Anita Ogona
Awka Residents lament as sacred monkeys go about destruction of their farmland and crops
The capital city of Anambra state, Awka has been widely known for its sacredness to Monkeys. This means that killing of monkeys in Awka is a Taboo.
As if the monkeys are aware of their sacred stamps, they go about destroying farm plants, offices and other agricultural products
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For instance, a social activists Valentine Obienyem took his Facebook handle to lament on the level destruction done to his plantain plantation.
His post read
My Plantain Plantation
In our effort to encourage production over consumption, we set up a small plantain, banana, and pineapple plantation in the Agu-Awka area.
Yesterday, a troop of monkeys invaded the plantation. As monkeys are considered sacred by the Awka people, much like certain animals are revered in other towns, we need to find a way to keep the monkeys away without injuring them.
How should I respond to this monkey menace? I must start by acknowledging that each town has its unique traditions. Anacharsis beautifully illustrated this in ancient Greece when he said that if nations were to gather the customs they hold sacred and other nations were to discard what they do not consider sacred, nothing would remain. He was highlighting the relativity of culture.
I respect Awka tradition, always keeping Anacharsis’ words in mind, but what do I do?
Reacting to this post, alot of followers narrated their experiences with monkeys. So many painfully counted their losses.
A particular follower Maxie Onyekwere wrote
Exactly the same experience I have in my compound with Awka monkeys on my mangoes and plantains. I felt like crying this season production of my mangoes and the devastation the monkeys did to them. Half of the mango fruit were totally wasted by this wicked animals and they come in fours.
I may take drastic measures this time around as the case may be.
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