Zimbabwe’s special people with two toes
Zimbabwe as a country has been in the news of recent where erstwhile president, Robert Mugabe, who was in government for 37 years, was eventually forced to resign. Somewhere in the same country, are the Doma people who have a unique life of their own that is far away from media spotlight.
THE Doma people in Zimbabwe could pass as any other peasant community anywhere in the world.
The community, which lives at the boundary of Zimbabwe with Zambia and Mozambique, comprises hardworking people just like the rest in the country. It is believed the ethnic group migrated from Mozambique. But some Doma people argue they once lived in the surrounding mountains.
The community, which occupies the Zambezi River basin, mainly depends on the river for their livelihood. Young and old have learnt fishing using different methods with simple bamboo sticks, strings and hooks.
However, what mainly distinguishes many Doma people from other communities across Zimbabwe are their large toes, which are usually two on each foot. There are also few who sport the three-toe feet.
The toes are so big such that those who sport them cannot wear shoes, if at all the villagers could afford them, or are offered the footwear.
Surprisingly, some people have normal feet, making a few of those with the two or three-toe feet shy away from them, and interact only with those sporting similar disability.
However, many people who sport the two- toe feet have since accepted their condition. For instance, Rambisai Chinobaiwa, who sports the two-toe feet as is her son Chengetai, says they have become used to living with the condition they have no control over.
The elders of the Vadoma people claim that their remote ancestors were bird like beings who came from the stars and mixed their DNA with early earth women to produce offspring. The elders state that their ancient ancestors came from the star systems of Sirius and first established colonies on a planet within our solar system that they refer to as Liitolafisi.
Sitting outside her home in Kanyemba, Mbire district, with her son, Rambisai says: “We can only accept our situation and thank the ancestors for our life. We are unique and we are okay with that.” Bernard Karumba in his mid-50s, says despite the conditions, many ‘normal’ Doma people are more than ready to marry those with normal feet though his father sported the two-toe feet. His children, too, have normal feet.
Senator Ayo Arise kidnapped
The Senator, who represented Ekiti North district from 2007 -2011 Chief Ayo Arise, has reportedly been kidnapped by unknown persons.The Ekiti All Progressives Congress (APC) chief, sources close to the family claimed, was abducted at a spot on Okene – Lokoja road in Kogi State, on Sunday.
Sources also claimed that Senator Arise was returning to Abuja after allegedly attending a ceremony in Ikere-Ekiti, in which a retired Assistant Inspector-General of police (AIG), was conferred with a chieftaincy title last weekend.
Some sources in the APC claimed that he was to fly via Akure airport to Abuja and expressed surprise and sadness at the news of his abduction.
His telephone number, those of his driver and assistant are switched off, just as his friends and political associates are still wary of confirming the development.
A source in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital said the public relations Officer of the state’s police Command could not confirm the incident.
The source alleged that the police said they had not received a formal report of the incident.
However, unconfirmed sources claimed that the kidnappers had contacted Arise’s family and allegedly had demanded N80million ransom.
Sources also claimed that Senator Arise was returning to Abuja after allegedly attending a ceremony in Ikere-Ekiti, in which a retired Assistant Inspector-General of police (AIG), was conferred with a chieftaincy title last weekend.
Some sources in the APC claimed that he was to fly via Akure airport to Abuja and expressed surprise and sadness at the news of his abduction.
His telephone number, those of his driver and assistant are switched off, just as his friends and political associates are still wary of confirming the development.
A source in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital said the public relations Officer of the state’s police Command could not confirm the incident.
The source alleged that the police said they had not received a formal report of the incident.
However, unconfirmed sources claimed that the kidnappers had contacted Arise’s family and allegedly had demanded N80million ransom.
#EndSARS campaign rages on Twitter
Using the hashtag, #EndSARS, Nigerians, throughout the weekend, took to Twitter, Facebook, among other social media platforms to compel the National Assembly and President Muhammadu Buhari to scrap Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police (SARS).
In various tweets and posts, Nigerians gave instances of extra-judicial killings, torture, wanton arrests for bribes, extortion, kidnapping, harassment, disregard for human lives and other menacing conducts by men of the SARS.
From one tweet or post to the other, Nigerians bemoaned that the police unit created to protect the people had instead become a danger to the society, torturing its victims with impunity.
Khalid OOU tweeting @iamdharyor decried “endless slapping like a compulsory human recipe” as characteristic of SARS in its treatment of Nigerians.
