According to wildlife officials on Tuesday, Zimbabwe intends to slaughter 200 elephants in order to feed populations who are very hungry following the worst drought in 40 years.

Over 68 million people in southern Africa have been affected by the drought brought on by El Nino, which also caused food shortages throughout the region.

“We can confirm that we are planning to cull about 200 elephants across the country. We are working on modalities on how we are going to do it,” Tinashe Farawo, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson, told journalists.

He declared that the drought-affected villages in Zimbabwe will receive the elephant meatballs. Hence, the districts of Hwange, Mbire, Tsholotsho, and Chiredzi will host the nation’s first cull since 1988.

Zimbabwe decision comes after bordering Namibia decided to slaughter 83 elephants last month and give meat to those affected by the drought.

One of the greatest elephant populations in the world is found in the southern African countries of Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Angola, and Namibia, where over 200,000 elephants are thought to reside in a protection area.

According to Farawo, the culling is a component of the nation’s efforts to reduce the number of elephants in its parks, which can only hold 55,000 of them. There are more than 84,000 elephants in Zimbabwe.

“It’s an effort to decongest the parks in the face of drought. The numbers are just a drop in the ocean because we are talking of 200 (elephants) and we are sitting on plus 84,000, which is big,” he said.

Conflicts between people and wildlife can worsen during a drought this bad because supplies become more scarce. 50 people died in Zimbabwe from elephant attacks last year.

The nation has been urging the United Nations’ Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) to restore trade in ivory and live elephants. It is praised for its conservation efforts and increasing elephant population.

Zimbabwe, which has one of the biggest populations of elephants, possesses stqqqockpiles of ivory worth over $600,000 that it is unable to sell.

Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okiliola, popularly known as Portable, has pleaded for forgiveness following an incident where he allegedly slapped a pastor who went to preach at his bar.

The drama was ignited last week on Monday, September 9, when the street-wise singer was seen in a viral video slapping a man of God who had gone to preach at his bar in the Sango area of Ogun State.

The incident generated a lot of criticism from Nigerians including fellow pastors with some giving Portable an ultimatum to apologize or face their wrath.

In an apparent turn around, the street-pop Monday, tendered an apology and begged for forgiveness from the pastor and Nigerians in general.

Making the apology in a video the singer explained that he attacked the preacher because he thought he was there to cause him spiritual harm.

While begging God for forgiveness, Portable said:

“My fans, community issues are different from that of the street. May God forgive me. I didn’t know he was a genuine man of God. If I knew I wouldn’t have slapped him.

“I’m also a child of God. I’m human, I’m not perfect. I am an orphan. They have harmed my sister through this same strategy,” he said.

Watch the video below:
‘Please forgive me, I’m now a child of God,’ –Nigerian singer Portable begs for slapping pastor (Video)

Controversial Nigerian singer, Habeeb Okiliola, popularly known as Portable, has pleaded for forgiveness following an incident where he allegedly slapped a pastor who went to preach at his bar.

The drama was ignited last week on Monday, September 9, when the street-wise singer was seen in a viral video slapping a man of God who had gone to preach at his bar in the Sango area of Ogun State.

The incident generated a lot of criticism from Nigerians including fellow pastors with some giving Portable an ultimatum to apologize or face their wrath.

In an apparent turn around, the street-pop Monday, tendered an apology and begged for forgiveness from the pastor and Nigerians in general.

Making the apology in a video the singer explained that he attacked the preacher because he thought he was there to cause him spiritual harm.

While begging God for forgiveness, Portable said:

“My fans, community issues are different from that of the street. May God forgive me. I didn’t know he was a genuine man of God. If I knew I wouldn’t have slapped him.

“I’m also a child of God. I’m human, I’m not perfect. I am an orphan. They have harmed my sister through this same strategy,” he said.

Watch the video below:

https://x.com/TeniolaYBNL/status/1835560801693823300