National Association of Seadogs

National Association of Seadogs
NAS
Founded October 1952
University College, Ibadan
Type Social
Mission statement To uphold human dignity and maintaining a just and progressive society shorn of discriminatory and unmeritorious considerations
Motto Against all conventions
Colors Yellow, Red and Black
              
Symbol Skull & Cross Bones
Headquarters
 Nigeria
Homepage www.nas-int.org
The National Association of Seadogs is the oldest confraternity group in Nigeria after it was founded in 1952.

The National Association of Seadogs, popularly known as Pyrate Confraternity is a confraternity organization in Nigeria that is nominally University-based.[1] The group was founded in 1952 by the "Magnificent Seven" to support for human rights and social justice in Nigeria.[1]

History

Wole Soyinka was one of the founding members of the National Association of Seadogs

Due to the increase of tribalism among social life of students and the increasing population of "wealthy" students to a relatively few "poorer" students in the University College, Ibadan, the National Association of Seadogs was formed as a body in order to combat these societal ills.[2] Founded in 1952 by seven friends made up of renowned Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Wole Soyinka, Ralph Opara, Pius Oleghe, Ikpehare Aig-Imoukhuede, Nathaniel Oyelola, Olumuyiwa Awe and Sylvanus U. Egbuche who adopted the name "Magnificient 7",[3] the Pyrates Confraternity went on to become the only confraternity on Nigerian campuses for almost 20years.[4] Membership into the confraternity was open to students who were bright academically regardless of their tribe or religion.[5]

Since one of the tenets of the confraternity was for members to be the best in their education pursuit, some members who struggled to live up to the task left to form rival confraternities like the Buccaneers Confraternity and the Eye Confraternity thus leading to societal violence including the famous Operation Wetie in 1965.[6]

Presently, the Pyrate confraternity is present in all the southern states in Nigeria and also has branches in some parts of the world including the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the Netherlands, Japan, Canada and the United States.[7] Some sinister confraternities have been formed to copy the Pyrate confraternity which led the Pyrate confraternity to dissociate itself from these "smaller cults" and also operate outside university campuses.[8]

The confraternity is also presently seen as a "political opponent" after several members in Port Harcourt where detained in jail for participating in the disruption of election campaigns in 1997. To date, over 25,000 people have belonged to the organization at various stages.[9]

Signs and symbols

The Pyrate Confraternity was registered with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Act Cap 98 with the name "The National Association of Seadogs".[7]

Skull and Bones

See also: Jolly Roger

The Skull and Bones is the choice logo of the Pyrate confraternity made by the Magnificent 7. Colored in red, black and yellow; the logo consists of a human skull and two cross bones thus injecting the perception of seeing its members as men of danger. Members are known as "Ahoy" and "PC".[10]

Brief sayings

There are brief sayings and slang associated with the organization as a sign of respect or greeting. These saying include: Odas in Odas, No Friend No Foe, Absolute No Lagging, etc.[10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Bestman Wellington (July 6, 2007). "Nigeria's Cults and their Role in the Niger Delta Insurgency". 5 (13). The JamesTown Foundation. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  2. ↑ A.A., Owoseni (2006). A Book of Readings on Cultism and Its Attendant Effects on Nigerian Institutions of Higher Learning. Frola Publishers. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  3. ↑ R.O. Rom, Kalilu (1995). Cultism on the Nigerian campus. SOF & Co. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  4. ↑ Biko Agozino; Unyierie Idem (2001). Nigeria: democratising a militarised civil society. Centre for Democracy and Development.
  5. ↑ O. A. Ogunbameru (1997). Readings on campus secret cults. Kuntel Publishing House. ISBN 978-978-34273-0-3.
  6. ↑ Sowore Omoyele. "PROFESSOR SOYINKA'S AND THE PYRATES CONFRATERNITY - I DISAGREE!". Nigeria World. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  7. 1 2 "National Association of Seadogs". Wole Soyinka Lectures. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  8. ↑ Kelvin Keez (15 May 2013). "Top 7 Confraternities in Nigeria and their History". Imongo. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  9. ↑ Research Directorate, Immigration & Refugee Board, Canada (1 May 1998). "Nigeria: Pyrates Confraternity, including whether Wole Soyinka founded it, whether it continues to exist today, the reason for the name and whether membership in the fraternity now would be problematic (1950 to present)". Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Retrieved 2 August 2015.
  10. 1 2 "Skull & Cross Bones". National Association of Seadogs. Retrieved 15 April 2016.

Further reading

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