Fear. Trepidation. Excitement. These captured the mood at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital, last Saturday when a python was killed in an uncompleted building close to a male hall of residence.
Being a weekend, majority of the students had gone out for extra-curricula activities; some chose to play football; others engaged in other games.
Few minutes past 9am, an unidentified man raised the alarm on sighting the python. Those in their hostels thought it was a joke, until the python crawled out of the building.
Students ran helter skelter on seeing it. A local hunter, who lives in the building, chased the python with a cutlass, battling it for several minutes before overpowering it.
Students, who watched the scene from a distance, were stunned by his bravery and brave among them joined the hunter to kill the python.
The students took the lifeless animal round the campus in a triumphant mood but As they went round, some students, out of fear that the python may come back to life, pulled back.
Reliving the incident, the hunter, who simply gave his name as Okey, said he found the python when he heard a strange noise in the building.
He said: “Out of curiosity, I moved round the building to know what was happening. I initially thought somebody was held in captivity within the building. But, what I saw was beyond my imagination. I saw the snake folded at a corner of a room. I quickly fetched my cutlass and an iron rod and moved to attack it before the students joined in killing it.”
The students wondered how the snake got into the campus.
A student, who gave his name as Iyke, compared the scenario to a “movie scene”. He said: “I was playing football with other mates as we do every weekend when we heard people shouting, “python”, “python”, “python”. We left the field to see what was going on and what we saw shocked us. It was like a scene in a movie. I never saw a snake as big and long as this. The length of the snake frightened other students, who ran away. We discovered that the hunter had already overpowered the python. We joined in killing the snake.”
Another student, Ebuka Ezeah, said: “When the hunter raised the alarm about the python, some brave students rushed to the scene with stones and sticks. They hurled stones at the snake, killing it on the spot.”
The students turned it all into a carnival, celebrating the python’s death. They sang and danced, carrying the python from one hostel to another and to various departments.
There was a drama when the school security officers came to the hostel and attempted to remove the python. But the students resisted, chanting: “bring back our snake”. The snake was returned to the hunter.
Some of the students, who spoke to CAMPUSLIFE, called on the school management to ensure that their safety on campus.
One of them, Chuks Okafor, said: “This is not the first time we are experiencing something like this on the campus. The killing of two alligators in the hostel is still fresh in our memory. The management may have done well in protecting students against criminals; it is not just about crime. We need to be protected from dangerous animals. I expect the school management to do something about this latest python invasion.”
*Python invasion keh?If i was there,i would be out of that School in a flash i swear down!..Infact i will defer my admission or change school.GOD FORBID!
Omg, this got me starring at my walls in my room... Jeez that stuff is huge!!!
ReplyDeleteTaa,abeg Stella make we hear word biko!! You'll defer your admission cuz of ordinary python? Abeg talk true.Unizik my almamata,though I never stayed in the school hostel so I never really witnessed all those strange animals they kept talking about.I always saw monkeys sha around my lodge,especially when they were about to start that their 'Imo Awka' festival.
DeletePython??
DeleteJeezzzz
Choi!
DeleteI used to enjoy that Imo Awka Festival....all d Masquerades?dem Boizzz(usually topless)all d effizzi...FUN.
Zikites!! When schooling in unizik, 85% of the students live outside the school compounds so it's not a common occurrence to see such animals. The school is located in the permanent site which is a very very large expanse of land with a great percentage of it, still covered in bushes, so yes, it's possible to see such "wild" animals. Definitely not enough reason to decide to leave the school sha, na only you waka come?
DeleteZikites!! When schooling in unizik, 85% of the students live outside the school compounds so it's not a common occurrence to see such animals. The school is located in the permanent site which is a very very large expanse of land with a great percentage of it, still covered in bushes, so yes, it's possible to see such "wild" animals. Definitely not enough reason to decide to leave the school sha, na only you waka come?
DeleteAh Stella, you are such a drama queen.
ReplyDeleteDefer admission and change school unto snake matter?
O n serious rara.
No mind Stella biko
Deleteissorait
ReplyDelete#GODWIN™
I hate python
DeleteHahahahahaha...
ReplyDeleteStella you can fear!...
This one is small nau to compared to the ones in my village...
I'm sure you will faint when you see one of them...kill it and give him a befitting burial...
