DISCLAIMER:AM I A SECRET CULTIST?

Prince Michael Nku Abuo 

One interesting component about the English Language is that a single word can have more than one meaning and it meaning varies depending on usage and context.Now the genric 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 cult and the difference is clarified below.

Across the globe several cults are founded and engaged on ideals for the good of mankind and I define them as "good"(For social good, pursue and attain initiatives towards the development of humanity) and other ones I will term as bad(Are involved in antisocial acts and engage in activities against development).

The activities of the good usually is open,involves act geared summarily towards the preservation 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 was secret, these group were now termed "secret cult".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 following ideals was propounded as their focus(Original Ideals):

" ...July 7th, in our calendar means so much to us especially to our founders and pioneers who saw to the formation and early days victory encountered by the movement.

The core of my founders day message for 2017, will be... to stand up tall to defend the original ideals, norms and values which informed our formation. We are aware that most of these ideals have been reinforced, modified and redirected over time.

In defending these ideals, we must understand clearly that we should develop a "mindset" which will be entrenched as a part of our organisational culture, hence reflecting who we are, what we believe in and our vision/goal. Ayes, let us take time to reflect on our recently concluded convention themed "Restoring and Repositioning Ideals for a better Future".

We saw how formidable we can be when we come together to bring about developmental changes in our community, city, region and country. Our ideals must be restored! Our ideals must be repositioned! Our ideals must be what rules and direct our mind!

Ayes, we must redirect our mindset toward the common good of mankind. It further gladdens my heart to see how several regions have taken on board the attitude of redirecting our developmental ideals as part of their activities as evident in several summits including the ongoing summit at Spain and Ghana.

We will not be glorious...when our ideals are only limited to overcoming diseases by donating to hospitals, providing treatment and awareness to communities, we will not limit our ideals to partnering with groups and law enforcement agencies to promote justice for all, we will not limit our ideals to promoting education by donating to schools, we will not limit our ideals to protecting the environment by planting trees, we will not limit our ideals to supporting the displaced persons and less privileges in our society. We will not be limited! We are glorious Axemen!

We will take our ideals through to holding corrupt governments accountable, we will take our ideals to liberating communities and nations held bound by evil leaders and their cohorts. We will be the voice of the voiceless and the hope of those who think the future has nothing to offer! We will be the "Neo Blackists" the world will embrace and seek for advice/counsel.

Ayes, achieving all of these is not only a responsibility of the NEXCO and I, it is our responsibility as Axemen, it is our duty to see to all of these been achieved. We all have a role to play in our own little way from the very community we reside to the world over! Ayes, let us use today as a day to remind ourselves as the "founders" that we represent to carry out that little activity that will bring about developmental change in line with our core ideals. May Olodumare strengthen us and see us through. Asee!
Ayes, let us celebrate responsibly, let our Neighbours feel the love that radiates in us.

Yours In The Struggle
NH
#TeamNBM "

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) CRS 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 tarntamount 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.I also before the menace of cultism became this prevalent in the state 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, did not promote violence in any way and resonated with their recent convention in Calabar were the group made a public show of goodwill&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 as noble.

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, JP
Special Assistant Student Affairs and Youth Mobilization to The Governor of Cross River State and Director General CROSS RIVER STATE POLITICAL NETWORK