Christianity and African Culture (15th-21st Centuries): An Appraisal of the Nigerian Milieu
Emmanuel Orihentare Eregare and Oluwatosin Blessing Ayanlowo
Department of History & International Studies
Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria
E-mail:
dr.eregare@gmail.com; Tinu4all2002@yahoo.co.uk
Abstract
Before the coming of the Christian missionaries in the mid fifteenth century to Nigeria, every ethnic group advocated her own separate indigenous religion, which ranged in conventional beliefs and practices as relative to each community. Simply put, the indigenous people of Nigeria believed in divine beings which they feared, popularly labelling them as ‘gods of instant retribution’. This belief maintained peace and orderliness in varied communities. However, the introduction of Christianity and the concept of “supreme being” – “Christ” changed the traditional worldview of Nigerians towards the deities. Most importantly, the concept of the divine and forgiveness towards sinners converted them in their numbers. This Christianity later world view appears thus to have given way to clandestine activities in Nigerian society. Christianity appears to be obnoxious to the tedious and inhumane sacrifices which were commonly practiced in traditional religious worship.
Keywords: Christianity, African Culture (15th-21st Centuries), Appraisal, Nigerian Milieu