The Totemic Ancestor of Umuoru People in Delta State, Nigeria [Part One]

The alligator is one of God's beautiful creations in the reptile specie, it is of the Crocodile family. Some have argued that it is an advanced specie of lizard. this explains why the Spanish term it "el lagarto", a genre name for the lizard family. Alligator are found all over the world.

The Alligator is a well built animal with a strong jaw bone for crushing bite. it is also regarded by anthropologists as a living fossil because it has survived several evolution dating back many million years.

Ordinarily, an alligator has an average life span of 50 to 75 years, they generally grow up to 6ft (1.8m). Young alligators eat fish, snails, insects, worms etc. as the grow older, they are interested in bigger fishes, birds, antelopes and other reptiles including smaller alligators. most of the muscles in the jaw of the alligator are endowed for biting, gripping and crushing of prey.

for reproduction, they lay their eggs after mating and the sex of the offspring is determined by the temperature the egg was hatched in. High temperatures of 34 degrees hatch males, while temperatures of 30 degree or lower produce females.

Beyond these, the alligator is a cultural phenomenon in some parts of Nigeria, it is not just a mere animal. Their traditional importance are well known and celebrated by the people of Umuoru in Delta State.

Umuoru is a town in Aboh Local Government Area of  Delta State; it is an island surrounded by Oshimili river and the people largely speak Ukwani, a bit of Ijaw and Isoko. They are mainly farmers and traders, hence Umuoruru has a central market that neighboring towns converge on, every four days for commerce.

History has it that in Umuoru, a war broke out between a neighbouring community. The war was fierce as the invaders overwhelmed the indigenes of Umuoru. As a result, the town was thrown into total disarray.

Aside the large number of deaths recorded, a substantial number of people were displaced. Some influential set of people who fled the town into the bush found themselves in the middle of nowhere. Though they had escaped being killed directly by weapons or charms, death was still starring at them in the face as they wondered in the thick and dangerous forest.

Amidst bewilderment and horror, they called upon their ancestors to deliver them from uncertainty and looming death.

Fortunately, the ancestors responded, but not in a way they had expected or imagined. A huge alligator appeared to them and surprisingly, instead of attacking them, the alligator using its tail as a signal, bent towards a direction, began to move in that direction. The people did not quite understand and so watched it go. When the alligator looked back and noticed that it was not followed, it returned and repeated the action.

This time however, it first placed its tail on the eldest man’s feet before moving on; a firm indication that it was to be followed. Instinctively, the old man figured that the alligator was leading them somewhere, he followed and others joined. On their way, they found another set of their kinsmen following another alligator. Amazingly, they noticed that they were being led back to their village.

As they got back home, they found out that the village was a ghost of itself but pleased that they were back home at least and safely.

.......To be continued.