Same as my mom's village. You don't kill eke there. When you kill it, you give it a befitting burial like you would do to a human being. But the thing about the eke (python) in her village is it doesn't hurt people. It never bites anyone. It even comes in to play with kids and leave. It comes in to see new born babies. It keeps children company, those their mothers left for the farm.. It doesn't hurt strangers either as long as you don't have bad intentions for the people.
DeleteI know ihiala does that.
DeleteThey don't kill eke.
You are right Fab mum but that story was in the olden days!...
DeleteThese days,Those huge ones don't normally come out...
Same as my village.. we dont kill EKe(python). A buzim Ada IDE..
DeleteWe don't kill it as well.
DeleteSo eeewrrry,yet fascinating.
I kept zooming in even when I didn't want to look.
I hate snakes,but I love reading about them.
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DeletePeople of idemili local govt(both north and south)in Anambra state do such things,u don't kill a python wen u see it(but they kill snakes o) most times u just talk to d python to leave,and it will leave....if u kill it whether intentional or not,u will give it a very befitting burial ....Am frm idemili north LGA so am sure of what am saying
DeleteThis is terrifying, wonder what the school security officers wanted to do with the snake.
ReplyDeleteScary sight!!
DeleteEnd time snake
ReplyDeleteI so hate this creature!!! If I was der, am sure I would ve ran so fast dat I will forget my slippers. This one can swallow anything on sight. God forbid bad thing. Tufia!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIs this not EKE? The harmless python Anambarians don't kill?
ReplyDeleteSame thing am thinking oo.
DeleteNot Anambrarians but d Idemmilis - the people of Idemmili regard d python as the representative of their deity. Eke bu eke idemmili.
DeleteAwka has its own, which are Monkeys - Awka Na aso enwe
It's not every part of Anambra that doesn't kill it
DeleteI'm sure my own part i.e Idemmili don't kill it
I think Awka people do kill it
Not every anambra village acknowledge eke. Just some village. But it's a very serious something in idemili2 local government. You can't kill the eke and be jubilation. You would have been giving a list of things you must buy..
DeleteEven my friend hosted me 2 weeks ago how her brother who was serving in this village killed eke with his friends and they were giving list of things to buy to bury the snake which included casket, drinks, food and so much more.
Na me talk am you are correct. Eke Idemmili and It is Idemmili Local Government and some towns in Ihiala local government that doesn't kill it. In Aguata we kill them.
DeleteAll these AdaIde on this blog check out their legs all of them are pythons smooth and long example Queen Linda Eze.
Was thinking same too because I've seen my grandmother nicely carry one out of the farm when we visited the East one August when we were kids.
DeleteY'all are right.. Dunukofia that was formerly part of Idemili Local Government dont kill Eke too.. abum Ada IDE.
DeleteDo you think it is easy to get admission in Nigeria Stella? That one will defer admission or change school because of a python
ReplyDeleteDon't mind stella
DeleteMe too, if I see mosquito I will defer admission.
DeleteCan't deal with all this trauma.
Dont mind stella.. she's not talking like a uniben chick. I used to see snakes in Ssq side all d time na. Or which animal worse pass d killers in ekosodin? Free stella.. germany dey shack am
DeleteNa waah
ReplyDeleteNa wa oooo
ReplyDeleteSee me in shock just reading it.
Whewwwww
#takesadeepbreath
I can't even imagine what my actions would be at first glance
Change school because of snake? Puleease.
ReplyDeleteI'm from idemili-north(obosi) and there is no time I go to the villa that I don't see eke. Big, fat ones oooo! But they don't kill them. Just throw them into a near by bush. And they don't bite too because some people actually worship them. Heard that if you kill one you'll give it a befitting burial, just like a human. You buy coffin and all
You are right. You are sister to Xhlrted P ndi Obosi si n'azu afu uzo
DeleteAll these story ontop snake matter?
ReplyDeleteNa snake pepper soup sure pass. Sharp security officers wanted to steal the thing before the students turn it into abasha. That being said,I hate lizards,snakes,wall gecko,anything that creeps.
ReplyDelete*Baffs*
DeleteTo the students who asked how the snake got into the school.
ReplyDeleteAns: the snake came in through the school gate after formally writing to inform the school of its visit. #yeyequestion
Lmao
DeleteHahahahahahaha... u just nasty. Choi! Burst my head
DeleteHahahaha.....thanks for making me laugh so much,lol
DeleteQueen nwa mama, are u from Idemili North.
