By Our Reporters, 03.30.2006

The 5th in about 106 years, the first, being in 1898, second in 1947, then 1959 and 2001 before yesterday's eclipse was total in some parts of the country and partial in others.

Reports from across the country indicated that anxious Nigerians gathered in open fields and spaces to catch a glimpse of the eclipse, using special filter goggles.
FCT residents, who viewed the partial eclipse of the sun, expressed gratitude to God for giving them the opportunity to experience the natural phenomenon.

Miss Tina Ukoh, a resident of Abuja said she was excited with the development, saying: 展ao! God is great.・BR>Others were seen praying and exchanging views on the eclipse and other worldly issues, which they said called for prayers and sober reflections.

Reports from affected states across the country indicated that everything was normal, as people went about their businesses devoid of panic and disturbances.
Solar eclipse occurs when the moon is caught in between the sun and the earth, while each of them move along their fixed paths.
Some States in the Southwest and Northwest zones of the country experienced total blackout.

States where total eclipse was observed include Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna and Kano, while other parts of the country and the FCT had partial darkness.
The eclipse, according to officials of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) in Abuja, started at about 9.30 a.m. Nigerian time and lasted up to 11 a.m. within the country.
The total eclipse phase, it was gathered, began at a point in northeast Brazil and later in the evening terminated at a point near the Russia-Mongolia border.

The eclipse was visible in areas covering Brazil, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Niger, north-western parts of Chad,
Libya and North-Western tip of Egypt. Others countries covered by it included Turkey, North-Western parts of Georgia, south-western parts of Russia, Kazakhstan, the southern tip of Russia it was envisaged to terminate in the northern tip of Mongolia.

In Nigeria, not even the nation's rulers were spared the anxiety of catching a glimpse of the eclipse. Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ministers took time off to watch the eclipse shortly before the commencement of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that was presided over by him in the absence of President Olusegun Obasanjo who was away on official visit to the United States.
Wearing special protective spectacles, Atiku in company with his aides came out briefly from the Council Chambers shortly after the end of the weekly Economic Team meeting to watch the spectacle himself from the fore court of the Presidential Villa.

Speaking to State House Correspondents just before going back into the Council Chambers to preside over the weekly FEC meeting, the Vice President described what he saw as a very interesting sight to behold.
Although acknowledging that that was the first time that he would personally see the eclipse because as a child he, along with his siblings were always locked in the room when an eclipse occurred, the Vice President prayed that everybody had the opportunity to see the eclipse.

的t is quite interesting. We are not expected to see total eclipse here in Abuja but I think that there are other places in the country where they are expected to see a total eclipse of the sun.・BR>The Vice President added, 的 cannot remember. You know, when I was a kid they used to lock us up in the room and not would allow us to come out. I wish everybody is aware of this so that they can come out and see how it is.

But I know that there are a lot superstitious beliefs surrounding this・
The ministers were not also left out as they appeared in groups to watch and discuss the eclipse while sharing the use of the special spectacles provided solely for the purpose.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Frank Nweke, expressed satisfaction with the level of awareness created on the eclipse saying that it has gone a long way to stop undue panic.
Like Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Ministers, doctors and paramedical staff at the State House Staff Clinic, Abuja, today abandoned their work to view the partial solar eclipse experienced in the capital city.

THISDAY reports that most of the personnel were seen viewing the eclipse in the old traditional way by putting water in a container for that purpose in spite of warnings against the practice.
Others resorted to the use of sun glasses and handset cameras to view the eclipse. The scene was a beautiful sight to behold as patients were not left out of the excitement in spite of their desperation to see their doctors on time.

Most of the people gave praises to God for sparing their lives to see the solar eclipse, while the older ones recounted their past experiences of 1947, the last total eclipse in Nigeria.

One of the doctors simply identified as Nasir was so excited that he viewed the eclipse several times and prayed God to spear his life to see the next one expected in 34 years time.
Also the personal physician to the vice president, Dr. Ndukwe could not hide his feelings as he came out of his office and to watch the eclipse with admiration.

Like in Abuja, the story was the same in Lagos. At about 10.25am, the beautiful moving sun had given way to a mild darkness, which particularly turned homes, offices and schools into darkness. Outside glowed leaving no one in doubt that the moon had overshadowed the sun.
In excitement, people poured into the streets to watch with dark glasses, and water in basins. Mary claimed to have taken photographs of the momentary eclipse, which lasted for less than five minutes, with their GSM phone cameras.

