Pastor Paul Mackenzie: Why pipo dey join dangerous organizations?

Di death of more dan 80 Christian cult members for Kenya, wia dem discover plenty deadi body for mass graves afta e allegedly ginger dem to starve demsef to death don highlight di dangers wey extreme organisations dey cause.

"One cult dey close to you wia ever you dey in world," Dr Alexandre Stein, one UK-based psychologist specialising in ideological extremism and oda dangerous social relationships, tell di BBC.

Groups like di Good News International Church, wey dey believed to dey behind di tragedy for Kenya, act all over di world and dem no always base around religions.

Wetin dem all get in common na dia ability to attract followers - and to subsequently make am very hard for pipo to leave.

Wetin be cult?

Di American Psychological Association (APA) define cult as a "religious or quasi-religious group characterized by unusual or atypical beliefs, seclusion from di outside world, and authoritarian structure".

While cults dey often of religious nature, dem fit also organise demsefs around oda subjects, such as politics.

"Na myth say cults dey only religious and extreme," Richard Turner a counsellor wey work wit current and former cult members, explain.

"Your own workplace fit be like a cult if you are being guilted into committing to tins such as constantly working longer hours," e add, also noting say some multi-level marketing groups deploy recruitment tactics very similar to cults.

Who dey join a cult?

Dr Stein say make pipo no dey judgemental about pipo wey be victims of cults, especially dia education and social skills.

"Pipo always wan conclude say cult na as a result of pesin wey dey stupid and need some tin, but di study of cults show di opposite."

Cult leaders, she add, wan recruit "productive and intelligent pipo", becos dem dey more likely to bring in resources for di group.

"Cults no want pipo wey dem go dey pamper."

Dr Stein warn say one of di myths surrounding cults na say pipo dey knowingly join dem.

"Dem no dey really advertise say 'come join our cult'. Di appeal dey perfectly nice at di start."

However, Dr Stein point out say tragedies wey involve large numbers of deaths, like di recent incident for Kenya, no dey common in cultish behaviour.

"No be say cult leaders initially tink dem go fit make all doz pipo die."

Dr Stein say dis no be di initial plan of Heaven's Gate, one US religious movement wey make international headlines for 1997 wen 39 members die in a suicide agreement believing sey pesin go rescue dem and aliens go resurrect.

"Marshall Applewhite, di cult leader, believe say e get cancer and wan carry all doz pipo follow body.

"Suicide and murders go only happun if na wetin di leader tink at dat particular time."

Exploitation and mistreatment, including sexual abuse, na more common dangers.

Why cult leaders dey so powerful?

In her studies of cultish behaviour, Dr Stein discover say leaders get different individual influential figures wey dey always come from similar experiences wia dem learn how to use persuasion techniques to gather followers.

"Dem learn di tricks and move on wen dem think say dem go fit do tins by demsefs," she tok.

"Cult leaders no dey stupid. In fact, dem dey highly intelligent and energetic, becos e take a lot to sustain cult."

Cult leaders na mostly male, though one famous exception na Valentina de Andrade, one psychic for Brazil wey lead a group called Superior Universal Lineage wey dem investigate and acquit in di 1990s over one incident wey involve series of child murders.

Why pipo no fit just comot?

According to Turner, e dey "very easy" to make pesin join becos cult leaders sabi "love-bombing" - attempt to influence pesin wit loud displays of attention and affection.

Na sometin we e don experience first-hand. In 2013, dem make am into wetin e call "hipster Christian cult" wen e dey look for work wit victims of human trafficking.

"No matter how rich, successful or intelligent a pesin be, evri one fit fumble at some point in dia lives, like a job loss, pesin wey die, or oda change wey dey happun for pesin life," Turner explain.

"Na small-small dem go dey take your self-esteem, creating addiction and giving you di drug. One cult go always try to cut you off from your friends and loved ones to make am easy to take advantage of you."

Di counsellor recall say at some point during im "cult years" e dey contribute im salary to di organisation, such na di dia influence over im life.

"I only leave dem becos I bin get massive breakdown, and cults usually lose interest in followers wen dis one happun."

How I go take know if an organisation na cult?

Turner warn say e no dey easy for pipo to realise say organisation na cult. But one simple internet search fit give clues.

"See wetin pipo dey tok about a certain group online, including di group itself. I don learn say if one of dem write anytin discussing 'why dem no be cult', na usually becos dem be cult," e tok.

"Also, dey aware if di group you join start saying negative tins about your friends and relatives and try to get you more and more committed to activities, including doz wey dey demand payments."

However, di counsellor believe say di most effective way no to listen to your instincts.

"Trust your gut," e tok.

Experts like Dr Stein and Turner dey quick to point out say prevention dey much easier dan cure wen dealing wit cults. Dem both call for more coordinated work by goments to keep cults in check.

"We no dey take di [necessary] steps to educate pipo about dangerous groups," Dr Stein tok.

"Goments dey usually fear about trying to regulate dem, especially di ones wey show dem sefs as churches."