Kaduna, Crocodiles and Stomach Philosophy

"Every time I drive across this bridge, I am tempted to look into the river for a glimpse of Crocodiles. I hear they are quite many in Kaduna state."

"That would be a sight, wouldn't it? You'll need to set up camp by the river bank to find a baby Croc."

"Croc City, I've heard them call it. I heard the tales you know- in far away Lagos- of how blessed Kaduna is with Crocodiles and other amphibians."

"Not anymore my brother. That was before meat became a luxury and Crocodiles became a choice staple."

"You mean the people were eating the Crocs? I thought it would be on the list of endangered species in Nigeria."

"I do not think that list exists my friend. Otherwise, our friend Osuofia would not have gone to London to catch birds on the streets. Besides, between Crocs and Humans, which are more endangered? One was bound to eat the other. It's a jungle- survival of the fittest."

"Personally, I think every wild animal in Nigeria should be tagged 'endangered'. What happened to the Endangered Species Act?"

"Same thing that happened to the Sea Fisheries Act, the Harmful Waste Act, and so many others. They practically exist only on paper. Besides, how do you tell a hungry man not to kill a Crocodile because we need the statistics?"

"Talking about statistics, how many humans are killed by other humans daily compared to how many Crocodiles humans kill?"

"According to the WHO, 5.8million people die each year from human-induced injuries; violence and accidents. That is 10% of the world's annual deaths and 32% more than the number of deaths resulting from Malaria, Tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS combined."

"That figure is truly alarming, but considering how many regions of the world are ravaged by wars, what should we expect?"

"Ironically, Mosquitoes claim about 500 thousand lives annually. Crocodiles, on the other hand kill 2,500 yearly. In fact, it is said that while it is possible to fight off a shark, it is almost impossible to rescue a person from an attacking Croc,"

"They are truly deadly then. Good riddance to bad rubbish!"

"It is understandable to say that. But should man also begin to eat Mosquitoes because they are deadly?"

"That is a different situation. Now I feel it is not right to have endangered species laws simply because these laws exist in the US and Europe. Living conditions vary, and like you said, the Crocs were eaten, not murdered indiscriminately. Man must wack."

"My friend, laws are put in place for particular reasons. You said yourself that you heard the Croc tales in far away Lagos. That, in itself, is an attraction. It will be nice if the city lives up to its nickname 'Croc City'. As a people, we must learn to do away with the stomach philosophy that we have wrongly embraced. My father always tells me it is wrong to feed a belly and starve a generation. It is time to imbibe a new philosophy that focuses on collective good and long-term benefits. And it goes beyond Kaduna state."

"Well, what is done is done. We should now begin to focus on how to protect the ones we have left in the rivers and streams that adorn the city."

"That is the spirit my friend. A place like Gamji Park can grow to become a national tourist centre if such wildlife protection laws are properly implemented."

About Author / Additional Info:
I am a passionate writer from Nigeria, and this is simply a thought.