Community banishes man for keeping python’s venom

Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia

A man identified only as Mr. Okechukwu has been allegedly banished from his community for refusing to surrender the poisonous venom he obtained from a python he killed in his cocoa farm to the community at Ofeke Ndume Ibeku, Umuhute in Umuahia North Local Council of Abia State.

A local told Southern City News in Umuahia that it was an abomination for one man to kill a python and keep it to himself, stressing that the killer was required to surrender the venom of the snake to the community on request.

The source said Okechukwu had been entreated severally by elders in the village to provide the said venom but he refused to comply, claiming that he did not see any venom in the python.

It was gathered that Okechukwu had boasted before some teenagers that he would use the venom obtained from the python against all his enemies in the forthcoming new yam festival in the community.

It was learnt that one of the boys who heard him issue the threat reported the matter to the village elders.

He said when all efforts to recover the poisonous venom from Okechukwu proved abortive, the community banished him.

It was gathered that Okechukwu had ran to his maternal home for protection, but his kinsmen there also refused to accommodate him.

When contacted, the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Emmanuel Onwubuariri, said the matter was not officially reported to him by the village elders.

He said although he heard about the incident, he was still expecting official report from the Council of Elders.
The Punch