History: How prophet Daniel was eaten by lions at Ibadan zoo in 1991

Prophet Daniel Abodunrin’s intention that fateful day was not to see the lions and take some memorable pictures with them. His goal was to demonstrate something that had never been done before or Re-create what Daniel did in the Bible, to replicate what was written in the Holy Bible thousands of years ago. It was the story of a Jewish boy in Jerusalem named Daniel who was captured by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who served in the king’s court until the time of Cyrus, the Persian emperor.

 He attempts to recreate what was narrated in the sixth chapter of the Book of Daniel. Prophet Abodunrin donned a flowing red robe and clutched his big Holy Bible. As he made his way for the lion enclosure, alarmed zoo keepers shouted and warned him (some other records stated that he sneaked in and it all

happened very fast while another version has it that he managed to convince one of the zoo

keepers to allow him enter and let God demonstrate signs and wonders saying that the God of Daniel is the same yesterday, today and

tomorrow).

One thing was made clear: Abodunrin did not listen to any of those warning him. Terrified families who were enjoying their picnic looked on with a

bewildering mixture of shock and terror, screams rented the serene atmosphere of the zoo but Abodunrin was just chanting Bible

verses at the top of his voice and speaking in tongues. He made it into the enclosure of the lions and stared at them. The lions stared back

at him. It was a most discomforting sight for everyone, including the lions. An exchange of death stares and at a point, a deafening silence

fell over the whole place. It was all like a movie.

Devout Christians in the crowd were waiting to see a faith-enhancing miracle while some others

toughened their minds for the bloodiest drama of the century.

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Driven by the zeal and passion of religion and with the utmost belief that he would be save by

the Holy Spirit or that the angels will paralyze the lions as they did for Daniel, Abodunrin did not stop chanting Bible verses and speaking in

tongues, wriggling his body under the robes, providing what was the spectacle of the year for

everyone in the zoo. A crowd had gathered. But inside the den of the lions, something interesting was going on with the Nigerian

Daniel and the feline beasts. As Abodunrin approached them, the big cats retreated and moved towards a corner of their cage, that was

their instinct. They withdrew from the

marauding ‘man of God’. At that moment, everyone was watching the entire drama as if it was a dream. Here was a man in a flowing red

robe, armed with nothing but a large Bible, approaching some of the fiercest creatures on earth. When Abodunrin jumped into the lions’

cage, the lions moved into a tense retreat, Abodunrin stepped closer. He seemed determined to cow the lions and turn them into goats. He felt he possessed all the heavenly authority and spiritual powers to summon

angels to weaken the lions. The only way to paralyze a lion in an instant is to use a tranquilizer dart, which is just common sense, But the prophet felt things in the physical world

are controlled in the realm of the spirits and there was no need for any tranquilizer dart, he would use his copy of the Bible as a sedative for

the lions. He brushed off those who warned him of an imminent death that they had carnal minds and could not understand things of the

spirit. Rational people in the audience looked on in horror as it looked like a feast was ready. He might have mistaken the retreat of the lions for

a sign of weakness or that the angels were actually working their wonders already. Like a deranged mind, Abodunrin kept chanting Bible

verses, making gestures at the lions and commanding them to be still. He was calling on the God of Daniel who saved the prophet in Babylon to show awesome power. As he made

a final approach towards the lions, what happened next was…

In a flash, the lions lifted their massive bodies and charged at Abodunrin. The Bible flew away

and he landed with a thud. A bitter struggle ensued and the terrified crowd could not believe

the scene before their eyes. It seemed everyone was too confused or fixated to even do anything. Abodunrin could not believe his eyes

and as the lions landed on him, the look of terror in his eyes could only be better imagined, In a matter of seconds, he was torn to pieces.

He died on the spot and the lions ate his remains. A single, well-aimed bite from a lion is enough to kill an adult human being in a matter

of seconds. Abodunrin’s red robe was redder with the splatter of his blood all over the place, his torn and bloodied Bible in one corner of the

lions’ cage. What remained of the audacious preacher was later recovered.

So sad, Rest on Prophet Daniel Abodunrin.