One thing most African tribes have in common is an immense sense of spiritualism and the belief in the supernatural. These beliefs are backed up by traditions, religious rites, and superstitions.

Well, the fact is that not only Africans believe so much in spirituality almost all races in the world do.

Even though the introduction of the two most popular religions (Christianity and Islam) has shifted the way the majority view spirituality and the supernatural. Overall it hasn't changed the way we attached things to the supernatural.

We have fused beliefs from our traditional religions into the two predominant religions. Thereby, creating a semblance between the traditional beliefs and the religions introduced to us.

When compared to their counterparts in Europe or the Middle East; African Christians and Muslims attach a lot to things to spirituality in both religions.

Reasons for this tremendous sense of spirituality.

Since time immemorial Man has always tried to associate things they cannot explain or understand with the spiritual realm.

A long time ago Man worshipped the sun, moon, and oceans. They believe these bodies have elemental power that makes them powerful and thereby makes them fit for worship.

Humans are self-conscious creatures, and they realize that everything around them is too good to have come by chance (well, not the modern man) that's why almost all cultures and races believe in a creator or creators; who created the world and everything in it. This belief is also backed up by predominate religions of the world and is entrenched in African traditional religions too.

But as Man became wiser we drop some beliefs and superstitions that our predecessors believed in.

For instance, there was a time in Europe when everyone believes that the sun orbits the earth. But, with advancements in the field of astronomy, it was discovered that it was rather the earth that orbits the sun.

It is a perceptible trend that primitive or less technological countries or places believe more in spiritualism and the supernatural when compared to civilized countries or places.

We can see this trend in the Aborigines in the outbacks of Australia, in the Native Americans in the hinterlands of South America, and also in Africa.

Influence of the civilized world

It is common for a less developed country to give up on certain cultures and practices due to influence from a superior developed country.

Africa's contact with foreign civilized countries reduces the belief in certain cultures and superstitions.

For instance, until the earliest part of the 20th century, twins were regarded as evil and they were killed in some parts of Nigeria. It took the intervention of a courageous British woman named; "Mary Slessor" and the British government to put an end to such practices.

Another instance though not in Africa, is the Sati practice in India. Sati was a practice where widows sacrifice themselves by sitting or throwing themselves on their deceased husbands' funeral pyre. This practice was also abolished by the British government

Spiritualism in today's Africa

While it can be said that the majority of Africans profess to be either practicing Christianity or Islam, the belief in the supernatural and superstitions inherited from traditional religions still prevails.

A lot of religious rites and practices are still going on, some are inhumane and shameful to talk about. Some are just normal reminiscing of traditions and cultures that are fading away.

There is nothing wrong with believing in spirituality and the supernatural, almost all Africans do. But there should be a boundary between reality or physical and spirituality.

Almost everything in most African countries, for example, Nigeria is attributed to spirituality.

It is so dire that we even want God to come down and fix the deterioration in our country. We spend time too much time praying for solutions when we can fix the problems with our hands.

03-09-2022

3:53 PM

Thanks for reading!