Some Lagos State residents on Sunday expressed both excitement and disappointment over the partial solar eclipse.
Reports from parts of the metropolis showed that while most were expecting a total eclipse, many were still excited over the partial eclipse.
Some of the residents from Egbeda, Command Road, Agege and Oke-Aro said that they had not expected a partial eclipse, but were excited that they could see changes in the sun.
A resident of Egbeda, Titi Francis, told NAN that at about 1.10 p.m, the weather became dark.
Francis said: “Around 1.10p.m, I noticed that the cloud became dark as if it was about to rain.
“I did not really see it like an eclipse, but I am excited about it because I heard it was really total in some places.”
A supermarket owner at Iju Road, Agege, Patrick Bada, said what he saw was below his expectation than what he was told would occur.
Bada said: “When I read the news about the eclipse on Thursday, I was waiting to experience it today.
“I waited to see it, but it was just dark and cloudy, nothing extraordinary.
“I had wanted to show my three-year-old grandson how an eclipse looks like, but I am still happy it was partial.”
Another resident of Agege, Temitope Oreola, said she had to take pictures of the partial eclipse at about 1.05pm.
Oreola said: “I am very excited seeing the eclipse for the first time.
“Although it is not really how I pictured it to be, but seeing the weather look like it was about to rain was very interesting.
“I took some pictures of it.
“A friend of mine at computer village, Ikeja, said that it was more interesting over there.”
A resident of Ire-Akari Estate, Isolo, Lagos, Seyi Adegbenro, described the eclipse as “a very strange and great experience”.
Adegbenro told NAN that it was an experience one got to see once in a life time.
He said: “I had to bring my children outside to see the eclipse of the sun and even take pictures.
“They have not seen such before and do not know when next this will repeat itself.”
Babade Oluwatayo, who lives at Efon-Alaaye in Ekiti State, told NAN on phone that the eclipse began around 1pm.
Oluwatayo said that it was a great feeling for the young ones that had not experienced anything like the eclipse in the past.
From Abuja came reports that no fewer than 500 students of public and private schools across the country on Sunday observed the partial solar eclipse at the National Space Research and Development Agency, Abuja.
A solar eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth and partially blocked the sun.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the solar eclipse started in Abuja at exactly 1.03pm as predicted by NASRDA.
NASRDA provided the students and some Nigerians with instruments, including Eclipse shades to observe the eclipse.
The Supervising Minister for Science and Technology, Omobola Johnson, said the students were invited to motivate them to develop interest in the study science and technology.
Johnson said: “We invited these students to boost their interest in the study of science and technology, which is the bedrock for industrialisation of any nation.
“That is why we are using this medium to encourage you to develop interest in studying science and technology, particularly astronomy and space science.”
Johnson, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Rabi Jimeta, said the occurrence of the partial solar eclipse revealed that space technology was working in Nigeria.
She promised that government would continue in its efforts at ensuring the development of space science in Nigeria.
The Director-General of NASRDA, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, described solar eclipse as a natural phenomenon with no direct impact on climate change.
Mohammed described as false insinuations that occurrence of eclipse was an indication that the world was coming to an end.
He said: “All that is happening is a natural phenomenon and there is no religious sentiment attached to it.
“This should help us to discourage the mysteries attached to solar eclipse by various religious bodies.
“From the scientific perspective, it’s just a natural phenomenon.
“The signal from geo-stationary satellites does not have effect on any of the communication gadgets like the GSM, aircraft and businesses.”
Some of the students, who spoke with NAN, commended government for the opportunity to observe it at the centre, adding that it would boost their interest in studying science-related courses.
Yat Japheth, a student of Baptist High School, Kubwa, FCT, said Sunday was his first time of observing solar eclipse with such instruments provided by NASRDA.
Peculiar Daniel of Scintillate International Model School, Lokoja, said the opportunity would help her to know more about the sun, the moon and the earth.
Also, Luru Adewumi, a teacher at the Oak Height Schools, Lugbe, Abuja, described it as an opportunity that some of the teachers never had when they were in schools.
Adewumi said the opportunity would not allow anybody to deceive the students about strange attachments to solar eclipse by people.
He said the experience would help the students to understand the practical aspects of science.
However, Akinwumi Arize, who brought her five-year-old son to observe the eclipse, said such gesture would help children to know how the galaxy and the universe operate.
NASRDA had predicted that a partial solar eclipse would occur in Lagos at 12:30pm; Kano, 1.07pm; and Enugu, 1.04pm.
It also added that the entire African continent would be affected by the partial eclipse, while some other parts of the world would witness total eclipse.
The agency predicted that another partial eclipse would occur in April 2014, March 2015 and September 2016.
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