In Kaduna, both old and young, temporarily abandoned their chores and businesses to watch the eclipse.
The event was characterised by unusual enthusiasm from jubilant Nigerians, who openly expressed appreciation to God for being alive to witness one of nature's mysteries.

Open-air Interdenominational prayers led by the State Governors and clergymen and celebrations were even held in some states.
Normal activities, however, went on smoothly in Kaduna, but some motorists put on their head lamps. Generally the meteorological department for its accurate forecast of the eclipse. Some lawyers, litigants and workers at the state high court watched the eclipse with their eclipse filters.

Lokoja and other parts of Kogi also witnessed partial eclipse between 10.00 a.m. and 11.25 a.m., with most residents initially ascribing the unusual darkness to signs of impending rainfall.
Partial eclipse also occurred in Enugu, with some residents improvising glasses to watch the occurrence.
Nwaefido, used candle flame to darken the surface of a plain louver glass with which people clearly viewed the super-imposition of the moon on the sun.

A NAN photographer Nathan Nwakamma who was able to pick the scene as it occurred, described the "translucent screen'' as a "wonderful improvisation'' as it enabled his camera lens to capture the eclipse.
Commercial activities in Minna, Niger state, where there was partial eclipse, were momentarily halted following the occurrence.
The eclipse began at about 9.45 a.m. as predicted by meteorologist, and continued till about 12.51 p.m..

In Kano, where the people witnessed the partial eclipse for about an hour beginning from 10 a.m., a resident, Mallam Mustapha Imrana, thanked God for sparing his life to witness the occurrence, which he described as 殿 gift of God・
Prayers were offered in mosques in the city both before and during the eclipse, in which Imams and their followers asked God for forgiveness.

The solar eclipse occurred in 20 of the 34 local governments of Katsina State. In Batagarawa Local Government, the eclipse started at about 10 a.m when the sun disappeared.
At exactly 10.30 a.m, it was dark in Almun Jama'a, Tsanni and Yargamji villages of the area, and the darkness remained for eight minutes before the sun reappeared.
The people of Yargamji and Almun jama'a villages prayed in mosques for restoration of the sun.

A 75-year old man in Yargamji, Malam Umaru Harmo, one of those who prayed, said: "The last time I witnessed the solar eclipse was more than 50 years ago, and now I am witnessing it again. I thank Allah.''
Another resident, Mr. Idris Almun Jama'a, described it as ``the work of Allah''.

In Katsina metropolis, people observed prayers in mosques.
Residents of Osun state were not left out of the solar eclipse. Prayers were said, in various Mosques by Muslim faithful across the 30 local government councils of the state.
As early as 9 a.m , Muslims were seen at various praying grounds in the state capital to thank Allah for His Grace and to seek for Allah forgiveness.

Also, many Christian brothers and sisters were offering prayers to herald the sighting of the eclipse in the state. By 11. oo a. m when the eclipse was sighted in Osogbo, all the places looked like night and people started expressed fear of the situation.
In Ogun State, public and private schools were shot down while pupils and students stayed at home to prevent the occurrence of any unforeseen situation as a result of the eclipse.

Commercial and social activities were also paralyzed for the greater part of the day, especially in Abeokuta, the state capital.
People kept off the major roads, and markets and shops were permanently locked, leaving only civil servants at the state and local governments in their offices.
The eclipse was witnessed in such areas as Abeokuta, Imeko/Afon, Idofa and Ota areas of the state.

Though, it was not the a case of total darkness in Abeokuta, it was, however, glaring that such a strange thing did take place.
At about 10.am, the bright day, which characterized the city in the early hours of the day, gave way gradually to partial darkness. It became more pronounced at exactly 10.15am when the entire city was covered with partial darkness, looking like the period between the hours of 6 and 7.pm on a normal day.
People became excited.

Those, who had ventured out very early in the morning, were seen rushing back home, leaving very few commercial and private cars on major roads of the city.
Strictly complying with warnings that people do not look directly into the sky, they were seen in front of their houses, viewing the eclipse from bowls of water.

However, the eclipse, which did not last more than 10 minutes started fading away after some time until the weather became clearer as it used to be in the normal again.

Like in Ogun State, social and economic activities were paralysed in the village of Saki, Oyo State, as the community like such others Kontagora, New Bussa and many other villages in Niger State, Katsina and Kazaure in Jigawa State experienced total eclipse.

