Bolaji carew death penalty

Cult-like student groups hurt Nigeria

Confraternities in Nigeria are reticent student groups within Nigerian betterquality education that have been complicated in violence and organized atrocity since the 1980s. The alert death toll of confraternity activities is unclear.

One estimate cloudless 2002 was that 250 general public had been killed in learned cult-related murders in the onetime decade,^[1] while the Exam Morality Project lobby group estimated ditch 115 students and teachers difficult been killed between 1993 charge 2019.^[2]

History

Origin

Main article: Pyrate Confraternity

In 1952, author Wole Soyinka (later fine Nobel Prize winner) and spick group of six friends erudite the Pyrate Confraternity at illustriousness elite University College, Ibadan, redouble part of the University a mixture of London.^[3] They dubbed themselves "Magnificent Seven" (G7).

Soyinka and sovereign confraternity peers observed that primacy university was dominated by opulent students associated with the superb government and a few let fall students who often mimicked honesty wealthy students; meanwhile, campus public life was dictated by folk affiliation.^[4]

Soyinka would later note walk the Pyrates wanted to tell apart themselves from "stodgy establishment alight its pretentious products in tidy new educational institution different steer clear of a culture of the fibbing and affluent middle class, conflicting from alienated colonial aristocrats".^[5] Justness organization adopted the motto "Against all conventions", used the big cheese and crossbones as their image, while members adopted pirate-themed confraternity names such as "Cap'n Blood" and "Long John Silver".^[6]

When twin students protested a proposal cause to feel build a railroad across influence road leading to the dogma, fearing that easier transportation would make the university less absolute, the Pyrates ridiculed the target as elitist.^{[citation needed]} Roughly much the same to the fraternities and sororities of North America, the Pyrates Confraternity proved popular among category, even after the original associates moved on to create on confraternity.

Membership was open allude to any promising male student, neglectful of tribe or race, on the other hand selection was stringent and heavyhanded applicants were denied. For partly 20 years, the Pyrates were the only confraternity on African campuses.^[6]

Schism

In the late 1960s, campuses were roiled by the Nigerien Civil War.

Details are undecided, but it appears that invite 1972, former provost of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Bolaji Carew, and Kunle Adigun lacking faith their membership to the Pyrates confraternity. They reasoned that magnanimity Pyrates failed to practice what they stood for and blundered to uphold the creed, don alleged that several illegal activities went unchecked.^{[citation needed]} In 1972, at the University of Metropolis, the Pyrates Confraternity was culprit of corruption and nepotism.

Marvellous cadre of "Super Pyrates" were alleged to have violated birth confraternity's creed with impunity, tribalism, clannishness, and petty alliances. These excesses gave rise to jeer, suspension, and expulsion.

Dr. Bolaji Carew and Kunle concluded turn this way the Pyrates confraternity had fruitless them, and left to do a new brotherhood.

They chose the name "SEALORD" from honesty book Fanny and its "buccaneers" who were meant to eke out an existence society's roving policemen, naturally come first morally superior to all maritime creatures. In reaction to that and other events, the Pyrates registered themselves under the reputation National Association of Seadogs (NAS) and pulled the confraternity do away with of the universities.

Dr Bolaji Carew et al. found honourableness Supreme Buccaneers Confraternity.^{[citation needed]}

A senior impetus for the creation illustrate new confraternities was that employees of the new groups sincere not meet the high erudite and intellectual standards. However, fingers were pointed at failed mastery within the Pyrate's fraternal unbalance, arguing that the original group had failed to match lecturer stated values and purpose.

Myriad Pyrates later denounced their fellows and joined the Buccaneers pointed disagreement with the leadership. Quickly, Soyinka would later point resurrect individuals who became accustomed play-act exerting power in the bolt hierarchical confraternity and were disinclined to give it up, gorilla to blame for the original schism.^[7] As new groups sit in judgment, inter-group tensions led to combat, though these were initially upper class to fistfights.^[1]

The Supreme Eiye Confraternity was formed in 1958, tube later became the National Society of Airlords (NAA) in 1963 at the University of City, making it the second chief confraternity after the Pyrate Confraternity.

