A couple of weeks ago, a smartly dressed middle-aged man entered a bank premises in Enugu dragging a 25-litre jerry can filled with unspecified liquid content. Because he looked awkwardly suspicious with his incongruous cargo, the security personnel at the bank insisted that the man opened the jerry can so they could ascertain the contents. That was when the customer unscrewed the can and simply told them, "I am just coming from Orimiri Jordan (River Jordan). I am here to withdraw some money before heading for my village in Anambra State."
That statement turned the man into a momentary celebrity. This is because he just came in from Nachi, a community located in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, where a mysterious stream which allegedly heals all kinds of ailments erupted from the ground. The security guards begged the man to give them some of his "miracle water"; and the man obliged them with some cupfuls. While they were at it, some other customers joined, each asking for a drop to drink. The bank employees were not left out as some of them, on hearing about the "miracle water" bazaar outside, quickly came out to ask for some. Some drank it, some poured it on their heads, others rubbed it on parts of their bodies; everybody wanted to contact the healing powers of the brand new Pool of Bethesda.
It was reported that the river was discovered by some Fulani herdsmen in November 11, 2013. Since then, the hitherto quiet town of Nachi has been turned into a tourist centre. Men and women, young and old, from all over the country, troop to the town to witness and partake in the unfolding spectacle. Motorcycle riders, who ferry pilgrims to the village, and jerry can sellers, who supply the needed water containers, make brisk business. Pictures of the pilgrims taking a dip in the stream have gone viral on the internet followed by all sorts of comments from sceptics and believers alike. Countless testimonies have also trailed the mystery water, already christened River Jordan by some and Pool of Bethesda by others. A man was said to have been healed of 25 years of madness; a cripple reportedly threw away his crutches after he took a dip - all captured on video; a blind woman was also regained her sight. An interesting online testimony is from a man who posted: "After drinking the water, it subdued the inner rage I used to have; now I am a peaceful man. Drink the water with faith and you will be well."
As an environmentalist, after hearing of the "healing" river, a red light flashed before my eyes with the legend "Epidemic". Of course, with the array of individuals suffering from various illnesses and conditions all taking a faith-bath in the river, it is certainly worrisome that the miracle-seeking venture might be a disaster waiting to happen. The water is basically stagnant, and vectors could find a quick breeding habitat therein. In fact, I recoiled at the thought of drinking from the miracle water kegs circulating around Nigeria. That was when I began to ask questions. To be fair, visitors to the river do not drink from the water where people bathe. I established that the whole spot is like a sandy spring, and a little scratch on nearby ground will give a fresh spurt of water from where people fetch the clean drinkable "potion". Nevertheless, it is important that the Enugu State Government deploys appropriate environmental health measures to the site with immediate effect for monitoring and controlling of probable health emergency scenarios.
Interestingly, among the reactions from people concerning the Nachi phenomenon, there have been many off-the-cuff scepticisms and denials. While some argued that there had yet to be medically established evidence of healings taking place, some others gave the blanket assertion that there could be nothing like a miracle happening, and that it was just mass hysteria. Some others put it in the socio-economic frame of reference by stating that it is a Nigerian thing: poverty has so pummelled us that everybody is looking for a magic wand for survival, and any seeming extraordinary event is misinterpreted to mean divine intervention.
Well, for those that wait for medical certification of a miraculous occurrence, I guess they will wait for a long time, if not forever. For those who insist the phenomenon is just mass hysteria, I believe they are just acting human: many are in denial when it comes to the supernatural. Let us face it, some people do not want to confront anything they don't understand, or/and cannot control. Just like other human endowments, faith is not universal.
And for those that think environment-based miraculous event is a Nigerian thing, they have to think again. It is actually a global phenomenon. No one really knows how it happens, but the supernatural has a way of manifesting through the natural world. Consider the following reports.
Around 2007, a disused, rubbish-filled well (near a Muslim prayer room) in Pasir Putih, Malaysia, was miraculously transformed into a source of crystal-clear, sweet-smelling water with healing properties. Dug by the council in 1980 near the local fish market, the well was abandoned after it was fouled by rubbish and became unfit for use. On November 8, 2007, however, a white light shone from the well, and residents found that the water had become crystal clear and was exuding a sweet fragrance. Since then, hundreds of people have travelled long distances to visit the well and drink the water, claimed to have healing powers.
There were media reports that during August and September 2006, there was the discovery of healing springs in Switzerland. There was a spring at the home of a group of Franciscan nuns in Ingenbohl. The water was found to have curative powers when an old, sick cat drank from the spring and was immediately healed. Since then, astonishing benefits were noticed in people and animals that drink the water. Another spring is at the Benedictine monastery in Einsiedeln, near Zurich; long associated with miracle healings, the monastery has for centuries attracted pilgrims. Two further healing springs were reported: A mountain spring in the Alps near Braunwald, eastern Switzerland, and a spring at Flueli-Rauft, in the canton of Obwalden, central Switzerland.
In San Antonio, Texas, USA, it was reported that water was flowing from a "mystery tree" for months despite drought conditions. The water-tree was investigated by the Texas Forest Service, local nurseries and the Edwards Aquifer Authority. And so far, no one has come up with a satisfactory explanation as to why a red oak would have water spouting from its trunk in a dry period, and people claiming to have been healed by it. In another state, New Mexico, the sick visit the El Santuario de Chimayo to scoop mud from a small pit, which is said to have miraculous curative powers.
In 2005, a fountain of water with healing properties was discovered in the Barangay, New Pangasinan district of Koronadal City, Mindanao, southern Philippines. Also, in 2002, there were reports from Australia of a healing spring in the Morano region where cattle and sheep on a seven adjoining farms have been found to be extraordinarily healthy, fertile and long-lived; despite extensive research since 1955, scientists have been unable to find a genetic reason why the animals live so long (stock on other neighbouring farms without access to the spring water have normal life-spans).
In 2000, it was reported that miraculous water flowed from a cross on a church spire in Sanban village, near Guiyang city in Southwastern China. A lay person took samples of the fluid for laboratory tests and initial report stated that the fluid contained red and white blood cells. An elderly man who suffered from stomach cancer claimed that the pain disappeared after he drank the fluid. News of the miraculous water has drawn thousands of people to the church. Also in 1994 in Russia, it was reported that during restoration work in one of 1,300 Russian churches (after the Cold War), a miraculous healing well was discovered in the diocese of Kostroma, 300 kilometres from Moscow. The 'saint water' was being bottled and sold, for a minimal cost, to help finance the maintenance of the dilapidated buildings.
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