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Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony - Culture - Nairaland

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Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by Maximiller(m): 11:52pm On Nov 01, 2015
The crocodiles at Aguku Lake in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State are different in many ways. Numbering about three hundred,
the crocodiles are human friendly. Indeed, they are gatekeepers of the community, so to say.
Hence they do not kill but rather protect the people. They also hear human voices and hearken to them. So, the crocodiles are regarded as sacred beings and cannot be killed. At noon, they
appear at the bank of the lake basking in the sun to get the temperatures they desire.
According to Mr Sunday Ogu alias Ayaka, a traditionalist, it is sacrilegious to kill a crocodile at Agulu Lake. He volunteered that anyone who
does that even in secret will be beset with problems of unimaginable proportion.
“Anybody who kills a crocodile at the lake will suffer in several ways whether he was seen or not. For instance, if the person is a billionaire, he can become a beggar within a short time. In fact,
anything can happen to the person.
So, nobody dares to do that,” he stated. Ayaka explained that anybody who kills a crocodile must atone for the sacrilege before he can be set free.
The nature of penance, according to him, will depend on the demands of the deity. Myths and mysteries Indeed, there are many myths and mysteries swirling about the lake.
For instance, it is a taboo to go fishing in the lake so as not to disturb the peace of the crocodiles that are revered by the locals. It was gathered that in the past, the crocodiles had saved the
town from foreign invaders hence they are highly regarded.
A local source said: “We learnt from our forbearers that the crocodiles saved Agulu people from powerful enemies who came to eliminate them. During wars, the crocodiles transformed into
beautiful ladies and lured the enemies into the lake where they drowned. Another side of the story had it that the enemies disappeared without
trace”. Even today, Agulu Lake remains an uncommon development. It is home to traditional worshippers who use it for various spiritual exercises such as making sacrifices and exorcising evil spirits from people.
The water is also believed to contain healing property for all manner of ailments. It is also the source of Idemili River, which serves different
communities in Anambra State. Inside crocodiles’ conclave Daily Sun was at the rare and extraordinary location recently and got a special welcome from the sacred reptiles.
It was like a fairytale, like a stranger than fiction kind of tale. On arrival in Ogidi this Thurday morning, the reporter and his guide were directed to a priest, Mr Chukwudi Nwanweke Nkwalu whose shrine is located close to the lake.
By way of introduction, he described himself as “the Akajiofo Idemili Diodo Umuowele, Agulu. I am the head of Idemili, the person looking after the
lake.
I met some of our forbearers such as Obi
Echenya, Nkenke Enyi, Nwankwo and others.
They were the people who handed over the ofo (mantle) to me. They were the people who said that I should forge ahead; that I would neither
stumble nor fall. Whatever that is been done in Agulu Idemili Umuowele, I must be the head or leader.
No one can come out and challenge my headship. Even all those who employ it into one use or another, they still come to me and I will say how things will be. I am addressed as Akajiofo and
Ewelata Ozo in Umuowele”.
When told that my mission was to see the mystery crocodiles that hear and hearken to human voices, the youthful priest said that certain items should be provided before one could be taken to the lake.
The items were kolanuts, few days old chick, nzu (clay) and white fowl. After these items were presented, the priest took the small group to the bank of the river. Time was about 3.00pm. On
getting there, the priest stepped into the lake and began to speak to the crocodiles. No crocodile was in sight and the river was placid.
He told the crocodiles that some dignitaries were around to see them, urging them to come out
and welcome the guests. Telling them that the guests brought gifts for them, he broke the
kolanuts and threw the portions into the lake.
He also broke the native clay and the pieces into the river. Suddenly, a crocodile appeared from the distance and started coming towards the priest. After a while, it went under the water, out of sight. The priest went to another side of the lake and called out to the crocodiles, telling them that they had an important visitor.
Yet another crocodile came out and moved toward the priest. When it moved close enough, the priest threw the fowl, with its head wrapped with the feathers, into the lake. The crocodile picked the fowl, lifted its head perhaps in salutation and drifted to a corner to have its meal.
Indeed, it was a spectacular scene: Crocodiles hearing and obeying the voices of human beings was beyond the ken of men.
“This is unbelievable. I’ve heard about this before but I thought it was one of those unsubstantiable tales created by people. Now I’ve seen this wonder with my own eyes,” Mr Onyeka Njoku said, with a glint in his eyes and excitement in his voice.
Interestingly, shortly before the crocodiles emerged, a woman was seen coming out of the lake in a relaxed manner. She showed no sign of apprehension whatsoever. In fact, she could be said to be at home in that environment. There was also a dead goat floating in the corner of the lake but the crocodiles did not touch it. Perhaps they do not touch such‘unclean’ things.

Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by tinziemaine(m): 11:57pm On Nov 01, 2015
Ftc There is a village where goat is the king I think
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by fulaniHERDSman(m): 11:58pm On Nov 01, 2015
Cock and bull story from conquered south

Rubbish
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by kinibigdeal(m): 12:11am On Nov 02, 2015
Why Anambra always? Run from their ladies o
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by menix(m): 1:13am On Nov 02, 2015
So this very lake still exist..

Popsi nd some of his fellow soldiers stormed that River during the Civil war nd killed one of its crocodile, packaged the thing into the barrack nd they had a feast thou they cooked nd cooked the meat yet e no gree soft.

The next day, Villagers stormed the barrack asking the barrack Commander to hand over the soldiers involved to them, all men bail fence discharge until they settled with the community head.

Seriously, the villagers mourned nd had funeral service for their god.
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by Maximiller(m): 1:35am On Nov 02, 2015
menix:
So this very lake still exist..

Popsi nd some of his fellow soldiers stormed that River during the Civil war nd killed one of its crocodile, packaged the thing into the barrack nd they had a feast thou they cooked nd cooked the meat yet e no gree soft.

The next day, Villagers stormed the barrack asking the barrack Commander to hand over the soldiers involved to them, all men bail fence discharge until they settled with the community head.

Seriously, the villagers mourned nd had funeral service for their god.
u popsi de alive reach now ?:,
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by menix(m): 1:37am On Nov 02, 2015
Maximiller:
u popsi de alive reach now ?:,

Yes ooooo..

Strong as Samson..
Re: Agulu:nigerian Village Where Man And Crocodiles Live In Harmony by SmartMugu: 4:58am On Nov 02, 2015
Ive heard of a similar story before. I lived in Nembe LGA in Bayelsa for about 3 months, Basambiri to be precise. I noticed the inhabitants of that area respect pythons so much, and no one is allowed to kill one. That area is an island and you can't get out of there without travelling on water.

I heard tales of youth corpers that drowned after serving in that area because they killed pythons in the past and that the gods are angry with them.

My host had asked me if I ever killed or ate a python before, I never killed a snake before, but I ate a piece of a snake when I was about 7 years old along with everyone on my street in Lagos. Can't tell if that was a python or not. His next idea was that we needed to appease the gods with some type of sacrifice so I could get out of the island alive. I refused, that was crap to me. I didn't kill any snakes on the island, why would I need to go through some rituals for a piece of snake I tasted over 20 years before then in Lagos?

I won't blame them if that's their culture, but not every one believes in their belief.

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