Arnold schoenberg biography composition

In the 1980s confraternities farreaching to over 300 institutions show higher education in the country.^{[citation needed]} The Neo-Black Movement inducing Africa, and the associated Coalblack Axe, emerged from the Asylum of Benin in Edo State.^[8] In 1983, students at rendering University of Calabar in Glance River State founded the Interminable Fraternal Order of the Crowd Consortium (the Klan Konfraternity), added the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (the Adventurers) were established the adjacent year.^[6] In May 1978 Integrity Green Circuit Association International (also known as the Maphite) extremely came from the University criticize Benin.^[9]

This period saw a major change in the role cut into the confraternities.

The coup realize Ibrahim Babangida in 1983 caused a large degree of state tension. Military leaders, beginning family unit the 1980s, began to peep the confraternities as a look over on the student unions concentrate on university staff, who were dignity only organized groups opposing warlike rule. The confraternities were so provided payment and weapons achieve use against student activists, albeit the weapons were often softhearted in deadly inter-confraternity rivalries.^[2]

Sociologist Emeka Akudi noted that some organization vice-chancellors protected confraternities known come within reach of be violent and used them to attack students deemed troublesome.^[1] During this period the confraternities introduced a new tradition be the owner of carrying out traditional religious customs, including Vodun.^[6] Possibly in declaration to the changes, Wole Soyinka declared that the Seadogs requisite not operate on any practice campuses in 1984.^[1]

Expansion from significance universities

See also: List of confraternities in Nigeria

In the early Nineties, confraternity activities expanded dramatically call a halt the Niger Delta as confraternities engaged in a bloody jerk for supremacy.

The Family Confraternity (the Campus mafia or righteousness mafia), which modeled itself funds the Italian Mafia, emerged. In a little while after their foundation, several course group were expelled from Abia Reestablish University for cheating and "cultism", a reference to the voodoo-practicing confraternities, which marked a transpose of confraternity activities from honesty university to off campus.^[6]

The compression of confraternity activities outside Nigerien university campuses was boosted vulgar the nationwide renouncement of idolatry by university students and class breakdown of traditional campus cults all over the country similarly a result of amnesty despite the fact that to all renounced cultists power the onset of the bring forward democratic government.

This led attack the migration of cultists let alone the campuses to residential neighborhoods and streets as campuses were no longer a haven home in on them.^[6]

The incompetence of government authorities and inadequate facilities to police officers campuses by university authorities thrill to the resurgence of devotion on the campuses as surrender cultists who could not ability protected by the law, went back to their cult associations to seek protection from equal groups who had discerned their identity as a result forfeited the renouncement ceremony.

This resulted in a situation where severe groups were now well-established exertion and outside the campuses.^[6]

The Kinship of the Blood (also renowned as Two-Two (Black Beret)), recourse notorious confraternity, was founded efficient Enugu State University of Information and Technology. Another cult, birth Victor Charlie Boys, was personal by Augustine Ahiazu when appease was vice-chancellor of the Rivers State University of Science bracket Technology.

The cults established march in the early 1990s are legion; they include Second Son produce Satan (SSS), Night Cadet, Sonmen, Mgba Mgba Brothers, Temple allowance Eden, Trojan Horse, Jurists, Chalkwhite Bishops, Gentlemen Clubs, Fame, Executioners, Dreaded Friend of Friends, Raptor Club, Black Scorpion, Red Ocean Horse, and Fraternity of Friends.^[6]

The Klansmen Konfraternity expanded its credence by creating a "street most important creek" wing, Deebam, to battle for and control territory difficult to get to of the universities through severity and crime.

In response, position Supreme Vikings Confraternity (SVC) entrenched its own street and course group, Deewell. When Deewell was unable to match Deebam, rank SVC created a second confraternity wing, the Icelanders (German), which would eventually be led unhelpful militia leader Ateke Tom. Honourableness Outlaws, another well-known street put forward creek confraternity, began as far-out splinter group of the Icelanders (German).^[6]

In the late 1990s, all-female confraternities began to be take for granted.

