Nigerians React As Pigeons Released By President Buhari During Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration Refused To Fly (video)

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Nigerians React As Pigeons Released By President Buhari During Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration Refused To FlyWhite Pigeons released by President Muhammadu Buhari during Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremony earlier today, Friday refused to fly despite multiple attempts to make them, thereby sparking varying reactions on social media.

The President had opened the birdcage at the National Arcade in Abuja, picked up one of the doves, and thrown it into the air, hoping for it to fly away but the bird only landed on top of the cage and refused to take flight.

Buhari attempted to aid the other birds in flying by opening the roof of the cage but most of the birds remained adamant and decided to sit on top of the cage’s roof.

The President, who appeared tired of trying, soon left the birds and returned to his seat. However, moments after, some of the birds flew.

The ritual of releasing doves is to commemorate the life of a departed loved one and is common at significant events like funerals or memorials. It also signifies peace.

A similar incident happened in 2014 when doves refused to fly after former President Goodluck Jonathan freed them. Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministry Enugu, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka, back then described the incident at the time as a sign that God had abandoned Jonathan.

In Vatican City (headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church) stopped the bird-releasing ritual in 2014 when two birds released by Pope Francis refused to fly out of the window of the papal apartment. It required several attempts to get the birds to fly out over a crowd of spectators.

Also, a similar incident occurred at an event where Pope Benedict XVI released doves during a Holocaust remembrance event in 2014. The doves were attacked by a gull, with one dove being singled out and injured, according to Wikipedia.

The refusal of the birds to fly on Friday has however sparked reactions from thousands of Nigerians on social media.

Many Twitter users believe that the incident is a bad omen for Nigeria, saying it means that the spirits of the dead still hovers around and that there is no peace in the country.

However, studies have show that domesticated doves which are used to living in cages are not always keen on flying when given the opportunity.

See some other reactions below;

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