From Kayode Olabanji,
Okitipupa
There was uproar in Badore, in Iju Odo, Okitipupa on Wednesday, as a big bird reportedly fell from the sky.
The people of the community, who were apprehensive described the occurrence as strange, because the big bird with mixed white and black colours had a cipher ring inscripted with a foreign language on one of its legs.
While some residents of the community believed it was a spiritual bird named Awodi or Udi in Yoruba land, and could be a witchcraft bird, others opined that the bird, with cipher ring most likely migrated from its country and could be lost after futile efforts to decipher the texts.
According to a resident, Mr. Ojuola Emi, who believed the bird was an ordinary one, said most Chinese like to put signs, names on their pets and the said bird could have fled from its country or owner to Iju Odo.
But another resident, Mrs. Taiwo Orimisan, who had a contrary view, said it was a spiritual bird whose activity was cut short, hence it mysteriously fell from the sky.
Speaking with the Oniju of Iju Odo, kingdom, His royal majesty, Oba Festus Oyedele Olumoyegun, he said he was not around when the bird fell, but that he was informed on phone about the occurrence.
Contrary to insinuations by some people of the community that the bird was spiritual, the Oba said he believed that the bird was an ordinary one and there was nothing mystical about it, nor the reason why it fell.
The monarch said,” I was not around, but one of my chiefs called me on phone to inform me that a bird fell with a ring on its right leg.
He said they have invited a spiritualist for consultation, saying, “the text on the ring was said to be written in German language. So, for me, it is never spiritual.”