UGHELLI/Nigeria: The Eye on the Future Initiative (EFI), in partnership with the Precious Family Charity Aid Foundation, launched an intensive sensitization campaign against the growing menace of cultism in schools across Nigeria.
The campaign kicked off on Tuesday at Oviri-Ogor Secondary School in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, with a focus on educating students about the dangers of cult involvement and other social vices.
Speaking to the students, Comrade Josephine Omodior, the Executive Director of EFI, highlighted the manipulative tactics often used by cults to recruit members, emphasizing the physical, emotional, and psychological harms associated with these groups.
Omodior warned that cults frequently engage in illegal activities, including drug trafficking, violence, and other criminal enterprises, which not only threaten the peace of educational institutions but also destabilize society at large.
“Cultism undermines peace in schools and the wider community. It exploits young minds and drags them into illegal activities that bring lifelong emotional trauma, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),” she said.
She urged students to be vigilant and report any recruitment attempts to their parents or teachers, while also advising those already involved to seek help immediately.
Expanding on the dangers, she explained that cults often use fear and intimidation to control both their members and the community, creating environments rife with violence, drug abuse, and economic exploitation.
“Cult members are often manipulated and exploited, leading to severe economic hardship. Cultism hinders social progress by promoting harmful beliefs and practices, which can eventually result in social unrest and instability,” she added.
The EFI director stressed that eradicating cultism requires a collective effort, particularly through education and community engagement, to create safer environments for young people. As part of the campaign, the initiative distributed educational materials to the students, emphasizing the importance of education in combatting cultism and fostering responsible leadership.
The principal of Oviri-Ogor Secondary School, Mr. Aroture Oshevire, commended the efforts of EFI and the Precious Family Charity Aid Foundation for the initiative. He noted that the campaign has the potential to significantly raise awareness among students about the consequences of cult involvement. “Students must not allow themselves to be lured into cultism or other social vices, which can destroy their future. They are the leaders of tomorrow, and their decisions today will shape the society of the future,” Oshevire concluded.
The anti-cultism sensitization drive is part of a broader effort to tackle the growing threat of cultism in Nigerian schools, with the ultimate goal of fostering a peaceful and progressive learning environment for students across the country.
