By Izunna Okafor, Awka
In what has been described as an unusual but captivating display of native ingenuity, a middle-aged hunter has captured the attention of social media users and passersby alike, for his rare and hilarious talent of catching live lizards with nothing but grass and bare hands.
The man, who introduced himself as “Aka Na-ewude Ngwere 1 of Ogidi” (meaning The Hand that Catches Lizards I of Ogidi), is said to hail from Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, and recently caught public attention following the surfacing of a video showing him doing what he knows how to do best — hunting lizards.
In the viral footage, the self-styled lizard hunter is seen proudly carrying and displaying a bunch of live lizards, a few strands of grass, and a black polythene bag, believed to contain some more lizards he had caught.
While it is still not clear what he does with such quantity of lizards after catching them, some onlookers and passersby were even more stunned by the unique and unconventional method by which he catches the reptiles.
According to him, he uses a particular type of grass which he strategically presents and rotates in a manner that makes it appear like the fluttering of a butterfly or a grasshopper — a natural prey that often lures lizards. Then, sighting and mistaking the moving grass for food, the unsuspecting lizards would approach, only to be swiftly and expertly grabbed by the hunter.
With the ease and confidence of someone who has mastered his craft, Aka Na-ewude Ngwere — in the video that was recorded during what seemed to be a casual encounter with a group of amazed bystanders — demonstrated the process with dexterity and confidence, showing people how he grabs each lizard just as it lunges at the grass bait. He neither shows fear nor hesitation as he reaches out to pick the reptiles with bare hands — a display that leaves many onlookers stunned.
The hunter, though not formally dressed in superhero regalia, carried the kind of pride only a local champion can wear.
Although his full identity is yet to be revealed at the time of this publication, his confidence, passion, and mastery of the unusual skill have drawn attention and also earned him an admiration. The video has also sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions among social media users.
While many praise his creatively, passion and hustling spirit in the face of the prevailing economic realities, some others criticize what they described as such “irrelevant talent” of catching lizards, wondering why such an able-bodied young man like him should obsess himself with chasing around and catching “innocent lizards” rather than engaging himself with something “meaningful”, productive and beneficial to the society. Some netizens also wonder whether the act is driven by tradition, spiritual purposes, or simply personal passion.
Similarly, there is also a cloud of mystery and questions on social media concerning what the lizard hunter does with the reptiles after capturing them. Speculations about that he might be using them for medicinal purposes, sell them as exotic pets, or perhaps even use them in some local delicacies. Howbeit, none of these theories or speculations has been confirmed as at the time of this publication.
Watch the video below:
