Catholic missionary priest Fr Kelvin Ugwu has warned Nigerians to prioritize their safety as the ’ember months’ begin.
September 1 marked the start of this period, which locals believe is associated with increased risk of accidents and mishaps.
Ugwu advised vehicle owners to make every effort to maintain their automobiles before praying for protection from accidents and blood-sucking demons.
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The announcement comes at a time when many Nigerians still believe there are higher chances of road accidents during the ’ember months’ of September, October, November, and December compared to other months.
They relate the phenomena to superstitious procedures known as ‘juju’ operations.
Although the Federal Road Safety Corps has previously addressed widespread myths equating the ember months with superstition, many people still maintain this view.
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On Sunday, Fr Ugwu posted a list of five things individuals could do to prevent putting themselves in risk.
He said: “While you pray against accidents and blood-sucking demons these “Ember” months, please do us the favour of keeping the following five points in mind.
“Oil: Make every effort to do the necessary maintenance on your vehicle. Change the oil, check your breaks, change your shock absorber if necessary, and check your car coolant.
“Tyre: Do not compromise on your car tyres; you are putting yourself in danger. The tyres of the car are what support the vehicle’s load, transmit traction and braking forces to the road surface, absorb road shocks, and change and maintain the direction of travel. . . If they are bald, they are bad.
“Alcohol: If you must drink, don’t drive; if you must drive, don’t drink. Alcohol consumption remains a major cause of road accidents.
“Seatbelt: Use your seatbelt always. If you think the distance is too short for you to use a seatbelt, then it means the distance is too short for you to drive. Trek instead.
“Speeding: The road is not an athletic ground where you compete with other drivers on who can run the fastest. There is no medal for the driver who overtook every vehicle on the way. Kill some of those childish instincts making you think the mark of a driver is to speed. Speed kills.”
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