I have always been a leader from my primary school days, and a strong Choleric at that. I find a way to always put myself in a position where you can’t just help, but notice me. Either by way of my intelligence (academics), or by way of my strong headedness portraying the traits of an activist amongst my peers.
It is also worth mentioning that, I’m not easily influenced by people. Back to my story, in part 1, I did mention that I had made up my mind to join one of the most dreaded cult group in Nigeria campuses. So I set out to look for Andy kolo whom I have decided to make friends with no matter the cost just to get my way. In the end, it wasn’t what I expected.
I went to the cafeteria, and went straight to Andy kolo’s table where himself and for other boys were seated. ‘’Good afternoon guys’’ I said and Andy looked up and got up and landed me an unsuspected slap, before I could say jack, I got another one on the same cheek. ‘’So you get mind take come track me after I see you with Uyi?’’Said Andy kolo. Sorry bros was all that came out of my mouth. Everybody seated close to their table started leaving one after the other. It was then it downed on me that I was in serious trouble.
A guy close to Andy asked him to calm down so they can hear me out. Andy went ballistic on me again shouting he’s an (Name of cult not stated here), that I belonged to the same cult group with Uyi and I shouted ‘’noooooo, I be jew man.’’ So watin you come find here, asked the same boy asking Andy to calm down whom I later came to know as Abbey. ‘’I like Andy braveness, so I say make I come pay homage’’ I said. This small boy you get mind oooo, they all chorused.
I asked the owner of the shop in the cafeteria to give all of them two bottles each. That was when Abbey asked me to come seat with them and I gladly did.
So you say you nor be Uyi cult member Andy asked, not at all I horridly replied. So you like my stile abi, and you go like belong to our group abi? Andy kolo asked me. Yes, bros I replied. They asked for my room number in the hostel, and I gladly gave it to them. I never had peace from that day forward until I got initiated after making the move for four months.
I must let you know that I went through that initiation process, for four months which was one of the longest semesters
I have ever experienced was like hell for me. Also to note, I wouldn’t call what we have on campus cultism, it’s more like gangsterism. From my application letter, which was to be submitted alongside my admission letter and course forms. That was when it was only bona-fide student that get initiated, unfortunately, it’s no longer the case now from what I gathered.
Almost if not all my properties were confiscated by the big boys. So on the final day of the initiation, I was expecting to see all kind of horrors after all the rigorous drills we were meant to go through. I got disappointed on what I saw on the las day.
Just some group of boys jarating, guns blazing bullets in the air which I enjoyed listening to, and the sound of drumming with bonfire at the center of the circle. After then, you will be given a name that is to be known only by you and your fellow members. Now welcomed by some friends and some guys you used to see on campus that are very calm and decent!
So I became one of the members of the most dreaded cult group on campus. An end of year party was organized by various cult groups on campus, that was where I met my first girlfriend Emily. The girls are treated very well, and given gifts with the emblem of the cult on it. These girls are usually very happy to attend these parties, because of what they get there and that some of their boyfriends belonged there.
I didn’t know the ills and dangers until our first war with a rival cult group where one of good looking and an excellent electrical student was killed by our cult group. I felt devastated I learnt about the news. What they do when fights like this happens, is to send messages to all members to stay off town or travele out of town, you usually have the cult soldiers that does the HIT. These set of guys are just a hand full, not more than five or seven in number that does all the havoc needed to give glory to the group as they call it.
On this very incident, two of our rival cult group were killed. The fighting will only stop if one of the cult group calls for a peace talks, if not, more people will go down. It was then that I realized that, those that died could have been me or a close friend of mine. It was then I started having second thoughts, but I had gotten to a point of no return!
So I vowed not to continue with my HND in that same school, so I planned on going to a university to continue my studies where no one will know me. That way, I will start afresh and I won’t associate with any member of a cult group again. That was not to be the case as I became worse off when I went to the university and grew to become one of the highest ranking member in the organization.
I became popular in my ND days because I’ll always speak out against injustice being done in the organization. I’ll always speak out if any of the leaders in the organization does or say something that’s not right. This will at the end of the day earn me a severe punishment for daring to challenge a high ranking official which most people dare not do. So I made a name for myself as an activist in the organization and I always get punished for it one way or the other. That did not stop me from speaking out what is right.
An incident happened one time where I almost lost my life. Whenever we go for a meeting which was usually at night in the deep forest, we stay for over 4 hours in the bush after walking to and fro for over 2 hrs. I usually get tired and sleepy during meetings like this, so I and two of my friends’ James and Paul (Names not real), would go to a Conner and start sleeping.
We only get up when we hear that they are about leaving, then we come out from our hiding place and join them home. We were caught one day by one of the cult soldiers and we were strictly punished for that lazy out. Trust me guys, I later hashed another hiding plan and place to be doing my sleeping while they stand for over 2 hrs jarating and talking just like it’s done in church.
You give announcement, what will happen during the week, warnings to all members and punishment to be minted out when laws are not obeyed. Even treating of fuck-ups is usually handled during these meetings. So I discovered a good tree where I can climb and sleep soundly till the meetings are over without being caught by any of the soldiers on patrol.
On this fateful day, I’ll join the circle and disappear when the jaration is getting heated when no one will notice me leaving. I’m talking about a crowd of over a hundred students. So I climbed this tree on this day and was sound asleep.
It was only my close friends that knew I was there; they were scared of being caught because they were scared of the punishment that will take place when you are caught in such an act again.
I was one stubborn young man back in the days, there’s no amount of beating you will give me that I will please for mercy or not to do what’s on my mind either. As I was sound asleep on that tree, I heard a gunshot and leaves around me started falling off the tree as I came down falling just by the feet of one of our soldiers that shot me on the tree accidentally.
WATCH OUT FOR PART 3 AND FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME AND THE PERSON THAT DID THE SHOOTING.