By Sanya Adejokun
Today, being Christmas Day 2023, we visited the University of Ibadan Zoological Garden. It was a mixture of conflicting emotions. Or what is UI Zoo without the old Haruna, the Chimpanzee? There were no lions, no elephants, no leopard. The aviary was almost empty. Many of the animals looked hungry. They seemed disinterested in the visiting crowd.
As soon as I saw goats, I told my wife that once I see dogs, I will surely ask for refund of my ticket money š¤£. Thankfully, there were no dogs.
It wasn’t all doom however, as there were various species of monkeys and chimps. There were also snakes even if most were owned by groups and researchers.
It was all fun for younger folks both children and young adults. A dj was also playing Afrobeat songs.
I don’t know who or what to blame for the situation except that I am not happy with the scenario. Just recently, the entire university system was shut down for about nine months. When staff are hungry, who will remember animals?
The scene took my mind back to the story in the Bible after Nehemiah completed rebuilding of the Temple at Jerusalem. Young people were happy and jubilating but the elderly were weeping. The edifice was magnificent to the young while the old cried because it wasn’t anywhere comparable with the original.
Life.
But I am enjoying this season į¹£a. That is the most important.
