Imagine a river that is home to a colony of catfish that can never die. Sounds unbelievable, right?
But that’s exactly what you’ll find in a small town in Nigeria, where a sacred river is worshipped as a goddess and her fishy children are protected by a powerful curse.
The river is called, a town in Ekiti State, Nigeria. The river is believed to have miraculous healing properties, as it can cure over 200 ailments and grant fertility to barren women.
But the most astonishing feature of the river is the presence of hundreds of catfish that live in its waters. These catfish are not ordinary fish; they are immortal.
They cannot be killed, cooked, or harmed in any way. They are considered the children of the river goddess, and anyone who dares to violate them will face dire consequences.
The catfish demonstrate their immortality by floating on the water when bread is thrown into the river. The person who does this must have faith in the river’s power and no evil intentions. If someone tries to take a fish out of the water, they will witness a shocking phenomenon: the fish will never cook, even when cut into pieces. It will regenerate itself and remain alive, no matter how high the fire is.
The river goddess does not take kindly to such attempts, and she will punish the offender by inflicting harm on their youngest family members until they are all wiped out. The only way to appease her wrath is to return the fish to the river and beg for forgiveness.
The immortal catfish of Omi Erin Ayonigba are a fascinating and seemingly unreal phenomenon, but they are not the only creatures in the world that defy natural death.
There is also a species of jellyfish called that can rejuvenate itself by reversing its cells. This unique jellyfish defies ageing and can live forever, unless it is eaten by predators or affected by human activities.
Scientists are still exploring the secrets of these extraordinary life forms, as well as other animals that have remarkably long lifespans, such as certain turtles, sharks, and whales.
However, none of them are truly immortal like the catfish and the jellyfish.
What do you think of these amazing animals? Would you like to visit the river of the supposed immortal catfish? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: The Independent Ghana