CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
As a result of millennials’ moral deterioration, moral education is a topic that is currently being widely debated. The tremendous amount of immorality that prevalent in our culture, perpetuated by youth, has thrown Nigerian society into disarray. So many adolescents and adults nowadays are delinquent and have a double personality. These include immoral acts like rape, sexual assault, and deviant behavior, as well as serious criminal acts like man-stealing, kidnapping, human sacrifice, murder, armed robbery, vandalism, and a variety of others. In the last few years, Nigeria has seen a rise in the number of ritual killings.
In Nigerian society, ritual killing is a widespread occurrence. Hundreds of Nigerians have died in what has become a regular occurrence. In today’s Nigeria, ritual killing has taken on a whole new meaning. The scene has been dubbed the “Reign of the Ritualists” by many publications (Elesho2004). Kidnapping someone with bad intentions is done in a variety of ways, notably for rituals. Many of those kidnapped for such purposes have died, but a lucky handful have survived to tell the tale of their meeting with the ritualists. Some of the kidnappers who were caught with their victims after they were dead or half-dead testified about their heinous crimes (Aiyetan, 2003). There are several accounts of diverse kidnapping strategies; some persons vanished after picking or touching items put as a trap by ritualists or kidnappers. It appears that ritual killers are more prevalent in Nigeria.
Notably, Yahoo plus traditions is the most recent addition, and it is a step forward from the standard Yahoo – Yahoo crime. To make money, most yahoo plus lads do not need to deceive or fleece anyone. Most of the time, they only need to have sex with girls to fulfill their destiny and make them look useless or die abruptly. Yahoo ritualists are on the lookout for women’s underpants. People in various parts of the country no longer hang their garments on ropes outside to avoid becoming victims of Yahoo ritualists due to their fear of Yahoo Boys (Ritualists, 2018).
According to Aghawenu (202), the insane urge transcends all geographical and societal borders, as well as the depths to which Nigerians can go.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
The rise in crime in Nigeria in recent years is concerning and alarming. This may be seen in daily news reports of robbery, theft, burglary, auto theft, rape, kidnapping, internet scams, and other social media crimes. In the past, South Western Nigeria was known for its serene and tranquil environment, as well as adequate protection of lives and property, but in recent years, the wave of insecurity has taken on a new dimension. The Aramoko-Erio-Efon, Akure-Ikere, and Ado-Ijan roads, for example, have become dangerous for tourists because many have been kidnapped or robbed along these routes. In Ondo State, a professor from a private university was kidnapped and eventually found dead (Oladele, Akeke Oladunjoye 2011). Scholars and many social scientists have proposed a variety of theories. While some attribute the problem to the country’s economic conditions, particularly the rise in ritual killings during times of economic difficulty, others claim that traditional fetish and ritual beliefs have pervaded the twenty-first century. According to Salisbury (2012), those who engage in ritual killings and sacrifices think they are acts of spiritual fortification. The utilization of human body parts for therapeutic purposes, as well as the idea that human body parts hold supernatural qualities that provide prosperity and protection, are all motivations for these acts. Human sacrifice is commonly performed by many wealthy people in Uganda, for example, in order to grow their fortunes, according to studies. Swaziland and Liberia are two countries where
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study’s general purpose is to investigate the impact of ritualism on the moral development of Nigerian youth. The research focused on the following specific objectives:
i. To learn more about the types of ritual killings carried out by Nigerian youth.
ii. Determine the aim of youth ritual participation.
iii. To see if ritualism has a negative impact on young people’s moral development.
iii. Determine whether Nigerian society’s high degree of ritualism contributes to moral deterioration.
1.4 Hypothesis of Research
HO1: Youth ritual participation does not jeopardize their moral growth.
HO2: In Nigerian society, a high rate of ritualism contributes to moral degradation.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study’s findings will be useful to policymakers, Nigerian youth, and religious organizations. The study’s findings will inform policymakers about the necessity to adopt guiding principles to prevent ritual killing and to punish individuals who engage in this demonic practice. The study will also underline to the government the importance of introducing poverty alleviation programs, job possibilities, and entrepreneur support, as they will go a long way in reducing criminal behavior among jobless adolescents. More specifically, the study will emphasize the importance of intensifying moral education instruction in schools and universities, as well as encouraging teachers/lecturers who teach moral education to be role models for our kids, among other things, in order to lower the risk of youth suicide.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The focus of this research is on the impact of ritualism on Nigerian youth’s moral development. The study will go on to investigate the nature and purpose of Nigerian youth’s ritual killings. It will look into whether ritualism undermines young people’s moral development and whether a high rate of ritualism contributes to moral decadence in Nigerian society. However, the study is limited to the South-East region, with a focus on Owerri Municipal in Imo State.
LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The researchers ran into some minor roadblocks while conducting the study, as with any human endeavor. The scarcity of literature on the impact of ritualism on the moral development of Nigerian youth was a significant stumbling block. Obtaining relevant materials, books, or information, as well as the data collection process, took a significant amount of effort and organization. The study was also constrained in time because it only looked at the South East region, specifically owerri Municipal. As a result, the findings of this study cannot be generalized to other locations or states, leaving a need for future research.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Ritualism, often known as ritual killings, is a violent and extreme kind of criminal homicide in which the victim’s vital organs are removed for use in “holy” rites by the slayers.
Moral development is concerned with the emergence, evolution, and comprehension of morality from childhood to maturity. Morality develops during the course of a person’s life and is influenced by their experiences and actions when confronted with moral dilemmas at various stages of physical and cognitive development.
Moral decay is defined as a significant drop in a society’s moral values. There appears to be a deterioration or breakdown in upholding our societal values, beliefs, norms, and ethical standards, as well as a fall’ in the moral standard of the society.
REFERENCE
A Socio-Ethical Appraisal of Ritual Killings in Nigeria (Aghawenu, G., 2020).
D. Aiyetan, D. Aiyetan, D. Aiyet (2003, December 29). Tell, p. 25 in Reign of the Ritualists.
R. a. Elesho (2004, August 23). Rituals that are gruesome. Page 18 of The News.
Ritual Killing and Pseudoscience in Nigeria, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Igwe, L Skeptical Briefs is an acronym for “skeptical briefs.” 14th Edition (2). At 3:59 p.m. on January 29, 2015, I checked my email.
L. Igwe, L. Igwe, L. Igwe, L. Igwe, L. Igwe, L. Igwe, L. I The International Humanist and Ethical Union is a non-profit organization that promotes human rights around the world. The African Commission on Human and People’s Rights is holding its 48th session in Banjul, Gambia, from November 10 to 24.
Emmanuel Nwakanma and Owapiriba Abu (2020). 18. 15447-15457. Cultural Issues In Violence Against Women And Ritual Killings In Nigeria: Assessing The Implications For Sustainable Development
Y. Ritualists (2018, 12 2). https://www.vanguardngr.com. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/12 fear-of-ritualists-in-delta-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint-our-pants-we-anoint