By CrossRiverWatch Admin
One interesting component about the English Language is that a single word can have more than one meaning and its meaning varies depending on usage and context.
Now the generic word for this conversation is “cult”.
Below the word is defined.
According to Cowan Douglas, E (2003) in a publication titled Bearing False Witness?An Introduction To Christian Countercult, he defined cult thus: “The term cult usually refers to a social group defined by its religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or its common interest in a particular personality, object or goal ”
Therefore, cult can be said to be a group or group of persons coming together in agreement to attain specific goals for the interest of her members or society in general.
Putting this definition into consideration means that at one point or the other we are all cultists, (Members of one cult or the other).
For clarity we have the good and bad cults and the difference is clarified below.
Across the globe, several cults are founded and engaged in ideals for the good of mankind and I define them as “good” (for social good, to pursue and attain initiatives towards the development of humanity), and other ones I will term as bad cults, (Are involved in antisocial acts and engage in activities against development).
The activities of the good usually is open, involves acts geared summarily towards the preservatiovcn of life and her membership criteria is open but the later (bad) is usually clandestine, hidden and acts are against humanity and her membership requirments and activities are usually secret/nocturnal.
In the Nigerian context’ most “common” cults were founded in Universities to fight colonialism and other vices but over time most of these groups were negatively secularized and her members involve themselves in killing and maiming members of same or counter cults and even innocent people, express thuggery, armed robbery, engage in drug abuse, deals and other vices.
Their trademark of violence became an identity of these cults and since their activities were secret, these groups were now termed “secret cults”.
Recently, within the state, several cult related deaths have been reported as a result of inter and intracult clashes these acts have been linked to these secret cults.
Recently the NeoBlack Movement celebrated their founder’s day (Precisely on the 7th of July,2017) and espoused ideals towards the good of the society after successfully holding their convention in Calabar were the group paid courtesies to traditional institutions, state and government officials and also engaged in social works such as tree planting and various acts of charity.
In a post shared by the NEOBLACK MOVEMENT which was shared on the wall of the group to mark their founder’s day, the group called on their members to stand up tall to defend the original ideals, norms and values which informed their formation.
In defending these ideals, the group said they will work with the clear understanding that they all need to develop a “mindset” which will be entrenched as a part of their organisational culture, hence reflecting who they are and what they believe in.
Furthermore, as an endorsement to these ideals which is in furtherance of a positive and a developed society against the norms as generally believed, I shared the said post on my personal wall as a means of raising awareness against violent stance portrayed or associated to the said group and stated these ideals as noble, as encuragement of good.
As usual, this post was misinterpreted by many and I was even invited by the Department of State Services (DSS), Cross River State Command, an invitation I obliged and it is as a result of these misinterpretations that I make these clarifications:
1. I am not a “secret cultist” and have never been and will never be one.
2. I have severally and still campaign against violence in all it forms, shades and will never be a supporter of any anti-social group or acts tantamount to disruption of public peace and or development and this is a fact that everyone in the state knows even the devil knows that.
3. Also before the menace of cultism became this prevalent in the state, I set up a committee against cultism and violence in the state last year, we engaged the public and printed flyers in this regard etc.
4. Every opportunity I have had, I have used same to advice youths to eshew violence, shun all form of vices and engage themselves meaningfully towards the development of themselves and the society.
5. The NeoBlack Movement-NBM post I shared contained positive/developmental ideals, and did not promote violence in any way and resonated with their recent convention in Calabar were the group made a public show of goodwill and openly associated with both state, traditional and federal office holders including our own Commissioner of Information, the Ndidem of the Quas and Paramount Ruler of Calabar Municipality, the AIG of Police.
These facts are open and not a secret. It is for their noble assertion and acts that I shared the said post.
6. To youths who are members of secret cults, I advice you to renounce your membership and engage yourself positively while also discouraging those with interest to belong to desist from doing so.
7. I use this opportunity to encourage the public to report any security breach or anti-social acts to the closest law enforcement agencies as security is our collective responsibility.
In conclusion, I will always support noble ideals geared at peace and development and positive acts of groups or individuals and vigorously stand and speak up against acts from individuals or groups against the collective good of our state, our nation and humanity.
Let’s stand up, act and say:
#NoToViolence #NoToSecretCult #NoToSocialVices #NoToDrugAbuse #NoToDestruction in all forms and #NoToBlackMailers in all ramification.
I say #YesToGoodInAllRamification.
Prince Michael Nku Abuo, is the
Special Assistant, Student Affairs and Youth Mobilization to The Governor of Cross River State.