In Portharcourt, CalyRay, @Ckrisons101, lamented that the sight of men of SARS comes with fear. “It has become a crime to look good and move around the streets of Portharcourt with an imminent fear of the same police force that is supposed to protect you,” he tweeted.
Another Nigerian, Arthur, with the twitter handle @IPellegri, simply made a direct call on the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to scrap SARS. “@ProfOsinbajo help us #EndSARS they are killing our youths… our future is at stake in the hands of those you ask to protect us,” Arthur said.
Similarly, Kelechi Emmanuel, @kelechizoe said he received a barrage of slaps from SARS officials because he had an international number on his contact list when his phone was checked.
“I was given some dirty slaps because the SARS saw an International Number on my contact list…. #EndSars” Kelechi tweeted.
Reacting to the campaign to end SARS, Force Public Relations Officer Jimoh Moshood, in an interview with TheCable on Sunday, said SARS had lived up to its duty of curbing violent crimes and condemned calls for its proscription.
“As we speak, SARS is doing fantastically well across the country in reducing incidents of robbery to the barest minimum… they are doing very, very well,” Moshood said.
“There has not been any specific violation of human rights against any SARS personnel. So anybody that is spreading such a rumour is not doing the nation any good.
“SARS has no excesses and when there is any, we do investigate.
“The call for SARS to be scrapped should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. Anybody calling for their proscription is not doing the nation any good and such people should be suspected as having something to hide.”
Moshood urged Nigerians with complaints against any police officer – “whether SARS or any other personnel” – to channel their complaints through established channels.
“Accessibility (to the police in cases of complaints) is very possible.
“We do not take any infraction or violation of human
right of any Nigerian likely. You know that so many police officers
have been dismissed and even charged to court.”
“So, Nigerians should not give in to insinuations from people that just
come to the social media and start spreading falsehood. Such people
spreading such information may likely be armed robbers
themselves.
“There is laid down rules for police procedures and any police
officer that go beyond boundary to do something outrageous which is
against the law is apprehended.”
In various tweets and posts, Nigerians gave instances of extra-judicial killings, torture, wanton arrests for bribes, extortion, kidnapping, harassment, disregard for human lives and other menacing conducts by men of the SARS.
From one tweet or post to the other, Nigerians bemoaned that the police unit created to protect the people had instead become a danger to the society, torturing its victims with impunity.
Khalid OOU tweeting @iamdharyor decried “endless slapping like a compulsory human recipe” as characteristic of SARS in its treatment of Nigerians.
In Portharcourt, CalyRay, @Ckrisons101, lamented that the sight of men of SARS comes with fear. “It has become a crime to look good and move around the streets of Portharcourt with an imminent fear of the same police force that is supposed to protect you,” he tweeted.
Another Nigerian, Arthur, with the twitter handle @IPellegri, simply made a direct call on the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo to scrap SARS. “@ProfOsinbajo help us #EndSARS they are killing our youths… our future is at stake in the hands of those you ask to protect us,” Arthur said.
Similarly, Kelechi Emmanuel, @kelechizoe said he received a barrage of slaps from SARS officials because he had an international number on his contact list when his phone was checked.
“I was given some dirty slaps because the SARS saw an International Number on my contact list…. #EndSars” Kelechi tweeted.
Reacting to the campaign to end SARS, Force Public Relations Officer Jimoh Moshood, in an interview with TheCable on Sunday, said SARS had lived up to its duty of curbing violent crimes and condemned calls for its proscription.
“As we speak, SARS is doing fantastically well across the country in reducing incidents of robbery to the barest minimum… they are doing very, very well,” Moshood said.
“There has not been any specific violation of human rights against any SARS personnel. So anybody that is spreading such a rumour is not doing the nation any good.
“SARS has no excesses and when there is any, we do investigate.
“The call for SARS to be scrapped should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. Anybody calling for their proscription is not doing the nation any good and such people should be suspected as having something to hide.”
Moshood urged Nigerians with complaints against any police officer – “whether SARS or any other personnel” – to channel their complaints through established channels.
“Accessibility (to the police in cases of complaints) is very possible.
“We do not take any infraction or violation of human
right of any Nigerian likely. You know that so many police officers
have been dismissed and even charged to court.”
“So, Nigerians should not give in to insinuations from people that just
come to the social media and start spreading falsehood. Such people
spreading such information may likely be armed robbers
themselves.
“There is laid down rules for police procedures and any police
officer that go beyond boundary to do something outrageous which is
against the law is apprehended.”
