Journalist urges youths to rise against cultism

Nigerian youths have been urged to do everything possible in order to avoid getting involved in crime.
Speaking to students of Fly High College, Agility, Mile 12, Lagos State, Juliana Francis said the end result of youths who take to crimes is untimely death and prison.
The event, which is Youths Against Crime, an advocacy programme, has been running for four weeks.
The organizer of the series of events is Francis, under the Female Journalists’ Leadership Project by Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.
Since the programme started, more than 50 students, teachers and other staff in the school have benefited.
In the first week, which was October 6, the students were taken through a course of different youth crimes, with emphasis on cultism.
According to Francis, cultism has become the greatest challenge of the Nigeria society, leading many youths being killed every day.
She said: “In Nigeria now, Nigerians no longer safe in their streets and homes.
“Cultists, some still children within age range of 10 and 11, arm themselves with weapons and kill.
“Many of them are influenced by older cultists.
“Many of these cultists are under influence of drugs.”
The Principal of the school, Sulyman Olowookere, who actively participated in the event, told the students that cultism was wrong, stressing that it could only make a youth from achieving a better future.
One of the students, who gave his name as Peculiar Onukwufor, 14, said: “Government should do more sensitization programmes by making fliers and posters, speaking against youths’ involvement in crime.”
Francis told the students that a blog has been created where their ideas and articles on youths’ involvement in crime would be shared.
They are also expected to share this blog with their friends and encourage their friends to join the advocacy group.
She urged them to cultivate the habit of speaking to single or group of friends, even at their worship centres.
She added: “A blog, called Youthslens, which is about youths, crime and society, has been created to contain the contributions of everyone.
“The blog is a family platform.
“Everyone is and should be a contributor.
“I have cultivated what I call the Juliana Francis ‘Pass Forward Theory,’ which simply means that as I’m speaking to you all to avoid getting involved in crime, you’re also expected to speak to other youths.
“Those youths are also expected to speak to others.
“We want the message to keep spreading.
“It wouldn’t cost you anything to speak out against youths’ involvement in crime.”