1.1 Introduction
African religion and African traditional religion are all common names used to discuss the faith found within Africa. Each name is debated among scholars and some challenge the word “traditional” since the word makes the religion seem outmoded. Kombo (2009:136) maintains that pre-Christian African religious consciousness had no place for polytheism, meaning that there was no worship of many gods. His argument is based on the fact that no temple was ever built for an idol or image worshipped in Africa. He adds that spirits are spirits of the people who have died, not of gods (Kombo, 2009:136). The concept of God, divinities and spirits in African traditional religious ontology has been a controversial and misunderstood concept. Various factors led to this controversy and misunderstanding, such as prejudice by Western scholars who measured African traditional religious concept with Christianity.
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitation of the study and Definition of terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Africans from the onset of time are Homo-Religious beings. They recognized God as the Supreme Being, the High God, who is the creator of all the universe, and mankind. The Supreme Being is magnificent, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. He is all knowing and the highest being which oversees all other duties performed by the lesser beings. Africans also recognized the lesser beings which carry out duties from all departments of life for example, God of the rain which is responsible for rainfall, God of harvest, all the lesser being had either various responsibilities which they carried out, Although the High God is invisible, it is accessible; the lesser being are the link between the worshippers and the Supreme Being, and sometimes they offer prayers direct to the High God. Along the line, a new religion was brought to the Africans and this is “Christianity” which came to present uncompromising monotheism. This is explicated in Deuteronomy 6:4 articulated that “The lord our God is one. You shall have no other God before me”. This is in contrast with the tolerant polytheism practiced by the African people; Christianity is the worship of one God, which is the Supreme Being.
The missionaries who brought this religion asserted that Africans had no Religion, thereby condemning what they came to meet. The fact that there are realities in African religion which has not been properly echoed by Africans themselves especially those Eurocentric ones whose religious inclination has blinded them to the fact that Africans are not strangers to the worship of One True God Supreme Being, who is called by different names in Africa.
Therefore, in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the challenges posed by the concept of the high God and the lesser gods in African Traditional Religion on the Christians.
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that there would have been no problem if things were left at this point. In the course of time, however, the religious world of the Africans was split open, giving way for the infiltration of foreign religion, namely Christianity with its attendant contradicting theological underpinning. This infiltration was effected by Christian missionaries who came unto Africa for evangelism and eventually conversion of the so called heathen African to the new religion. While African traditional religion has an accommodating monotheistic High God, the God of Christianity is uncompromisingly monotheistic and jealous.
Thus, the altars, shrines and images of the lesser gods and spirits were tagged idols and their adherents, worshippers of idols, which is an abominable act for Christians to engage in. Through such missionary contacts many Africans have been converted to Christianity and some of the gods and their shrines and images destroyed.
The fact, however, is that Religion is not a matter of external but something deeply inherent and rooted in each person. While many Africans have been converted to Christianity, the African religiosity of believing in lesser spirits to govern the different departments of their day to day life is very strong.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
The aim of the study is to examine the challenges posed by the concept of the high God and the lesser gods in African Traditional Religion on the Christians in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:
- To make some strategic recommendations that could help change the trend among Christians in the area under review.
- To find out the concept and the roles of the lesser gods among Christians in the area under review;
- To examine the effects of resorting to the lesser gods among Christians in the area under study;
- To examine the concept and roles of the High God among Christians in the area under study; and
- To investigate the possible factors that compels Christians to occasionally resort to the lesser gods in the study area under review.
1.5 Research Questions
The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:
- Are there possible factors that compel Christians to occasionally resort to the lesser gods in the study area under review?
- Are the people of Obio Akpor Local Government Area genuine Christians?
- What is the concept and roles of the High God among Christians in the area under study?
- What are the concept and the roles of the lesser gods among Christians in the study area?
- What are the effects of resorting to the lesser gods among Christians in the area under review?
- What are the strategic recommendations that could help change the trend among Christians in the area under review?
1.6 Significance of Study
The outcome of this research will add to the growing literature in African Traditional Religion domesticated in the area under review. Apart from this, judging from available literature, this research seems to be unique in the sense that it looks specifically at the challenges that the belief in multiple gods of the Christians converts in the study area vis–a-vis their received monotheistic concepts of God.
The result of such findings will be of great help to Christians, clergymen and women in their bid to consolidate the faith of Christians thereby producing Christians who are not just baptized but genuinely converted.
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.7 Scope of Study
The scope of the research is focused on the challenges posed by the concept of the high God and the lesser gods in African Traditional Religion on the Christians in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.9 Definition of Terms
African Traditional Religion:
This is the indigenous Religion of the African people which has no written scripture but it is written in the hearts of its worshippers, and handed down orally from generation to generation.
The High God:
The High God refers to the Sky God. He is the Supreme Being, the creator of all things including man and animals and all other living beings. Although He is invisible, He is accessible, prayers and sacrifices are made in is name, and He is called upon in times of trouble and there are various names used to describe him.
Christians:
These are followers of Jesus Christ the founder of Christianity and by the Christian specifically in the study area.
Lesser Gods:
Just as the name implies, they are under the High God, and are messengers – a link between the people (worshippers) and the High God. They are in various departments of life, and they are also involved in the day to day activities of man.
