Six renounce cultism, burn temple at Okopoly
Six undergraduates at the weekend renounced their membership of secret cults at the Federal Polytechnic Oko, Anambra State just as the institution’s Anti-Cult group destroyed the temple of Black Axe confraternity cult.
The repentant cultists were mostly freshers who were initiated about seven months ago while one of them is a final year student.
At the convocation arena, venue of the renunciation ceremony, the Anti-Cult group led by Khaki Abdullahi displayed some items recovered during the raid of the temple.
Among the items included a bible, mace, three pieces of regalia for the chief priest and other hierarchies within the cult group, axes, charms, candles, vests and daggers. The items were burnt by the repentant cultists.
Abdullahi explained that his group acted on information which resulted in the destruction of the temple, warning that the other members of the group who refused to renounce must be rusticated.
Addressing members of staff and students of the institution, the Rector, Prof Godwin Onu said when he assumed office in 2010 over 50 students renounced their membership of various cult groups, adding that his administration’s zero tolerance for cultism and is yielding positive results.
“We have sustained our efforts through prayers with the men of God around us, the activities of the Anti Cult Squad and other mechanisms put in place to ensure that our students enjoy their studies and live without fear. We stand on the declaration we made that this place must be cult free,” Onu said.
He noted that all efforts made by various cult groups to re-launch themselves in the school have been thwarted. He said four members of the Black Axe from another higher institution in Abia state were recently arrested at the polytechnic “to prove that our school is a no-go area.”
Onu declared: “These young men who have declared in the name of Jesus Christ that they will no longer have anything to do with cultism or have any relationship with cult groups are hereby pardoned and forgiven. We reintegrate them into the polytechnic and they are not going to suffer any form of punishment.”
He, however, warned that those who refused to renounce their membership of various cult groups would be expelled from the institution if caught “as we are tracking them.”
While giving the repented cultists moral advice, the Anglican Chaplain at the school, Venerable Chukwudi Osondu told the students that membership of the secret cults would only lead them to destruction, adding that what baffled him was the inclusion of the Bible among the items of worship by the cultists.
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