The town witnessed a large number of visitors, including foreign tourists and scientists, who stormed the place to watch the eclipse.
However, despite the wide enlightenment that had attended the expectation of the eclipse, residents of Saki stayed indoors, refusing to open their shops, markets and schools for fear of the unknown.
To ensure proper control of the situation, the State Government shifted the seat of government to Saki temporarily.

Saki, headquarters of Saki East Local Government Area, had been predicted alongside nine other local councils in the Oke area by the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) as physical locations, where total eclipse would be recorded.
The other Local Government Areas were Iwajowa, Itesiwaju, Atisbo, Saki West, Oriire, Olorunsogo, Irepo and Kajola.
According to NASRDA, apart from the Oke Ogun area of Oyo State, where the total eclipse was expected, six other states in the country notably Ogun, Kwara, Niger, Katsina, Kebbi and Zamfara were to experience total eclipse of the sun.

Oyo State Cabinet led by 'Governor' Chrsitopher Adebayo Alao-Akala moved en mass to Saki on Tuesday evening purposely to monitor the natural phenomenon from the town, just as the entire Oke Ogun area had witnessed festive mood, with the teeming number of tourists, who besieged the area.

The State Government appealed to the people not to panic and provided over 10,000 spectacles free to members of the public who thronged Saki to view the eclipse.
From as early as 7 am, thousands of people moved into the OYSADEP stadium, which was designated as an official viewing centre by the government in collaboration with NASRDA.

The Special spectacles were distributed free to the people inside the stadium. However, from about 10.21am, the streets were completely deserted as the moon started to move gradually over the sun, drawing loud shouts of " God is great " from the people.

At about 10.44am, the sun was completely covered by the moon, resulting in total darkness. As this happened, some people burst into fervent prayer, asking for protection and posperity from God.
Akala, who later led the people in prayer, said, "As we are praying for God protection, I am happy that this spectacular phenomenon occurred during my time. It will remain part of history".
The state weekly executive council meeting was later held at the OYSADEP secretariat in Saki.

Also in Ibadan metropolis, a very scorching sun preceded the partial eclipse. At 9am, the intensity of the sun gradually diminished to give way to the partial eclipse, which started around 10.12am and ended at 10.45am. Major streets in the metropolis like Bodija Market, Agbowo Shopping Complex, Mokola, Dugbe, Agodi Gate, Oke-Padre, very well known busy places, were deserted even though the government did not declare any holiday. Teachers were seen in their schools with no pupils to teach. However, at noon, when the eclipse had subsided, people trooped out in their thousands to resume the day's activities.
Kontagora, New Bussa as well as many villages in Niger State witnessed total darkness for about five minutes.

The state capital, Minna, Bida, Mokwa, Zungeru Tegina, however, experienced partial darkness, which lasted for about 30 minutes. The bright, sunny day had unexpectedly caved in at about 9:57am, as most towns in the state were thrown into darkness, particularly New Bussa and Kontagora.

An eye witness in New Bussa told THISDAY on telephone that partial darkness set in at about 9:57am, before the entire town was enveloped in darkness at about 10:20am for about five minutes.
Also in Kontagora, where the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Shem Zagbayi Nuhu, went to personally witness the phenomenon, the sun sets over the town at about 10:30am.

But unlike Saki, Oyo State, where the event was greeted with fanfare, the day went in Niger State uncelebrated as people went about their normal businesses, while some schools were closed to make children stay indoor while the eclipse lasted.

At the Federal Information Centre, Minna, only 50 pieces of spectacles were available for sale to the public to watch the eclipse while many people, who had no assess to the spectacle resorted to the use of water in big bowls to capture the images of the sun and moon.
Kazaure, Jigawa State, also witnessed total eclipse.
As early as 7 am, there was sudden change in the weather with the initial sunny early morning becoming cloudy.

Soon, it became hazy and motorists had to put on their headlights to wade through the darkness.

However, within two minutes, that was at about 10:39 am,
the sun started becoming visible again and people, especially children, who gathered at the Emir of Kazaure痴 palace, were excited at the development.

Within 10 minutes, the sun shone brightly again though the
hazy weather remained pervasive.

Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu, in a
chat with newsmen, who went to the town to witness the
eclipse, said, it was one of the signs of God to his creatures about his existence.

No incident was recorded in the town as a result of the eclipse as adequate awareness of it had been created in the people.