Question 6:     (a) List five consequences of cultism.
                        (b) Highlight five ways by which cultism can be prevented.

This question was fairly attempted by the candidates; those who attempted it scored high marks. Nevertheless, their answers were not as diverse as those given in the marking scheme. The candidates were expected to provide the following answers to the question:

 (a)

•      Breakdown of law and order.
•      Violence and social instability.
•      Disruption of academic activities.
•      Disorientation of societal values.
•      Premature death of youths who are cult members/innocent victims.
•      Drug addiction and related health problems.

(vii)     Embarrassment for families and parents.
                        (viii)    Bad image for the individual/family/society.
                        (ix)      Spiritual problems for cultists and their families.
                        (x)        Proliferation of arms and other weapons.
                        (xi)       Destroys the future of the youths.
                        (xii)      Committing murder and other crimes e.g. armed robbery, rape, kidnapping and
so on.
                        (xiii)     Poor academic performance.
                        (xiv)     Immoral activities and indiscipline.
(b)
                         (i)       Parents should pay more attention to their children’s upbringing and educate
them properly on acceptable standards of behaviour.
(ii)        Students should be encouraged to join religious groups and develop the fear of
God because the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

• Educational institutions and the government should enact very stiff laws against

cultism and strictly enforce such laws.

• Religious organizations should specifically organize their own religious

programmes to preach against cultism.

• Authorities of tertiary institutions should organize regular seminars and

Sensitization campaigns to enlighten people on the adverse effects of cultism.
(vi)       Students should be encouraged to work hard in school.
(vii)      Parents should show good examples to their children.
(viii)     The teaching and learning environment should be conducive.

•        Civil society groups should embark on advocacy programmes against cultism.
•        The media should be encouraged to project programmes that would sensitize  

       youths on the danger of cultism.
(xi)       Stiffer punishment for cultists to serve as deterrent to others.
(xii)       Sports and recreational activities should be encouraged to engage the youths.
(xiii)      Students should be responsible enough to shun acts that could lead to cultism
             e.g. keeping bad company, drunkenness, use of hard drug and so on.
(xiv)      Counseling units in schools should be more effective in assisting cultists to
  renounce their membership and preventing others from joining.
(xv)        Politicians, wealthy and influential members of the public should desist from
              patronizing, protecting and rendering financial support to cultists.
(xvi)       Maximum protection by relevant authorities for cultists who are willing or have
  renounced their membership.
(xvii)      Schools should sensitize student bodies against cultism and encourage them to
  form vanguard groups to resist cult activities.

•   Lasting solution to cultism should be sought by all stakeholders in the education

  of the child e.g. parents, teachers, religious leaders, government to mention a
  few.