Oshana's 'Samson' speaks
Just like the biblical Samson, Elia Usiku faced off against a lion and survived.
Elia Usiku, 49-year-old resident of Uukwiyu-Uushona in the Oshana Region, has described how he wrestled with a lioness for what seemed like an eternity, before escaping with his life.
Usiku said 23 March 2019 is a day he will never forget, as he ended up having to fight for his life, using only a stick and an adrenaline rush, but somehow found the strength to outmuscle the beast, who ended up having a staring contest with its victim after it tired.
The Uulungawakolondo cattle herder said it was around 09:00 when he was walking from the cattle post to a water point.
He was suddenly confronted by the lioness.
Usiku, who is currently recovering at the Oshakati intermediate hospital, said his right arm was broken in three places, as he valiantly fought off the animal. He also sustained other injuries during their duel.
“Just after I passed the Uulungawakolondo military base, following my cattle, I saw the cattle started dispersing. I was not aware of what was on the way until I started hearing a roar. I was not worried because the cattle were relaxed and not looking afraid; I thought it was not anything dangerous,” Usiku told Namibian Sun, as he narrated his ordeal.
“When all the cattle got out of the way I could clearly see it was a lion and it was looking straight at me. It then started running towards me and I told myself not to run but to face it. I had a stick in my hand and I put all my confidence on it.”
“When it came near me, it jumped, aiming my head, but I bent and it grounded itself on my back. It turned immediately and bit me on my left butt cheek. After the bite I realise that I was in danger and that needed to fight the animal. I turned and I started hitting it with the stick I had in my hand,” Usiku recounted.
Usiku said he started wrestling with the lioness, and whenever it pressed him to the ground he tried to push it off quickly, fearing the animal would overpower and kill him
He said the lioness, who was taking a beating from his stick, then decided to bite his right arm.
“Its biting tactics were complicated and I could not stop it, because it was doing it as if it was aiming my stomach, but only its back legs were scratching my stomach, while the head and the front legs were on my arm.
It just made three bites on the right arm and it started bleeding heavily, and later I could not feel it anymore.
“Despite the fact that I am right-handed, I decided to pick up the stick with my left hand to defend myself.
“Just when it attacked my limbs, I hit it hard on the head and it fell down, while the stick also broke into two pieces.”
A wrestling match then ensued, which Usiku says lasted for a few minutes, as he pushed down the lion with super-human strength, using only his left arm.
“This lasted for about five minutes and all its escape attempts failed.”
Usiku said when he realised the lion was tired, due to its heavy bleeding, he decided to let go and the animal didn't retaliate.
He said they just stared at each other for about a minute, before the lioness left.
Usiku then walked towards the NDF camp, where he met Andreas Shipanga, who was driving to his cattle post.
Shipanga took him to the Onandjokwe Lutheran hospital. He was later transferred to Oshakati on the same day.
The environment ministry has introduced a human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, with the moral obligation to support families that have lost loved ones or victims of wildlife attacks.
Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they will investigate and determine whether Usiku will be paid or not.
“In the case of a person attacked by a wild animal he or she is eligible to be paid as part of our human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme. He should report the incident to ministry officials in the region. They will conduct an investigation and decide on the basis around the attack (sic),” Muyunda said.
“In incidents like Usiku's, who was just herding cattle in the grazing area, we will pay depending on the injury or disability sustained.”
ILENI NANDJATO
Usiku said 23 March 2019 is a day he will never forget, as he ended up having to fight for his life, using only a stick and an adrenaline rush, but somehow found the strength to outmuscle the beast, who ended up having a staring contest with its victim after it tired.
The Uulungawakolondo cattle herder said it was around 09:00 when he was walking from the cattle post to a water point.
He was suddenly confronted by the lioness.
Usiku, who is currently recovering at the Oshakati intermediate hospital, said his right arm was broken in three places, as he valiantly fought off the animal. He also sustained other injuries during their duel.
“Just after I passed the Uulungawakolondo military base, following my cattle, I saw the cattle started dispersing. I was not aware of what was on the way until I started hearing a roar. I was not worried because the cattle were relaxed and not looking afraid; I thought it was not anything dangerous,” Usiku told Namibian Sun, as he narrated his ordeal.
“When all the cattle got out of the way I could clearly see it was a lion and it was looking straight at me. It then started running towards me and I told myself not to run but to face it. I had a stick in my hand and I put all my confidence on it.”
“When it came near me, it jumped, aiming my head, but I bent and it grounded itself on my back. It turned immediately and bit me on my left butt cheek. After the bite I realise that I was in danger and that needed to fight the animal. I turned and I started hitting it with the stick I had in my hand,” Usiku recounted.
Usiku said he started wrestling with the lioness, and whenever it pressed him to the ground he tried to push it off quickly, fearing the animal would overpower and kill him
He said the lioness, who was taking a beating from his stick, then decided to bite his right arm.
“Its biting tactics were complicated and I could not stop it, because it was doing it as if it was aiming my stomach, but only its back legs were scratching my stomach, while the head and the front legs were on my arm.
It just made three bites on the right arm and it started bleeding heavily, and later I could not feel it anymore.
“Despite the fact that I am right-handed, I decided to pick up the stick with my left hand to defend myself.
“Just when it attacked my limbs, I hit it hard on the head and it fell down, while the stick also broke into two pieces.”
A wrestling match then ensued, which Usiku says lasted for a few minutes, as he pushed down the lion with super-human strength, using only his left arm.
“This lasted for about five minutes and all its escape attempts failed.”
Usiku said when he realised the lion was tired, due to its heavy bleeding, he decided to let go and the animal didn't retaliate.
He said they just stared at each other for about a minute, before the lioness left.
Usiku then walked towards the NDF camp, where he met Andreas Shipanga, who was driving to his cattle post.
Shipanga took him to the Onandjokwe Lutheran hospital. He was later transferred to Oshakati on the same day.
The environment ministry has introduced a human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme, with the moral obligation to support families that have lost loved ones or victims of wildlife attacks.
Ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said they will investigate and determine whether Usiku will be paid or not.
“In the case of a person attacked by a wild animal he or she is eligible to be paid as part of our human-wildlife conflict self-reliance scheme. He should report the incident to ministry officials in the region. They will conduct an investigation and decide on the basis around the attack (sic),” Muyunda said.
“In incidents like Usiku's, who was just herding cattle in the grazing area, we will pay depending on the injury or disability sustained.”
ILENI NANDJATO
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