of membership, meetings and rituals.
Oaths of loyalty, often with threats of death for betrayal.
Initiation ceremonies, frequently violent.
Special names, colours, signs, slogans and hand signals.
Meetings at night or in hidden places.
Use of violence, weapons and intimidation.
Rivalry and "wars" with other cult groups.

Origin of cultism in Nigerian institutions

Many writers trace campus confraternities to the Pyrates Confraternity, founded in 1952 at University College, Ibadan, by a group of students that included Wole Soyinka, later a Nobel laureate in Literature (1986). The founders described it as a non-violent group opposed to colonial attitudes, elitism and tribalism, and it still describes itself in this way. In later decades, other groups emerged, some through splits, and many adopted secrecy, violence and criminal activities. From universities, cultism spread to polytechnics, colleges of education, secondary schools and communities.

Worked example 6.1

Distinguish between a lawful club (such as a debating society) and a secret cult.

A lawful club has open membership, registered officers and known activities; a cult is secret.
A club uses persuasion; a cult uses oaths, threats and violence.
A club is approved by the school; a cult is banned by school rules and by law.

Openness and lawful aims versus secrecy and violence.

⚠️ Common mistake: confusing cultism with religion. Cultism here means secret violent societies, not lawful religious worship. The Constitution protects religion but not secret societies (s.38(4)).

Try it yourself. State three features of secret cults.

Show solution

Any three: secrecy, oaths, initiation, special signs and colours, night meetings, violence, rivalry.

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Practice questions

1. Cultism refers to

activities of secret groups bound by oaths and rituals
membership of a church
sports clubs
political parties

Show answer

A: activities of secret groups bound by oaths and rituals
Often violent.

2. The Pyrates Confraternity was founded in 1952 at

University of Lagos
Ahmadu Bello University
University of Nigeria, Nsukka
University College, Ibadan

Show answer

D: University College, Ibadan
It was non-violent at its founding.

3. A major reason why young people join cults is

academic excellence
strong school rules
peer pressure
good parenting

Show answer

C: peer pressure
Also desire for protection and power.

4. Which is a consequence of cultism?

National honour
Loss of lives and school closures
Better grades
More security

Show answer

B: Loss of lives and school closures
Violence disrupts education.

5. Drug abuse is

use of drugs without medical need or in excess
taking drugs as prescribed
selling drugs legally
producing medicine

Show answer

A: use of drugs without medical need or in excess
Misuse is wrong use from ignorance.

Key words

Cultism: The activities of secret groups whose members are bound by oaths and rituals, often involving violence and intimidation.
Secret society: A society whose membership, meetings or rituals are kept secret; membership is excluded from constitutional protection by section 38(4).
Confraternity: A brotherhood or association; on Nigerian campuses the word is often used for cult groups.
Initiation: The ceremony by which a new member is admitted, often involving oaths and violence in cult groups.
Drug: Any substance that changes how the body or mind works when taken.
Drug abuse: Use of a drug without medical need, in excess, or other than as prescribed.
Drug misuse: Using a medicine wrongly, e.g. the wrong dose, often out of ignorance.
Addiction (dependence): A condition in which a person feels a compulsion to keep taking a drug despite harm.
Withdrawal symptoms: Unpleasant physical and mental effects when a dependent person stops a drug.
Tolerance: Needing more of a drug to get the same effect.
Psychoactive substance: A substance that affects the brain, mood or perception.
Narcotic: A drug that relieves pain and causes drowsiness, and can cause dependence, e.g. opioids.

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