Afrobeat singer Seun Kuti has spoken out against cultism following the death of a 12-year-old Dowen College Lekki pupil, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, who was allegedly tortured for refusing to join a cult.
He also said that the youths know nothing about ‘fraternity which has been in existence for ages, adding they have misconstrued the same for cultism.
The son of the legendary Afrobeat pioneer, Fela Kuti in a recent post via his Instagram page, said many persons make cultism and criminal way of life look cool for getting the younger ones look up to them for direction.
He wrote: “Shebi una wan be gang$ters!! Gangster this and that. Everyone acting like criminal mindset is healthy but you forget the young ones looking up to and at you! More than the cultists, what are we doing about cults?!”
He also called on the relevant stakeholder to rise against the menace.
“Is this when we decide to rise up against cults all over this country or we just wanna do the usual?” he asked.
In a more recent video, the Egypt 80 band leader said as a country, we need to address the issue of cultism rather than the symptoms.
According to Seun Kuti, persons who get killed by cultists do not necessarily need to be members as cultism-related issues can surface at anyone’s doorstep.
He said: “When I saw the news of the boy that died in that school, Dowen College; it’s really painful news. So I decided to talk about it. Because I’ve seen many persons as usual going after the symptoms instead of addressing the issue.
“I remember when such happened in Nigeria. I thought we would have learnt a lesson or two by now. I recall the Orlu issue, the four boys. I mentioned them so that people can know that it isn’t necessarily those involved in cultism that are prone to be killed by cultists.
“You do not necessarily need to be in a cult or have an issue with a cultist for cultism-related disasters to somehow arrive at your doorstep. That’s how oppression is.”
Speaking further, he chided the youths of having a wrong perception about ‘fraternity’, adding he belongs to one which is why he is called ‘big bird’.
“So what is a fraternity? In almost every university and some very ‘big man’ high schools or boarding colleges in Europe, fraternities have always been in existence. Even we in Africa, we are in fraternities.
“Personality, I belong to the ‘ifa’ fraternity because I am a ‘babalawo’. I’m not just one who goes into the ifa shrine to pray. I have been initiated in the fraternity. That’s why I call myself Big bird…(Eyen gbe ye fo, Asha).
“But you young people, you only know about cult, you know nothing about the spiritual. You think it’s only ‘eye’ fraternity that is bird, no! Through ‘babalowos’, we are all birds,” he said.
