EAGLE EYE
One of the most feared animals on earth is the snake. This fear is deeply rooted in human beings, not only because a single bite can send even the strongest of us to an early grave, but also because the Word of God has long pitched man and serpent as arch enemies, dating back to the consequences of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden.
Genesis 3:15, New Living Translation, reads: “And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
Unfortunately, this age-old enmity still exists. At the mere sight of a snake, the normal human instinct is to flee. One only turns back at a safe distance to assess the situation before returning, perhaps, to crush its head. In retaliation, the snake raises its own head to strike, but since man has been given dominion over all creatures, he can often subdue it.
A tragic death that shocked Abuja
Recently, a tragic incident reignited public fear. An upcoming artist, a 25-year-old singer, met an untimely death after she was bitten by a cobra in her room in Abuja while she slept. The snake reportedly struck unprovoked, and all attempts to get medical help failed.
It was further reported that after her death, three snakes were removed from her room. The news sent shivers through residents of Abuja.
Late Ifunanya Nwangene’s case raised many questions. People wondered how a snake could bite someone sleeping peacefully. The popular belief in some quarters was that “village people” must have snuffed out her light, seeing that she was rising at an amazing pace. She had a voice described as angelic and had even gained international recognition, reportedly being noticed by European football organisers to sing at the opening of their season — a launch into greatness.
How did the snakes gain access to her room? And why were there three? She lived in a compound with interlocking tiles all around. The only logical route may have been through the toilet system. But three snakes in her own room, among all the apartments in the compound, remains deeply suspect to many.
Social media remedies
The likelihood that septic tanks may serve as entry points has triggered a frenzy of advice on social media about making them unconducive for snakes. Several tips went viral.
One claimed that mixing a bottle of fuel, a sachet of hypo and three spoons of baking soda, then flushing it down the toilet every two weeks, could kill snakes and discourage them from dwelling in septic tanks.
Another advised flushing concentrated salt in very hot water weekly, followed by at least two sachets of hypo left overnight before flushing in the morning. Some claimed this would eliminate snakes as well as cockroaches.
A lady said she pours black engine oil directly into her septic tank monthly, believing it discourages snakes. Another claimed she flushes Gamaline 3 through bath openings and toilets, insisting it kills cockroaches and repels snakes.
Real-life encounters
Mrs Idoko, a friend and cousin who once lived briefly in Zaria, recalled how her neighbours were shocked when unusual movements in their septic tank led them to hire a snake charmer. Using his methods, the man reportedly brought out three large, angry cobras. It was unbelievable that people had been living alongside such dangerous neighbours, exiled unwillingly from their hidden abode. Thankfully, no one was ever attacked, especially not the children.
One popular recommendation is embracing cats, as they are known snake killers. That is true. More than a decade ago, when we moved into our house — then still uncompleted and surrounded by bush — we had a beautiful white-and-ash coloured cat that looked innocent.
One day, as I opened the gate and walked toward the house, I noticed the cat did not come to welcome me. It was busy eating something. On closer look, to my shock, it was devouring a snake it must have killed near our well. That was the last day I allowed that cat close to me. Even its persistent “meiuw” and seemingly innocent eyes could not move me. I had seen it in action.
A fumigator once told women journalists in Jos, during one of their congresses, that many people move into new homes they spent years building without fumigation — a dangerous mistake.
In many cases, he explained, a snake family may already have made a hidden part of the building its home, and humans are simply intruders disturbing its routine. The snake may remain in hiding until the day it feels provoked enough to strike.
That discussion was prompted by the story of a pregnant woman bitten by a snake on her bed in the middle of the night while sleeping beside her husband in Jos two years ago. Sadly, she died.
Snakes are deadly. We must research more into what repels them and what attracts them. It is believed they hate lemon grass, garlic and thorny plants like cactus. They are attracted to eggs, rats and similar prey.
We must also understand what to do when bitten. Some advise that victims should reduce movement to slow the spread of venom. Others suggest drinking very cold water or chewing pawpaw leaves, though these remain largely unverified.
A call for urgent medical preparedness
Government must equip hospitals with snake anti-venom. A situation where health facilities turn away snakebite victims because anti-venom is unavailable says too much about the state of some of our healthcare services.
Sadly, Ifunanya died in the process of searching for anti-venom — a promising life gone too soon.