It sure sounds unbelievable, but
a young Nigerian woman has
been delivered of a monkey-like
monster in Otukpo, a popular
town in Benue State. The outré
event took place recently at St
Theresa Hospital, Otukpo, when
the woman said to be the wife of
a hunter from Oju Local
Government Area of the state
gave birth to a creature that
looks like a monkey.The strange
delivery, we gathered came as a
surprise to the already mother of
nine the who had successfully
delivered nine children in the
past and was having her 10th
child before the strange creature
visited her.
According to an eyewitness,
when the news broke out,
residents of the town, especially
those at the nearby Otukpo main
market rushed to the hospital to
see for themselves.
Describing the strange
development as conginental
malformation, Medical Director of
the hospital, Dr Stanley Bwala
said the malformation could have
been forestalled if the woman
was attending antenatal care
regularly and advised pregnant
women to always avail
themselves to routine ante natal
treatment.
However, it was gathered that as
soon as the hunter heard about
the delivery, he came and
removed the monster from the
hospital, even as observers
believed the abnormal birth was
a usual occurrence to hunters
who have killed several animals
during hunting.
In a brief chat with elder Adah
Okoh, a traditional ruler in the
area, he noted that in the Idoma
tradition, such child should not
be allowed to stay with the
mother for fear of reincarnation.
Asked if the monster should be
buried alive or killed, elder Okoh
said that should be left for the
family to decide.