I've heard a lot about the black cat myth in Nigeria, or should I say, "The cat myth", a recent occurrence I witnessed made me realize that the myth is not just about the black cat, but all cat!
"How can you bring a witch inside the compound, are you a witch?"
The above words were exactly the words of my landlord to my friend who recently bought a cat and brought it into the compound and into the house!
This wasn't just between the between the landlord and the girl, the whole people living in the yard gathered and the girl was humiliated by words.
Words like:
- "How could you...?"
- "Ah...cat? That deadly animal?"
- "But what did you really have in mind bringing a cat here"
- "A lot has been happening in this compound, we've even lost a boy in death not up to two weeks ago and now you bringing a cat? I don't know but I suspect you!"
These and more were direct words to the girl but even worse were said behind her back:
"Are you sure she's not practicing withcraft now"
"She literally brought in a witch, the nerve"
"Mek witch no scratch me for night abeg o, which kind thing be this"
Well, I felt really sorry for the girl, at the same time I didn't know what to say to defend her at this point else I'd be dragged into the situation.
But I was also upset because I tried to warn her:
"People have very strong opinion regarding cats, I don't think they'd appreciate bringing this here", My words!
Her reply was that, it is just a pet, nothing more, she even told me that there are two type of cat, the wild one and the domestic one (to think I didn't know this before, don't know if it's even true) and that hers is a domestic one, nothing will happen, she said!
I don't know if she succeeded in convincing me that nothing will happen but I just decided to wait and find out, since her words were stronger than mine.
It wasn't even long after the conversation till her father and mother came back and her siblings told them that there's a cat in the house.
"Eh!!! Cat, in my house! How? How did it enter?" She was so furious that she threw the cat outside without even finding out how it entered the house, they even wanted to kill the cat until the girl came out and said they shouldn't that she's just going to return it to where she got it from.
If there is anything more that DISAPPOINTED! That's what her parents were of her.
She explained it's not a bad cat. Her father said even if it's not bad now, witches around will still operate through it.
"But why do they always believe that there are witches around and trying to haunt them? Hmm African parents!" I thought to myself.
The story wasn't even funny, the next day the landlord went and warned her father that if a cat is brought in again in the compound and it's from them there'd be a quit notice and they'll be forced to leave the house.
Ok, back to the first words from the landlord in the opening of this post. Well the girl lost control of herself that she answered the landlord back:
"You're the one who must be a witch, how can you accuse me like that"
Her "reckless" words got everyone even more angry at her, they all concluded that she didn't even acknowledge her mistake and try to apologize.
Hmm, If this was me, I'm sure I'd have been mute about the situation and even apologize especially since everyone says I'm wrong or at least keep quiet, but I don't know...
I told her that, "if this was a dog or rabbit the problem will not be as huge as this, but cat? C'mon you should have known better!"
But I was really sad that the landlord accused her of the recent death that happened in our house, I mean he went too far with his words. But I think she would have avoided all this from the beginning.
I know that Nigerians as a whole have this myth but I think that people from my tribe, the Igbo they take this more serious. Because when I lived in South South Nigeria I saw a few families having a cat as pet, not the black one though, and though not really for pet but to help keep rats away. Pets are not very much appreciated in this part of the world! Even in my house we cannot think of bringing in any living thing as pet inside the house, "wait till you live in your own house!"
As for the girl, I could see her clear sadness after the whole incident, I imagine the mean words ringing in her ears always. I believe she'd learn her lessons by now! Bringing a cat I to the house is not a option, and worse she didn't even let her parents know before bringing in such a thing.
It is always better to observe our environment and avoid some certain things that'd be viewed as offensive, rather than learning the hard way!
