THE CONCEPT OF ‘SUPREME GOD’ AND URHOBO THEOLOGY

 Emusi, Samson Ikuvwe Ariegbe

Department of Religion

Delta State University, Abraka

E-mail: revemusi@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the Urhobo concept of God. It addresses two key Western misconceptions  about African (Urhobo) theology: (i) That the Urhobos (and other Africans in general)  had no clear concept of God prior to the advent o Christianity; (ii) that  the Urhobo concept of God is that of a withdrawn high God. The investigator examines data drawn from the socio-cultural beliefs and practices of the Urhobo, and concludes that the people had a clear concept of God prior to the advent of Christianity, and that the Urhobo people do not conceive of God as a withdrawn high God.