On Monday, North America was captivated by eclipse fever as millions witnessed a stunning celestial event, offering both commercial and scientific prospects, as well as a reason to celebrate.
Starting from the Pacific coast of Mexico and speeding across the United States, the Moon’s shadow engulfed areas in complete darkness before retreating over Canada’s Atlantic coast in under an hour and a half.
From festivals to mass weddings, events dotted the eclipse’s “path of totality,” where lucky observers could witness the Sun entirely obscured by the Moon, if the weather permitted. Unfortunately, clouds spoiled the view in parts of Texas.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador traveled to Sinaloa to experience the eclipse firsthand from Mazatlan, deeming it a “beautiful, unforgettable day.”
In Mexico City, despite being just outside the path of totality, thousands gathered to marvel at the phenomenon. “These are rare gifts from Earth and nature that we should embrace,” said 29-year-old artist Mariana Juarez.
Spanning 115 miles wide, this year’s path of totality was home to nearly 32 million Americans, with an additional 150 million residing within 200 miles of the strip.
The next total solar eclipse visible from a large portion of North America won’t occur until 2044.
As the eclipse’s grandeur unfolded over North America, Nigerians flooded social media, particularly Facebook, to share their take on the cosmic spectacle.
A Facebook user, Uduma Nnachi, reflected on the role of science in unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
He said, “Thank God science explained it to us, only God knows what this continent would have turned the story into.”
In contrast, Holy Mouth CFR injected a dose of Nigerian, drawing parallels between the eclipse’s darkness and the perennial power outages plaguing the country.
In his statement, he said, “Nigeria has been in darkness century under politicians, we no dey fear ECLIPSE darkness. We’re used to it… If your street don stay more than one week without light gather here…”
Kenny Akinosun, expressed a longing shared by many Nigerians.
He reacted, “When are we going to see our own in Nigeria? The sun was shining so bright today, I guess it was laughing at us!”
Meanwhile, Aigbiremhon Osas adopted a more ominous tone, weaving the eclipse into the fabric of apocalyptic prophecy.
He mused, “I was told it happened in 1947, it also happened in South Africa, now it’s USA. The end of the ages is very close at hand.”
Amidst the banter, a user with the name, I’m Bigger.com interjected with a playful query, highlighting the confusion surrounding the eclipse’s geographical reach. With a hint of jest, he pondered, “I don’t see anything in the USA where I’m staying or did we have two ✌ USA .”
Akhaba Sunday, however, brought the conversation back to the streets of Nigeria, where anticipation mingled with apprehension in the face of impending darkness.
He said, “We are yet to experience it in Nigeria. Are we different from other countries? We are expecting it today. I almost did not go out because there would be total darkness everywhere. NEPA would have made things worse.”
In his own comment, Marthias Maiuguwa John said, “I have seen it once in Nigeria. We were told to be beating metal objects to produce sounds that would separate the moon from the sun. We obliged!”
Also, Awashima Patience stepped forward to share a nostalgic memory from their school days, when the eclipse transformed an ordinary day into an extraordinary adventure. With a twinkle in their eye, they reminisced, “I witnessed this in early 2006, it was during school hours and all the students stood out to watch with sunglasses and buckets of water.”
Meanwhile, Don Bolton Nosa Lawani offered a wry observation on the passage of time and the changing landscape of belief.
He said, “When I was young they told me an eclipse happens once every fifty years… Now I’ve experienced it three times. I must be 150 years old.”
Eze Uchenna Excel, with a vivid recollection of past eclipses in Nigeria, shared a tale of fear and wonder, as darkness descended upon the land in the midst of day.
He recalled, “I can recall vividly back then when it happened in Nigeria. That day we experienced two days in a day cuz everywhere were dark in a day time. We saw the sun and moon colliding together, fear grasped a lot of people. Crazy day it was.”
Ayoola Adeniyi said, “I told my friend this morning that this Eclipse will not affect us in Nigeria cos a country that is used to darkness before like my area I can’t remember the year we used electricity last.”
Meanwhile, Husayn TJ transported back to the village, where the eclipse was not merely a scientific phenomenon, but a cosmic battle between celestial forces.
He recalled, “Back then in the village they used to tell us it was Sun and Moon that were fighting, and everybody was into serious prayer.” Their words carried the echoes of ancient beliefs and communal rituals, as they grappled with the mysteries of the cosmos through the lens of tradition and faith.
In her own comment, Gift Jonathan offered a humorous take on Nigeria’s perpetual struggle with darkness, drawing a parallel between the eclipse’s temporary shadow and the everyday reality of power outages.
He said, “If na NEPA now they go rush plunge us inside darkness without warning. We experience an eclipse every day in Nigeria no need for the real one.”
