By Akpan David, Calabar
Large numbers of vegans and vegetarians concluded their annual convention in Calabar and decried massive killings of animals, fowls and fishes for foods.
Vegetarians do not eat any animal flesh such as meat, poultry, or fish. Vegans are stricter vegetarians who also avoid consumption of sea animals, dairy products including eggs and other ingredients derived from animals.
They mostly eat fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, mushrooms and products made from plant-based ingredients.
The annual conference was organised under the auspices of International Vegetarians Fellowship, (IVF), with the theme: World Peace – The place of veganism.
Addressing the conference, an ardent vegan and spiritual leader of Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu condemned the continual and massive killings of animals and fowls for foods, especially during festive seasons.
He warned that God never authorized man to kill them for foods but to superintend over them, reminding that man was authorized to eat only seeds, vegetables and fruits.
According to him, the massive killings and consumption of animals and birds of all kinds, have brought enmity between man and other creations.
“There is serious anger and complaints in the animal kingdom against man. Animals have risen in anger against man. This is why they attacked and killed man.
“Animals are our brothers. God created them to be of service to man, for the use of man, not to be killed for foods. This action by man comes together to compound man’s precarious situation.”
According to him, during reincarnation some men who killed animals or chickens do come back as such and are also killed as pay back.
He strongly cautioned against cruelty to, killing of animals and consumption of meat and fish, advising that all should become vegetarians if they wanted good health, longer life and peace amongst the human family and other creations.
International chairman of IVF, His Royal Majesty Evans Nwansi said vegetarianism and veganism should be a way of life.
He said they should not be seen as strange, adding that many in other climes are seriously adapting to the lifestyle which he said, helps to reduce life’s tension.
He disabused the minds of people that vegetarian lifestyle is costly and those that practise it usually look ill fed and sickly.
“On the contrary, vegetarians are not prone to any forms of sicknesses but are healthier compared with the people that are carnivorous. They even live longer.
“I encourage all to stop eating meat and fish but emphasise on seeds, plantains, fruits and vegetables. This way, you won’t know the way to hospitals anymore.”
A public health specialist from Abuja who also is veganism proponent, Ugomma Nyananyo, in her paper dwelt on effect of veganism and mental health.
She said abstention from meats and fish helps to stave off mental issues, emphasizing that seeds and vegetables guarantee and correct mental instability.
A Kenyan who is co-founder Thrive African Vegan Women Initiative, Virginia Ruguru spoke on World Peace – The spiritual connection between man and animal in relations to carnivore diet.
The conference climaxed with exhibition of vegetarian meals, and many other non-vegetarians relished them.
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