Article: Inside Anambra were Humans and Python live in Harmony (photos)

Enugwu Ukwu town in Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State could be said to derive its name from its geographical topography. It perches like a bird on top of a big hill, looking down on the earth.

The town is culturally buoyant, even as it has embraced modernity in all ramifications. Consider this: All over Enugwu Ukwu and beyond, pythons are like beautiful brides. They must not be hurt or killed. In fact, it is a taboo to do harm to pythons there. There are dire consequences for hurting the creature.

Daily Sun visited Enugwu Ugwu recently and had an encounter with Pa Francis Anisiobi, from Urunnebo village. He is a traditional doctor and chief priest of the Ngene deity, which owns the pythons.

Explaining why pythons are not killed in Enugwu Ukwu, the chief priest said: “Our forefathers came into the world and saw that pythons were not killed in this area because the pythons belonged to the shrine. And whoever killed it would be enveloped by problems. Whoever kills a python in Umunri as a whole will be required to do certain things to free himself from the disastrous consequences of the act. First, some native doctors will be consulted for divination, and he will be told what to do. He will organise burial rites for the python and bury it at Ajoagwa Arusi. The burial rites include bringing goat and chicken that will be taken to the shrine. After that, if the person is having problems, they will stop.”

What sort of problems could someone who kills a python have? His answer: “If he is a businessman, his business will start dwindling. He is a driver, he will continue to have accidents; he will not die but continue to battle difficulties. There is nothing that the person does that will be progressing. So, if he is conscious enough to make appropriate consultation, the cause of his misfortune will be revealed to him. He will go to the shrine with two native doctors for divination and he will be told what to do so that he can make progress. But where he refuses to do what he was asked to do, he will remain in problems.

It could be that if the person has a child, that child will die. It can affect many children. Maybe at that point, the person will do the needful. Organising burial rites for a python does not stop the offender from going to church or to belong to any society. It has been there since time immemorial, from the time of our forefathers. It is not a recent development.”

Does it mean that the reptiles are harmless? “It does not bite. It can even go and lie with children so that it can experience some heat. Some people will take it out with bare hands, telling it that the children are afraid. If it comes into a house, you just gently take it out. During the rainy season, it usually looks for a warm place. It could enter the kitchen if it is open. It does not bite.

I have not seen or heard about anybody bitten by a python in my village. It does bite anybody in Umunri as a whole. Even if you step on it, it would jump up and continue moving.”

Anisiobi said that it does not matter if the offender is a stranger; the consequences are same. “The person will experience problems. That is why we tell non-indigenes on time that we do not kill pythons. There was someone who unknowingly killed a python while working in his farm. He saw a snake and killed it and brought it out majestically.

The chief priest.