By  Sunday Onyemaechi Eze

“For the love of money is the root of all evil.”             I Tim 6:10.     The rise in ritual killings in Nigeria is unarguably disturbing. Obviously triggered by the get rich-quick-syndrome; one could vividly behold the ugly tar of the menace littered everywhere across the nation. On exponential increase also are other forms of crimes, societal and moral decadence in the forms of consumption of illicit drugs, wire fraud, kidnappings, banditry and armed robbery. In fact, the rate at which the unwholesome trends have permeated the fabric of the society is frightening and unimaginable.

Nigeria unfortunately has earned an undeserved notorious reputation of a nation full of carnivores, fraudulent and unpatriotic citizens. It is a national tragedy. As a matter of fact, Nigerian citizens are often cajoled, embarrassed and profiled in other countries as a result. Suffice it to say that if urgent measures are not taken, the nation will dangerously slide into the abyss of a generational pandemic. That is if the nation is not already waiting on the precipice. How did we get here? The answer is domiciled in the Biblical verse which clearly states that; “the love of money is the root of all evil.” – I Tim 6: 10.

One grew up hearing of money making ritualists and ritual killings. It is a crime considered very grave and sacrilegious. Anyone caught in the act is automatically an enemy of the community. More often than not, perpetrators are brought to public odium and summarily ostracised. In those days children were sternly warned to run away from strangers and never accept any gift from them. The myth of disappearing or turning into an object like yam, chicken or goat by coming in contact with a stranger who could possibly be a ritualist was inconceivable. It was a frightening instruction taken to heart and implemented religiously by kids. That was how the society viewed ritual killings in those days.  It was a taboo to be seen to have or get involved in ritual killing!

The moral and societal consequences of stealing, the evils associated with greed and the need to sustain the family’s good name were serious reminders and daily moral compass deployed to navigate actions and  behaviour.  Young people listened, obeyed and respected their parents. They value education, work assiduously to make good O’ level grades and ultimately secure admission into tertiary institutions. That was then.

Today, many young people have disappointed their families, become nuisances and are no longer interested in acquiring education. After all, how many graduates are gainfully employed and can take care of their bills in Nigeria? No thanks to the Nigerian system. What matters to them now is chasing after money, fame and wealth by all means possible. And taken to all sorts of crimes especially ritual killings is the new order.

What these young people do sometimes as a prelude to making the so called money beats ones imagination. Trending videos have shown young people taking bath in broad day light along major roads and at the river banks with rams in between their legs.  Some have done the unthinkable of eating food, snacks or bread stewed with their feaces. Some young men seen putting on adult  diapers around  an ATM in Lagos defined the stupidity in the entire farce. Young men and women can now travel miles to hook up with friends often met on social media platforms. Some never lived or came back to tell their stories. The society is regaled with news of many parents, siblings and friends murdered in their cold blood and their vital organs harvested for rituals.

There is no smoke without fire. Of course, there are several immutable factors at the centre of the increasing cases of these dastardly acts in Nigeria. First is the obvious lack of good parental care. Most parents are busy with business, career or even sick and poor. Bills have to be settled. Thus children are left without that basic parental care and direction in shaping their future at their early stages of life from the onset. These days, we have parents who are buried in addictions of all sorts. Imagine the kind of attention such parent could give children. At a tender age, most children are already adults who take care of themselves and decisions on their own. Second is the associated greed and insatiable quest for money, power and fame. Unfortunately, our society is one which glamourises money and wealth. The sources are never interrogated. Many people with questionable sources of wealth are conferred with educational and traditional titles. This has given credence to whatever illegitimacy they engage in. Consequently, this undue premium our society places on money has provoked the raging craze. Third is the state of our economy. It is an understatement to say that the economy of Nigeria is in a sorry state. The cost of living is growing higher and higher. The purchasing power of families has dwindled. Unemployment rate has climbed to 32%. The exchange rate of Naira to a Dollar is wide. The annual budget is funded mostly by borrowing. Therefore, the youth now take on anything to make it in the midst of all the above troubles.

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Fourth is the effect of Nigerian movies. Movies mirror the essence of the society. Contents are developed from events reflective or patently drawn from the fabrics of societal behaviour and norms. Education, information and entertainment are delivered at our homes while opinions are formed at the end of every movie.  African movies are filled with scenes which justify ritual killings as an outpost for gaining wealth. Fifth is parental pressure. Some parents deride and compare  their children with their peers who have made it without understanding how. The children at the end do not have options than to do anything within their reach including sacrificing someone or even their parents to measure up with the societal status.

Sixth, peer group and adolescent pressure. Seeing ones age or school mate living a life of luxury could be tempting. The era of social media has opened up the space of information dissemination and misinformation. Young men and women are exposed to all sorts of false contents. Some teens are pressured to join the bandwagon of trending issues to measure up. At seventeen, I joined my mum in hawking perishable goods sold from one local market within my environment to another weekly. But today one could imagine the current pass time of some 17 years old.

Seventh, the ostentatious lives of politicians, the high and mighty in the society. Nigerian political class is a bad example of a society bedeviled with endemic corruption. During elections, huge amount of money are thrown around to buy votes and rig elections. The youth are also hired and paid handsomely to carry out hatchet jobs for politicians. Having seen how heavily politicians spend; many young people now choose to step into their shoes.

Eight is the case of role models. Societies have influential people others look up to. The life of most role models and the luxury they flaunt is a source of temptation on part of some youth. What they see fires up the adrenalin to join the league of that stratum of the society. However, the obvious missing link was taking time to understand the forces driving the affluence of their models.

Going forward, government should rise up to its responsibilities by ensuring that citizens needs, rights and privileges top the agenda of government. Increased societal re-orientation or general rebirth is the way out of this societal menace. Leaders and flag bearers should be shining examples and embodiment of our treasured values. There ought to be a societal and generational shift from glamourising money and wealth to integrity, hard work, sustaining good family name. Moral education in our primary and secondary schools should be accorded its pride of place.

Good a thing that the danger posed by the menace has caught the attention of the House of Representatives. Therefore, existing laws on ritual killings if any should be strengthened or a new one with weighty punitive measures be enacted to serve as deterrent.

. Eze writes via [email protected]