ReplyDeleteQueen is AdaIde now, if you see her leg she's Eke Mama. They are usually pretty with fine leg
DeleteJesu... This is really end time python
ReplyDeleteI cringe at the sight of snake. Stella, you are not alone.
ReplyDeleteI hate snakes!!
ReplyDeleteBut that python is harmless..
Its sacred in some villages in anambra.
They will soon say Stella worships snakes cos she posted it,dumb evil people
ReplyDelete'The students wondered how it came into the school...'
ReplyDeleteIt came on Okada na, *yimu
This snake go sweet for better pepper soups
ReplyDeleteNa so e easy to leave? Hahaahahahahahahha...... Na Nija be this oh! Na who never encounter Jamb no go know say to enter university na like to get visa go America.
ReplyDeleteWhat of my dad and his colleagues that saw Alligator in their office and ran for their life lwkmd.... Since they've killed it, they should just return to their classes/ hostels biko.
These things are very common especially in Eastern part of Nigeria. I remembered so many times we called villagers near by to come and carry their Pythons away. It is believed in my place that you don't kill Pythons because they serve as Children's protectors in the olden days. Igbo people who are familiar with Python stories will tell you better.
In my place if you kill it, you will bury it like a human being. Idk how it is done neither have I seen them do it before; but that is what I grew up knowing - that you don't kill Python in my place. What you will simply do is to drive it away.
Mean while the story bend in different directions, what is a hunter doing living in an uncompleted building within the school residence?
ReplyDeleteWhat is he hunting?
Or is there H216 in this your razz school? Imagine dancing half naked with a snake.
Stella please find news. *drags mat vexed
OMG
ReplyDeleteI hope this is not Eke Abagana that these people killed.
ReplyDeleteThat Eke is harmless.all it wants is a cold place to chillax.a cold floor or all dose massive cooking pots. Chai! Ndi a emee Alu. Lol
You are AdaIde too. Shooooior
Delete...And powder on his head abi body...yikes!
DeleteWe don't kill it in my place,i have never seen it though.
Hi darlynnnnnnnn
Adonbelieve any python is harmless. Arrrh, so if the python is placed beside a human being, it won't bite or attack? Hmm, scary.
DeleteWhirlie Baby,I wil speak for the ones I "know of"
DeleteWhen a woman gives birth,it is known to come and "welcome" d baby.infact some women go to bathe and wen u come back,u see d Eke curled Round d baby.it's only protectingd child.
When kids play,it's bn known to come join dem.Daz why kids are d biggest fans of Eke.all dey do?dey shop it away.dey sing "Eke gbanagA ooo...."
Returning home one Xmas night in Villa,my cousin and I,i saw one and screamed my lungs out.no i didn't scream.i was transfixed! my cousin looked back and was like "hurry" and saw d wild look on my face and looked and following my gaze she saw d Slithery reptile and laughed and told d Eke to move.dat I was an abroad person. Abroad is a term used for those who don't reside in d Villa. She told him we were just coming from visiting cousins and should hurry and let us pass before see us and know we were just coming home.
Like "Fim" dis Eke moved away*goose bumps now*
This was some 15 years ago but this would be my first intoduction to d world of Eke.
If I were to go home right do minute,I would find dem lounging in dose big pots.lazy things 😃
And if u kill dem,u bury dem wit full funeral rites.yea.
As I am,Eke won't bite me.nor any one from my villa.but.but...
But dey say as long as I haven't eaten Eke.
Now I have cousins from DeltA.and dey eat Eke.and dey swear its d best delicacy eveever! Now if u know my cousins,dey are hawt! Tush.
Sexyyy....
D guys among dem,crazy,mischievous and Daring....
And if u know me, I loove food! Esp d ones prepared by someone else.and d meals I haven't tasted.
So it was one of my sexy cousin's Traditional Marriage and I went to their Villa....
And with me went my Long Throat....
School Pick up!
To be continued....
TGW, hian, *puts my slippers on my head and runs away*.
DeleteI feel like something is crawling in my trouser.
ReplyDeleteI hate snake with passion... But Stella you can form sha
ReplyDeleteToo many Eke people on this blog charismatic diva, FabMum, Queen Linda Eze, brown sugar, Xhlrted P, Ammie, North Dakota, The General's wife, Uju, Mother Nature.
ReplyDeleteOgbanje and Mammy Water people.
These pple have killed eke idemili. odirokwanma, it's harmless. my hand no dey o, infact i no see the post. -adaide
ReplyDelete