Ayensuadze to perform ritual after crocodile attack

General News of Saturday, 6 April 2013

Source: graphic.com.gh

Crocodile

A ritual would be performed by the chiefs and people of Gomoa Ayensuadze in the Gomoa East District on Tuesday to pacify the gods of the stream in which a crocodile attacked three farmers who went on a fishing expedition about a week ago.

The incident led to the death of one Kofi Ninsin, 60, while two others who have been identified as Joe and Kofi Obuu sustained varying degrees of injuries.

According to a source in the town, immediately after the tragic incidence, the elders of the town poured libation to the gods as customs demand.

The source said that the two who got injured had recovered after the ritual and were going about their normal duties.

When contacted, Nana Onsonyameye, the Mankrado of the town, confirmed to the Daily Graphic that the elders had resolved to undertake the rituals.

He was, however, tight lipped on what would be involved in the performance of the ritual, adding that he will make it public after the ritual has been performed.

He lamented that the way sections of the media reported the matter tended to ridicule the town.

The Daily Graphic in its Monday, April 1, 2013 edition reported that three persons who went on a fishing expedition in a stream had been attacked by a crocodile, leaving one dead, with the others severely injured.

The deceased, Ninsin, was the last person the crocodile attacked, after it had bitten the two others. Ninsin struggled with the crocodile for sometime, since the animal was bent on chewing his knee.

The three were rushed to the Gomoa Abasa Health Centre for medical attention but Ninsin who was bleeding profusely was referred to the Winneba Government Hospital for treatment but he died later on.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy.

According to Nana Onsonyameye, certain customary rites should have been performed before the three entered the stream to fish, adding that that might have accounted for the tragedy.

He stressed that “fishing in the stream is preceded by a ritual to ask for protection from the gods, before anyone could go in to fish” but the three did not wait for the rituals to be performed.