By Victor Nwegede
On a humid afternoon in Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, a simple act of self-defense spiraled into humiliation, violence, and a national controversy that continues to reverberate across Nigeria.
Mr. Michael Eje, a middle-aged man from Onueke in Ezza South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, had only set out to earn a day’s wage. He was clearing a site for construction when he encountered a snake lurking under blocks. The reptile, coiled and advancing, appeared ready to strike. Instinct took over — he killed it.
In his Ezza homeland, snakes of that species, locally called Ikputu, are a source of food. Many rural Ebonyians relish snake meat, roasted or prepared as soup. But in Nkpor, like other communities in Idemili North, pythons and similar snakes are revered as sacred, intertwined with ancestral worship and spiritual identity. For Eje, it was the end of a threat. For the community, it was sacrilege — the desecration of tradition. Within moments, his life was upended.
The video that surfaced online painted a chilling picture. Eje was dragged by irate youths, stripped half-naked, beaten mercilessly, and forced to chant dirges in a mock funeral for the slain snake. His tormentors extorted 50,000 Naira from him as a “fine” before releasing him.
The footage triggered outrage. The man’s pleas and humiliation echoed far beyond Nkpor, sparking a national conversation on human rights, cultural practices, and the fragile coexistence of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic and religious groups.
What might have remained a local misunderstanding was amplified by the digital age. With a single viral clip, the clash between custom and constitution was laid bare before a national and international audience.
Among the first high-profile voices to condemn the incident was the Deputy Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Peter Onyekachi Nwebonyi, representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District. In a statement issued by his media aide, Romanus Uzor, the senator condemned the treatment as “barbaric, unlawful, and a gross violation of human dignity.”
“This is the 21st century. Subjecting a man to such humiliation for killing a snake in self-defense is unacceptable. The Anambra State Government must speak up and back words with action. Silence in the face of this barbarity is complicity,” Nwebonyi declared.
Not content with words, the senator dispatched the Chairman of Ebonyi Indigenes in Anambra, Chief Moses Ofoke, to meet Eje and his wife. Findings confirmed that the victim had acted purely in self-defense.
Nwebonyi, a lawyer and rights advocate, did not mince words: “No custom or tradition overrides the constitutionally guaranteed rights of Nigerians. If the Anambra authorities fail to act, I will explore legal action against the perpetrators.”
The clash between tradition and the Nigerian constitution has become the central theme of the debate. While Nkpor residents regard python killing as sacrilege, the constitution enshrines liberty, dignity, and freedom of belief.
Barrister Luke Chibweze Adonwe, Executive Director of the Luke Chibueze Adonwe (LACH) Human Foundation, provided clarity: Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees the right to life.
Section 34(1) prohibits torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment. Section 35 guarantees liberty. Section 38 affirms freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.
“This man was tortured for killing an animal. His fundamental rights were violated in the most degrading way. You cannot exchange human dignity for animal worship. It is barbaric and unconstitutional,” Adonwe insisted.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Anambra State Government to ensure justice.
“The perpetrators must be prosecuted, or we risk creating a society where animals are valued more than humans.”
To understand why a python’s death could spark such outrage, one must revisit the history of Igboland. In Idemili, pythons are seen not merely as animals but as messengers of the gods, associated with the river goddess Idemili, whose name itself means “pillar of waters.” For centuries, harming or killing a python has been taboo.
Traditionally, if a python was killed accidentally, elaborate funeral rites were performed, sometimes involving coffins, dirges, and burials, as if it were a human being. The practice is symbolic, affirming the python’s sacred role in the community’s spiritual life.
Mr. Cyril Chukwudi Onyedika, a 62-year-old native of Abatete in Idemili North currently residing in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, explained: “In Anambra, pythons are sacred. Nobody eats them there. But in Ebonyi, people eat snakes freely. The clash is cultural. That is why governments must do more sensitization to avoid this kind of conflict. Strangers should not be punished harshly for ignorance of local traditions.”
Onyedika, who has lived in Ebonyi since 1963 when he was born in Abakaliki, emphasized tolerance: “This is the 21st century. People migrate, intermarry, and trade across states. Tradition should not be used as a weapon against visitors. Sensitization, not violence, is the answer.”
Still traumatized, Eje recounted his ordeal: “They beat me, stripped me, and forced me to beg a snake. They made me chant dirges. Even after I paid 50,000 Naira, they mocked me. I killed the snake because it tried to bite me. In my place, we eat such snakes because they are not sacred. I never imagined I would be punished like this, including being wounded by the Anambra youths.”
His wife, close to tears, expressed gratitude for the intervention of Senator Nwebonyi: “Without him, I don’t know what would have happened to my husband. We only ask for justice, so this does not happen to another person.”
Human rights activists have been quick to draw parallels between the Nkpor incident and broader patterns of abuse rooted in customs across Nigeria.
According to the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), more than 200 cases of mob justice linked to cultural taboos are reported annually, ranging from accusations of witchcraft to desecration of shrines. Few ever make it to court.
Dr. Friday Nkwede, a University Don said: “What we see is the tension of a multicultural society struggling to modernize. Traditions are not inherently bad, but when they collide with universal human rights, the law must prevail. Otherwise, we risk legitimizing abuse.”
The Nkpor incident reflects a wider Nigerian dilemma. Across the country, cultural practices often clash with constitutional guarantees:
In some northern states, women face ostracism for rejecting early marriages or forced unions.
In parts of the Niger Delta, widows endure dehumanizing mourning rituals.
In some Yoruba communities, twins once faced ritual killings until cultural reforms intervened.
In Anambra and beyond, python worship continues to create flashpoints with migrants unfamiliar with local taboos.
Each case underscores the challenge of building a nation that respects cultural identity without trampling on individual dignity.
Suggesting pathways to resolution, for Senator Nwebonyi, the path is clear: “Tradition cannot override the constitution.”
For Barrister Adonwe, accountability is non-negotiable: “The perpetrators must face justice. Anything less emboldens future violators.”
For cultural defenders like Onyedika, dialogue remains essential: “Respect traditions, but also educate outsiders. Violence is never the answer.”
Civil society groups argue for a multi-pronged approach such as embarking on public sensitization campaigns to educate both locals and migrants about cultural practices, legal reforms ensuring perpetrators of mob justice are prosecuted swiftly, community mediation to reconcile cultural practices with modern rights and government leadership to set the tone that human dignity is inviolable.
The Nkpor incident has struck a nerve because it highlights Nigeria’s deeper struggle: balancing cultural preservation with universal human rights.
As debates rage, one truth stands firm: cultures may differ, but human dignity is universal.
The ordeal of Mr. Michael Eje is more than the story of a man and a snake. It is the story of a country still negotiating its identity, where tradition meets modernity, and where law must remain supreme over mob impulses.
And as Nigerians reflect, the lesson is sobering: a society that values animals above humans risks losing both its humanity and its future.
