As the 2014 is coming to an end, we can assume that many important events have occurred in the country throughout the year, but some of them were clear as a mud-spattered windscreen…
When a person reading the news could hardly control his/her emotions only exclaiming: “What the hell is happening out there?”
We suggest you to recall the most strange incidents that got us all seriously confused this year.
Read after the cut>>>
1. “Bird women” everywhere
In April, the unusual reports broke out in the majority of the Nigerian media. According to the reports coming from Ajegunle area of Lagos state, people saw a bird turning into an old woman (no kidding).
One of the eyewitnesses of the incident called the experience “terrifying”:
“I have never seen this kind of incident in my life…So these things truly happen? God will save and protect us.”
People accused the “bird woman” of witchcraft and even wanted to lynch her, but she was rescued by the operatives.
As the saga that caused panic across the country continued, the woman’s children emerged saying their mother was not a witch. The two were mad with how quickly the rumour was spread.
Since then however “bird women” started appearing in different regions of Lagos. One in Oshodi area of Lagos, soon one more was spotted at Imulokanle street, Ishaga bus stop off Ebule Egba Ekoro road, both allegedly confessed to having committed murders.
And finally back in November, a similar story took place in Ijora, Lagos. That was apparently the last straw, as readers took to social media to express their rage over the incidents. People tagged the alleged witches as simply mentally ill women.
One Blessing Bassey said: “Every mad woman is a bird turned to a human, I wish government will take mad people off the street, so birds will continue to be birds.”
Interestingly, it was only about females turning into birds, who prefer to fly and fall down only in Lagos.
Whatever happened there… it deserves to be called weird and even super weird.
2. Keshi quitting the Super Eagles like… every single day
Stephen Keshi
It seemed that Nigerians, who a kind of got used to the clashes between Keshi and the Nigeria Football Association (NFF), did not actually expect it would happen.
Tension was rising when immediately after the Super Eagles knockout from the tournament, the coach said during the press conference that he did not know whether he would stay with the Nigerian team. The media interpreted it as a sign that the Big Boss was ready to drop the team.
However, Keshi soon publicly noted that the journalists misunderstood him.
The discussion and analytical predictions continued until Keshi, who led his guys to the victory in the 2013 AFCON, took to his Twitter account to make a final (at least we thought so) announcement.
“Friends, it has been a good run and I have enjoyed every moment. It’s been an honor coaching the Super Eagles. It is however time to bow out.”
The headlines were screaming: Keshi Bows Out.
We thought there could be nothing more precise than that. LOL. Double LOL. You won’t believe what the NFF said next. According to the football body, Keshi actually does not have a Twitter account and that he never wrote that message.
It is worth mentioning that there is no ending to this story, as at the time of filing this report it cannot be stated categorically whether the coach and the NFF agreed on the new contract.
3. Nigerian ways to “cure” Ebola
Ewedu (long-fruited vegetable)
As sad as it can be, panic always attracts those, who use it for their own benefit.
A Lagos pastor, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, claimed, for example, that the deadly fever could be cured by mere laying of hands. His statement however attracted many outraged users, who said in the comments that he was misleading the users and suggested him to go to Liberia, ravaged by Ebola, to try his method.
Another controversial announcement was made by Nigerian professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and consultant at the Lagos University Hospital (LUTH), Adebukola Ositelu, who said that the native vegetable Ewedu might be used both to prevent and treat the EVD.
NAFDAC’s reaction was not long in arriving, as the body threatened to arrest the professor making such “unsupported and possibly fraudulent claims”, which might jeopardize people’s’ lives.
But the most terrible confusion, which unfortunately claimed several lives in Nigeria, was linked to the “salt water” rumour and showed how devastating the power of social media can be.
It emerged on the Internet that bathing in or drinking hot water and salt solution prevents and/or cures Ebola. Before the country health officials debunked the rumour, some people were hospitalized and even died after using the method.
Naij.com carried out the research and traced the origins of the hearsay. Apparently, it started on Nairaland with the message of one Adesewa, who later confessed and apologized for what he did. What started as a joke turned into a tragedy.
4. How many Shekaus has the Nigerian Army killed? And still… is he alive?
Abubakar Shekau
The media got confused regarding how to call the killed man: either Shekau or Shekau’s impersonator, as his figure is surrounded by numerous rumours.
The man mimicking Shekau in the recent videos was reported killed, which was revealed by a top military source.
There was soon an update, according to which Dubai-based Nigerian journalist, Ahmed Salkida, claimed that the real Shekau was still alive.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), however, released an official statement saying that they killed the impostor who took up the mantle of leadership after the real Shekau died in 2013. Moreover, a video clip featuring Shekau’s clone and photos were provided to prove the point.
It seemed there was nothing else to debunk… until the infamous Shekau, or his clone, claimed in an October video that he (he who?) was alive. The man in the video looked very much the same like the one in the previous videos and said that reports about his death were a mere propaganda by the military.
“Here I am, alive. I will only die the day Allah takes my breath. Nothing will kill me until my days are over. I’m still alive. Some people asked you if Shekau has two souls. No, I have one soul, by Allah.”
The mess with identifying the personality of the so-called Shekau continue, as the terrorist keeps releasing new videos speaking about the dire Boko Haram activities and threatening Nigerians with new attacks. Some insist that the terrorist has mane clones, who appear in the video.
5. Sports and politics combined in one
Kawu Suleiman, deputy minority leader jumping the fence at the National Assembly. Credits: Premium Times
It could be called ordinary political news, but it just couldn’t. Why? Because in order to enter the premises of the National Assembly complex, at least 15 politicians, started scaling the high fence.
Dressed spick and span, looking neat, with suitcases in their hands, they were actively getting over the fence. And they finally reached the destination, following which however the Senate president David Mark ordered the closure of the building over the fracas.
Different things do happen in our country, but it’s not every day Nigerians observe such pictures in the political circles.
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Only God knows whether the next year will give us answers to the questions that emerged in connection with all these events. No matter what, we do hope that if strange things happen in 2015, they will bring only positive changes.
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