AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN A WORLD OF CHANGE

Abstract

All things undergo the impact of change which manifests itself in such action
words as progression, growth, transition and transformation. All physical
phenomena undergo one form of change or the other in its life journey. Perception
of physical change is derived from our observation of metabolic actions in physical
realities. Human species, animals and vegetation transit from one form of change
(size) to the other. Apart from physical growth, there is also change or progress in
meta-physical areas of human existence as in culture, religion, politics, ideas,
choices and interests. Change which is the universal key of progress and
transition affected African indigenous religion in many ways especially in its
conception and interpretation of reality around it. Agents of transformation such
as education and religion were able to induce foreign ideas about life and the
world into Africans. The result is seen in the emergence of new world view,
socialization and indoctrination of foreign ideas as replacements for local
paradigms. This work found out that the change in African traditional religion in
the contemporary area ensued from infractions on our world view which hitherto
was the valid mechanism of interpretation through which we gauged and directed
African life and experiences there-in. It also found out that the African
personality is at the cross-fire of change. It suggests that intellectuals and African
leaders of thought should as a matter of priority and necessity redirect our
attention and altitudes to the positive attributes of African religion and its
interpretative world view.