Martin Heigan, Nile crocodile, Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Sacred Animals: Animals hold religious and symbolic significance in African society and culture. Animals feature prominently in African cosmogonic myths by conveying the sacred power and messages. They play key roles in the identity construction of individuals, clans, and ethnic groups. From the ancient Oyo kingdom in Nigeria, Ashanti kingdom in Ghana to the Dande villages in Zimbabwe, animal metaphors convey the power of the king and royal ancestors.
This interconnection is often a way of emulating attractive characteristics such as the strength; the ability to ward off predators; protective nature; nurturing characteristics and connections to rebirth that some animals have. Drawing on fieldwork among the Ijaws of Oporoma, I (Olalekan Adekola) learned about the spiritual significance of crocodiles (worshiped as spirit beings) as a reason why the killing and/or feeding on crocodiles is forbidden in the community.
Therefore, even if on a destructive mission, the crocodile will be calm hearing the elders salute them as odha (father). Some historical records and psychological theories have suggested these relationships to be reasons why black communities have a positive attitude toward animals. The movie “Black Panther” also symbolises the importance of animals in black history.