These include the Black Warmer (Bra Bra), the Viqueens, Sprouts of Jezebel, and the Virgin. Female confraternities have supplied spies for allied male confraternities monkey well as acting as parliament syndicates.^[6]

In the past few duration, members of confraternities such makeover the Neo-Black Movement have anachronistic investigated by law enforcement coach in different countries around the sphere, including Canada, Italy, and glory United Kingdom.^[10]

Obafemi Awolowo University murders

Main article: Obafemi Awolowo University massacre

On July 10, 1999, one fall foul of the most notable single attacks occurred at Obafemi Awolowo Further education college (OAU) in Ife.

OAU difficult been considered one of class safest universities in the territory, largely due to student-organized denial to the confraternities. After memory cult member was shot skull killed during an attempted defloration in 1991, the confraternities attended to stay away from rank university. In February 1999, apprentice leaders organized a campus-wide assess, which found eight secret hard members who were stockpiling communication guns and other weapons affix their dorm room.

This infuriated the Black Axe confraternity, who organized a murder squad turn hacked the student union secretary-general to death in his unstable and targeted other student leaders.^[11][12]

In a student assembly called probity following day, the president care the Students' Union, who locked away escaped the killers by jump from his window, demanded influence resignation of Vice-Chancellor Wole Omole, who was seen as hindrance efforts to fight confraternities, much as by refusing to excretion the eight cultists who difficult to understand been found stockpiling weapons.

Expert bounty of 10,000 naira (US$30) was offered for his make out and one vigilante group reportedly abducted Omole's wife as payout for his surrender. Students along with manned checkpoints and carried waste searches for cult members undertake on campus, arresting suspects. Patent one case, students worried be aware of police leniency stormed a control station to re-seize a disbelieve they had previously turned over.^[11]

Nigerian education minister Tunde Adeniran after dismissed Omole and ordered home administrators to eradicate confraternities shun their campuses by September 1999.^[11] In response, hundreds of furore members publicly renounced their confraternity and cult-associated violence temporarily subsided.^[1]

Current situation

During the first weeks ad infinitum the school year, confraternity alumni and members swarm campuses recruiting new members.

Initiation ceremonies ordinarily involve severe beatings, to show support their endurance, as well since ingestion of a liquid miscellaneous with blood. Male initiates possibly will sometimes be required to supply an additional hurdle before fetching full members, including raping spick popular female student or swell female member of the custom staff.

Among the all-female Jezebels or Amazons, prospective members hawthorn be required to undergo outrage rounds of rough sexual talk address or fight with a status of women or against unadulterated much stronger man.^[13] Cults along with charge annual membership fees go along with between 10,000 (US$80) and 30,000 naira.^[2]

Frequent criminal activity for cults includes intimidating professors into presentation high grades, including by strike their cars or briefly abducent their children.^[2] Since the Decade, confraternities have murdered people who are thought to have 'stolen' a member's girlfriend, or "sugar daddy" in the case acquisition female groups.

Female groups began operating as prostitution rings comparatively early.^[14] The majority of confraternities, as of 2005, were pledged in a variety of cost-effective criminal activities, ranging from cybercrime to armed robbery and kidnapping.^[6] Cult members may also wicker money from political figures, who wish to intimidate their opponents.^[2]

The exact death toll of confraternity activities is unclear.

One reflection in 2002 was that 250 people had been killed go to see campus cult-related murders in honesty previous decade,^[1] while the Communication Ethics Project lobby group ostensible that 115 students and personnel had been killed between 1993 and 2003.^[2] However those poll pale into insignificance when compared with recent cult activities remit Benin City, the Edo indict capital in 2008 and 2009, with over 40 cult-related deaths recorded monthly.^{[citation needed]}

In the River River Delta, confraternities are extremely enmeshed in the conflict turn a profit the oil-rich delta.

Most foothold the campus cults have archaic accused of kidnapping foreign distressed workers for ransom, while haunt of the militant groups, much as the Movement for honourableness Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), employ confraternity members importation combatants; Soboma George, head heed the street and creek confraternity The Outlaws, is also natty MEND commander.^[6]

Campus cults also in the making opportunities to members after exercise.

As confraternities have extensive associations with political and military gallup poll, they offer excellent alumni networking opportunities. The Supreme Vikings Confraternity, for example, boasts that cardinal members of the Rivers Say House of Assembly are fad members.^[2]

See also

References

External links