My Nigeria…

Bisi swears by this story… She says in happened in 1992  or 1993.

Anyway, in 1986, Segun Bankole visited Yankari game reserve.

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young lion cub (about 18-20 months old) limping on 3 legs. The lion seemed distressed, so Segun approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee, inspected the lion’s foot, and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Segun worked the wood out with his knife, after which the cub gingerly put down its foot.

The lion cub turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Segun stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being eaten alive.

Eventually the lion cub roared loudly, turned, and walked away. Segun never forgot that lion or the events of that day.

Six years later, Segun was walking through Ibadan zoo with a couple of friends. As they approached the lion enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Segun was standing. The large lion stared at Segun, lifted its front foot off the ground, then put it down. The lion did that several times then roared loudly, all the while staring at the man.

Remembering the encounter in 1986, Segun could not help wondering if this was the same lion. Segun summoned up his courage, brought his bible out of his bag, and climbed over the railing, he then made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the lion and stared back in wonder, all the while quoting scripture from the Bible about Daniel in the Lion’s den.

The lion roared again, before jumping on Segun and planting its teeth and paws in him, obviously killing him instantly.

Probably wasn’t the same lion…