There are some wild animals that can easily pass as pets while others are highly dreaded – a mere sight of them sends chills down the spine of the onlooker a fear that elicits aggression from us towards them even when they are not attacking. One of such wildlife is a snake which is highly feared for its poisonous fangs.

www.livescience.com/27845-snake puts the number of species of snakes world over at three thousand and they come in different sizes. Of all the species of snakes, the Python is symbolic in Nnobi (Idemili Local government), a community in Anambra state, South Eastern Nigeria (my home town).

The snake is revered among the people because it is believed to be the totem to the god Idemili worshipped by the people. Killing of the snake is not only sacrilegious but also known to call down the wrath of the god on the person. To avert this, the dead snake has to be wrapped in a white cloth and buried in a coffin while the person that committed the crime mourns it for some number of days.

The snake has also been proven not to hurt the people of Idemili. Even when it bites (which is very rare) the person will never die from the bite. Because people are not always comfortable with snakes around, a person is advised to use a long stick to carry the snake away whenever they enter a home.

I used to think this particular custom was peculiar to the people of Idemili till a little research made me discover that Orlu and Ebenator Ekwe in Isu local government area of neighbouring Imo state also doesn?t harm the animal. This and much more eco-friendly customs has helped preserve our environment by preserving the different species of flora and fauna. I won?t hesitate to bring them to spotlight once it comes to my knowledge.