By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Some residents of Umudim Nnewi in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Monday, had a heated quarrel and exchange of words over the killing of a python by a fisherman in the community.
It was gathered that the python was hooked by the fisherman’s net at Mmiri Eze, which made him (the fisherman) to crack its head with matchet after unhooking it from the net, resulting in its death.
This was corroborated by a video that has gone viral on social media, showing the long python lying on the roadside where it was allegedly killed by the fisherman.
The video also shows a group of residents of the community who immediately left what they were doing and rushed to the scene upon hearing that a python was killed there.
Although, some argued that it was a viper (Abụala) which is dangerous, and not a python (Eke), judging by its length and colour; many others insisted that it was a python, and that it is a taboo to kill it in Nnewi and some other parts of Anambra State.
According to them, the animal is harmless, peaceful, and totemic, and deserved not to be harmed or killed by anyone; stressing that doing so is culturally forbidden in Nnewi land. They also opined that sparing pythons could be part of the reasons misfortunes don’t befall Nnewi and why their ancestors shield them from dangers.
While noting that great misfortunes currently await the killer of the python, they also emphasized that potential dangers loom in the community as a result of the killing of the python.
As a tribute, and as a sign of bereavement and appeasement, the people also compassionately dropped some naira notes for the dead python, and also seized the fishing net of the fisherman who allegedly killed the python.
In addition to these, a heated quarrel also ensued between the angry residents and the wife of the fisherman who allegedly killed the python, even as the said act (killing of the python) also sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions on social media.
Watch the ( video and some of the comments below (viewer’s discretion advised):
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