Despite being one of the emerging economies in developing continent, Nigeria's economy is being threaten with the recent spate of cult activities.

1. ...advancing business
Enterprations
Weekly
Strategy
Managing in anCult Risk
Emerging Economy
www.enterprations.com

2. 1 August 2017 Enterprations Weekly Strategy
Rapid growth in terms of changes in GDP per capita,
growing and youthful population and constant changes
in various markets are some of the positive features
that motivated Jim O'Neill, the renowned Economist to
identify Nigeria along with Mexico, Indonesia and
Turkey as emerging economic giants. Buttressing Jim's
selection, Ernst & Young in 2012 reports that Indonesia
andNigeriaareexpectedtogrow,onaverage,by6%per
year. The growth is hinged on the factors such as
strategicpositionofthecountries,sharingborderswith
a number of developed countries that already play
cult groups' establishment. For those who see it from
significant roles in the international economy,
the educational perspective, they alluded to the
demographic(ofthepopulationincrease)andpresence
creation of a campus confraternity in 1953 by
of abundant natural resources. However, tax
ProfessorsWoleSoyinka,Aig-Imoukhuede,PiusOleghe,
regulations, political instability, unskilled labour,
Ralph Opara, Nat Oyelola and Muyiwa Awe at the
corruption, insufficient talent for innovation,
University of Ibadan. Then, the main reason given for
regulations on foreign currency, inefficient state
the creation of the group by the students was the
bureaucracy, access to funding, crimes and theft, high
protection of less privilege students because the
tax rates and poor ethical sensitivity by the local labour
university was populated with wealthy students who
arethefactorshinderingbusinessinthecountry.
wereassociatedwithcolonialpowers.
Unfortunately, today's cults groups use spiritual
means to enhance their criminal activity making them
very dangerous people and critical threats to socio-
economic activities. They have spread their tentacles
beyond higher institutions of learning to primary,
secondary schools and continue at workplace having
graduated from the schools. The fatality of these cults'
classes could not be ascertained because of poor
recordingandmanagementofstatisticsofthevictimsof
their despicable activities at all levels of the Nigerian
society. Between 1993 and 2003, The Exam Ethics
Project, a lobby group, reports that inter-cult violence
killed 115 students and teachers. From Port-HarcourtCredit:DailyTrust,2017
to Lagos, the casualties are uncountable. In Port-Crimes as parts of impeding factors to business
Harcourt, cult members have mixed with the politicaldevelopment and growth create insecurity from deadly
militantsandpoliticalmilitantsjoiningcultmembersassecurity threats such as Boko Haram, Cultism,
well for a violent insurgency in the Niger Delta whichMilitancy, Kidnapping, Armed Robbery, Piracy and
has crippled and still crippling businesses in the region.Cattle Rustling are posing strategic and operational
Since June 2016, residents in areas like Mushin,risks to businesses. These threats remain fundamental
Ikorodu, Lagos-Island and environs have been living inissues within security sphere that local and
fear and unknown situation due to the activities ofinternational businesses need to deal with strategically
cultists. The notorious Badoo cult group in Ikorodu isand tactically. Our focus is, however, on the risks posed
creating enormous damages on businesses andby cult groups to businesses especially in the country's
inflicting trauma on people through their 'wiping-offcommercialcitiesofLagosandPort-Harcourt.
entire household' killing strategy. The group have killed
Cultsandtheiractivities more than 100 people since their first struck in Ibeshe
Opinion remains a divided one on the formation of cult
areaofthetown.
groups in Nigeria. The emergence has been traced to
NodesandEdgesbehindCultGroupssociety and educational environment. From the society
Doomsday, political and destructive are the threeperspective, the protection (safe passage for the spirit
categories of cult that exist in Nigeria. Within theintothe afterlife) singlehandedenjoyed by Lagos' Kings
society, doomsday and political cult groups are moreand Chiefs before British brought civilization through
pronounced than destructive one. Destructive isEyoMasqueradegroupwithintheinnerworkingsofthe
strategically linked with institutions of learning.secret societies of Lagos is being seeing as genesis of
7 Deadly Security Threats in Nigeria
Cult Groups Formation Trends

3. However, Doomsday and political groups become violent activities of the groups which resulted to
destructive when their activities resulted to killings of killings or infliction of injuries in most cases.
different degrees in the society. Recent reports have Employees from the places where their activities are
indicated that few Nigerian politicians are desperately well undertaken resuming to their respective
seeking membership into numerous student fraternity workplaces behind schedule while they also return in
groups including the Brotherhood of Blood Burkina uncertainty situations. Governments' spending on
Faso, Maphites, MgbaMgba Brothers, Eiye security provision is increasing yearly and also losing
Confraternity, Neo-Black Movement, Klansmen personnel to the groups. Individuals in various
Confraternity, Vikings Confraternity and much more. communities in the metropolis as well as the
This has established that all the classes collaborate in hinterlandsare not left out. They are being subjectedto
achieving secrecy goals. For instance, the Human traumadaily.
Rights Watch reports that more than 20 current and Strategic Framework for Cult Risk
past members of fraternity groups were recruited by
Managementpoliticians for violent activities against their
Cult risk has once again echoed the need for effective(politicians) opponents and intimidateordinary voters
and efficient Intelligence in the country from all theduring 2003 and 2007 elections in Oyo, Anambra, and
concerned stakeholders businesses, employees andRiversStates.Thisaffirmspublicanalysts'positionthat
governments. Businesses must establish internalcult groups are strategic tools being used by the
policies and procedures to deal with varied cultpolitical elite to settle scores with opponents. In the
activities in offices and workers' gatherings duringworkplace, observation has shown doomsday group
working period. They equally need to supportpermeates than other categories. Some employees are
community policing towards protecting theirinvolvingincultrelatedactivitiesespeciallyacquisition
employees in the towns and communities known forof supernatural powers towards better positions or
destructive cult activities. Employees should prioritizefightingtheirperceivedsupernaturalsuperiors.
self-policing and uniformly corporate and collaborate
TheGainersandtheLosers with main actors in community policing in their
From the varied activities of these groups doomsday, respective communities. Government should create
political and destructive, there is no doubt that enablingenvironmentforeffectivecommunitypolicing
businesses, employees who are not part of their and necessary legal frame work to prosecute the
disreputable activities, and government at all levels are identified cultists. Community policing could be in
losing while the members of the groups are the main form of neighbourhood watches, vigilantes, religious
gainers. Businesses are losing employees as a result of
August 2017 Enterprations Weekly Strategy2

4. and ethnic militias, and neighbourhood guards as make us understand. Behavioural
change communications or campaigns need to be initiated by governments to discourage citizenry's involvement
intheidentifiedcultclasses.Aboveall,theproposedstrategicoptionsneedeffectivemonitoringandevaluation.
Ojebode and his colleagues
Contact
Suite 19, 3rd Floor, Lagos City Mall, Onikan, Lagos
State
www.enterprations.com
info@enterprations.com
August 2017 Enterprations Weekly Strategy3
Strategic Framework for Cult Risk Management