SAFER CAMPUSES AND THE MENACE OF CULTISM IN NIGERIAN SCHOOLS: A READING OF CHARITY ANGYA’S GONE SAILING

Clashes of cult groups in Nigerian Universities in recent times have posed a serious threat to peace on our campuses. The nefarious activities of cult groups have been a challenge that has necessitated stakeholders in the education sector to call for serious measures to combat the menace. Drama as an art of social relationships can serve as a medium to inform, educate and communicate vital truths to its audience. Herein drama becomes a tool to mobilize action for self assertion. Charity Angya‟s Gone Sailing is not left out here as a playwright who in a bid to fight this menace, has brought the search light on the phenomenon. The paper submits that, the university system aims at producing people who are knowledgeable in their disciplines and of „Good character‟ to be able to fit into the society and contribute positively to that society. However, the varying degrees of horror that cult groups unleash, leads one to conclude that they can be equated to bandits and possibly tagged, campus terrorists. The paper concludes that, the art of cultism threatens the very existence of our ivory towers as its perpetrators strongly resist abiding by social laws and order. It recommends that, to deter recruitment of young people into cult groups, the law must have full sway without delay on culprits and perpetrators of this menace and their sponsors