In search of Gambia’s mysterious creature ... The Ninki-Nanka

Its story is a thriller; fascinating, legendary, and it transcends beyond the most conceived of mysterious creatures. The story of the Gambian ninki-nanka fascinates even the greatest sceptics of African myth. The ninki-nanka is a true example of Gambian legendary myth. In case you have never heard about it, just think about the Chinese dragon. They are synonymous, and interestingly, it has been italized in many Gambian and West African folktales.

The inception of the story of this mysterious creature goes back centuries ago. Different people have given different perceptions, ascriptions and descriptions of the ninki-nanka, and the information given often depends on whom you speak to, and what they have heard about this creature.

Some people said that the ninki-nanka is a large and gigantic creature, which has a scary outburst, while others say it is horrendous with scaly features patterned in its body. It is also described as having a horse-like face, long body with mirror-like scales, a crest of skin on its body and runs fast. 

However, it must be said that most of the information given about the ninki-nanka is sketchy. Second-hand accounts vary wildly from it looking like a crocodile, snake or having wings and spitting fire.

Its habitation is as mysterious and difficult to ascertain as its description. It is said to leave in swampy and isolated areas, mostly around a creek or river. Some sources ascertain that the ninki-nanka is capable of spitting fire when threatened. But like many unanswered questions about it, one would be compelled to ask what could be capable of making such a horrendous creature threatened?

One reason why information about the ninki-nanka is so difficult to ascertain is that most of the information is derived from oral tradition. Oral tradition is a form of history, which is transmitted from generation to generation through mouth. And one problem about this form of creature is that there is always a possibility that the information being transmitted is distorted along the way. Further more, the fact that most people who see it usually die within a few weeks, explains why the story of the ninki-nanka is more difficult to ascertain.

Due to the sketchy nature of information, one is often compelled to ask whether the ninki-nanka really exists or not. Last year a team of British Crypto zoologists came to the Gambia to do research about its existence. Crypto zoology is the search for animals whose existence is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as the Loch Ness monster.

The team interviewed many people in the Gambia including one eyewitness - a park ranger from the Kiang West National Park who lived to tell the tale of his encounter three years ago. He described it as an immense animal of about 50 metres long by one metre wide that he watched for more than an hour before being taken ill. He put down his survival to an herbal portion given to him by an Islamic holy man.

Later, according to the expedition's blog, after being shown pictures of various reptiles and mythical animals, the ranger said the creature's face most resembled that of a Chinese dragon.

During an interview with BBC’s focus on Africa, they acknowledged that the existence of this mysterious creature is far fetched, but denied claims that it does not exist.

Oral tradition however, asserts that people who manage the scare of seeing this monstrous animal often become enormously rich later in life.

Legend has it that during the middle of the 19th century the ninki-nanka was said to have been once found in Niumi, but was driven away from the area by one of the marabous that once lived in the area.

In around the same time, the ninki-nanka was found along the Manjai bridge, at around midnight, it left the area and dashed for a thick forest in the interior of the country. Its trails left a huge stream in the area, which is still visible up to date.