March 28, 2024
National Association of Seadogs Logo

By Eromosele Emmanuel

The National Association of Seadogs, also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, Ogun State Chapter celebrated its annual Feast of Barracuda on Saturday the 18th day of June, 2022 at 11:30 am at its Ankor point, Red Brick House, Unity Estate, Gbonogun, Obantoko, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The event, which was hybrid, has as its theme: Gangsterism, Hooliganism and Cultism in Nigeria: The Role of the family. Delivering a paper titled: Cultism, Hooliganism and Gangsterism: Consequences and How to Curb it, Professor, The Otunber Adegbemi Babatunde Onakoya, who was the key speaker, made the clarification between sororities or confraternities, cultism/cult groups/gangsand hooliganism. He, however, stated that cultism may be considered the root of hooliganism and gangsterism/gang action. He also noted that secret cults have existed in Nigeria before colonialism, alongside traditional institutions as agent of spiritual fortification, instruments of cleansing the community, age grade rites of passage among other socio-cultural roles. He noted that while sororities or confraternities were formed toengender social bonds and fight one form of ills or the other, there is no denying the fact that there are sinister groups which have become agents of terror, violence and destruction on our campuses and in the larger society.

WATCH VIDEO

People often associate the phenomenon of confraternity in Nigerian educational institutions with the creation of the Pyrates Confraternity. He observed that the ideals of the Pyrates are noble. Accordingly, ‘’the ideals behind the formation of the confraternity were both patriotic and altruistic as it was not imagined as a secret cult’’. It was formed ‘’to fight non-violently but intellectually and effectively against the imposition of foreign conventions, revive the age of chivalry; and to find a lasting solution to the problems of tribalism and elitism’’. Hence, when copy-cat confraternities whose ideas and activities are deleterious sprang up, the Pyrates Confraternity withdrew from the educational institutions.

He noted several causes of cultism including being used as thugs by politicians, government officials act as patrons and patroness and finance them, peer group influence, parental back ground, societal decadence, erosion of educational standards, militarization of the Nigerian polity, quest for social identity, drug abuse and poverty. Again, noted that the consequences of the existence and activities of these gangs are far-reaching to the individual and the society at large politically, socially and economically. He, however, discussed the following as panacea to the problem, causes and consequences of the cultism/gangs activities to include the family through proper, responsible and responsive parenting and guidance, the government through collaborations with social agencies or organization for youth reformation that can serve as a support to the efforts of the family, community involvement, youths to be encourage into sporting activities, Agri-preneur, educational reform, improvements in the correctional centres so that they would actually serve as a place where youths can be reformed and not go worse.

The programme had a lot of other dignitaries in attendance who contributed to the discourse as well as provoke other issues. Prominent among them included Mr Ebu Aleshinloye, Esq, Director Arts Premium Times, Comrade Mustapha Tiamiyu, Chairman CDHR, Ogun State, Comrade Yinka Folarin, National Secretary, CDHR; Assistant Commandant Okeji Olusegun, Area Commander, Ogun Central Area Command, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, who represented the Ogun State Commander, representative of the Scout Organisation Nigeria, other civil society groups, families and friends who had also been invited to the occasion. Speaking on the significance of the Feast of Barracuda, Mr Ebu Aleshinloye, reiterated that barracuda is a metaphor for all the challenges, ills and constraints militating against the attainment of a just and egalitarian society. He observed that seadogs at been involved in advocacies and other activities that will be help in bringing about the needed changes. The FOB is one such activities. He presented some of his cartoon works through which he lampooned and addressed some burning past and current political, social and economic issues.

WATCH VIDEO

 

See images below:

 

Photo credit: Yinka Rahman (Afrobadoo TV)

About The Author

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *