Several years ago in one of the principal and ancient communities in the Kalabari kingdom, a lion and a python frequently come together at the centre of the community and began to fight. This mysterious thing usually occurred in the mid-night when so many people have gone to bed. Later it was allegedly discovered that two dreaded wizards transformed to these dangerous creatures to test their mystical powers. Scientifically speaking no one of these two animals even in their natural stage cannot be domesticated. The python is a very terrible reptile. In most of the traditional riverine communities it is forbidden to kill a python.
However, in some towns and villages in the coastal region such as Andoni python is used to prepare a delicacy. It is all about a belief system in the traditional African society.
Last week, Mr. Joseph Mbu, while handing over to his successor in Abuja told his audience that while in Rivers State as a Commissioner of Police, he termed himself as a lion that tamed a “Leopard of Port Harcourt” whom he referred to as the governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi. Lion is a king of the forest or jungle and whenever it roars, all other animals will vanish. It is very difficult to defeat a lion in the forest. Mbu as a “lion” roared severally in the state to terrify leopards and leopardess, during his service year in Rivers State.
During the reign of AIG Mbu in Rivers State violence ad cult related activities were brought to a barest minimum. Mbu is a professional police officer who brought his wealth of experience to bear in the discharge of his statutory functions, tamed the leopards of Rivers politics Mbu while in Rivers State was able to tame “political leopards and leopardess” in the state. But one thing I know no amount of torrential rainfall will wash away the blank spots on the skin or body of a leopard. Hence no amount of discipline can change the mind of a leopard. There are so many leopards in the state their assignment is to cause unnecessary tension within and outside the state.
These leopards and leopardess need to be “caged” for the progress and the unity of the state. This time around a “python and a scorpion” are perhaps needed to sanitize the state. The python swallows, while the scorpion stink.
Barely a year ago, a python swallowed a commercial cyclist at Tema in Asari-Toru Local Government, Leopard though a large animal of a cat family, that has yellowish brown fur with black spots can no way dispute and withstand the fierce anger of a lion. ###
Damiete west
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