By Sayida Maltiti Sadick
The death of a young man who was struck by lightning, with two others in the Volta Regional capital Ho has sparked a lot of conversation about whether or not the strike of lightning is spiritual or science.
The young SHS student, who was selling coconut under a tree when he was struck by lightning has been the center of discussions.
Speaking, on GTV Breakfast Show with Host Kafui Dey, Head of the Nogokpo Shrine Amuzu Agbodzalu Williams said when lightning strikes someone, by tradition the family have to confirm if it is not the god of thunder or Nogokpo, he said last year alone they handled about fourteen cases of lightning striking people.
Amuzu added that “offending your fellow human, or the gods warrant lightning to strike you, to hurt you or kill you”.
According to him, they hear about the scientific connotation to why lightning kills a person, but they handle it spiritually once in their jurisdiction or brought to their attention.
Amuzu Agbodzalu Williams on how to avoid being struck by lightning he said people must endear not to offend anyone leading to curses, and also not to offend the gods.
Dr. Joseph Amoako, School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences at the University of Ghana who was also at the table to speak on the science viewpoint of lightning striking people, said in science it is a natural phenomenon and across the world, there are over 40,000 thunder storms daily and over 40 million thunder storms annually worldwide.
He added that it is absolutely normal for thunder and lightning to be experienced during storms, and lightning is electrical phenomena which occurs naturally, because nature has its own electrical and magnetic components.
“The storm produces electrical charges, when the atmosphere heats up, it leads to the louder thunder and lightning. Lightning can strike a person as far as 32 kilometeres, it needs a conductor of heat in order to shock you in order to kill you”.
Dr. Amoako advised that people ought to stay indoors when there is a storm, as the lightning targets the prominent object that is highest point in height, and when there is water which is a good conductor of electricity the person will be electrocuted to death.
“Metal umbrellas should be avoided or used properly, and it is advisable to lie flat on the floor when one is under a tree and rain storm hits, also he warned against being in swimming pools during rainstorms.
Below is the full interview;
More Stories Here