The Initiation

I was initiated into a cult in my 200 level. It happened one night in Timber. My best friend had invited me to a “birthday party.”

“There’ll be plenty of girls and drinks,” he said, smiling like it was harmless fun.

We set out from the hostel around 8 p.m. We had to scale the fence — school rules didn’t allow anyone out that late. A bus was already waiting outside, engine humming, filled with faces I barely knew. There were about forty of us. Most were freshers, new to campus life and hungry for freedom.

I got into the university through direct entry, so I was older than some of them, but still naive. The ride started lively — laughter, jokes, loud music. But after the first hour, the excitement started fading. The bus had driven deep into the outskirts, the road narrowing into a dirt path surrounded by darkness.

“Where’s this party again?” someone asked nervously.

“Relax,” one senior said. “We’re almost there.”

We kept going — nearly five hours. When we finally stopped, there was an old building surrounded by bush. Inside, music blasted from a DJ stand. Strobe lights flickered. It looked like a real party — drinks, smoke, girls.

I spotted Fadeke from Mass Comm — the girl I’d been crushing on since orientation week. My heart skipped. She was there, dancing, glowing under the light. I joined her as 9ice’s Gongo Aso filled the air. For a while, I forgot everything else.

Then someone handed me a slice of cake and a drink. “Cheers!” they shouted. Everyone raised their cups. I did the same.

That was the last thing I remembered.

When I woke up, I was blindfolded. My hands were tied behind my back. My mouth tasted of dust and fear.

“Where am I?” I cried. “Daddy! Daddy, save me! I don’t want to die!”

Somewhere beside me, another voice sobbed. “Mummy, please help me…”

A loud slap crashed against my face.

“Shut the fuck up! Your mummy can’t save you here.”

I felt a hand grab my chin, forcing my mouth open. “Eat this. Drink it.”

Then a harsh voice barked: “Now repeat after me — Kabula Jamanka! Odunta Odunta!”

With fear clawing through me, I repeated the words. Then the beating started — sticks, boots, fists — raining blows from every side.

That was the night everything changed.

To be continued…