DIVINITIES
CONTENTS
1.0
INTRODUCTION
2.0 WHO ARE THE DIVINITIES?
3.2 SELECTED DIVINITIES IN SOME
AFRICAN LOCALITIES
3.3 POSITION AND DUTIES OF
DIVINITIES
3.4 RELATION OF THE DIVINITIES WITH
GOD
2.0
CONCLUSION
7.0 REFERENCES
1.0 INTRODUCTION
As
you have learnt in the earlier unit, the second element in the structure of the
African Traditional Religion is the belief in the divinities. The worship of
the divinities is more obvious in the African religion than any other forms of
the religion. However, it has to be noted that there are several divinities and
form of worship from one people group to another. Consequently, this unit shall
focus on select divinities from select groups.
3.1
WHO ARE THE DIVINITIES
The African religions partly recognize a group of being popularly
known as divinities. These beings have
been given various names by various writers such as ‘gods’, ‘demigods’, ‘nature
spirits’, divinities, and the like.
Mbiti explains that the term “covers personification of God’s activities
and manifestations, the so-called ‘nature spirits’, deified heroes, and
mythological figures”.[1] This belief in divinities is a common fact especially
in West Africa, while in other parts of Africa; the concept is not succinctly
expressed. This is w hat Francis O. C.
Njoku means when he said, “The phenomenon of belief in divinities is not
everywhere prominent in Africa”. 
In West Africa where the
concept is clearly expressed, there are so many of such divinities. In Yoruba pantheon, for example, Idowu
explains that there are as much as 201, 401, 600, or 1700 divinities. In Edo of
Nigeria, there are as many divinities as there are human needs, activities and
experiences, and the cults of these divinities are recognized as such. In his words “One [divinity] is connected
with wealth, human fertility, and supply of children (Oluku); another is iron
(Ogu), another of medicine (Osu), and another of death (Ogiuwu)” .
Divinities have been
grouped into two major groups namely: the Principal Divinities and Minor
divinities. Principal divinities are
regarded as part of the original order of things. These being
co-eval with the coming into being of the cosmos. They include such
divinities as,
Sango or Amadioha– thunder
divinities for Yoruba and Igbo;
Ani or Ala – earth divinity among the Igbo,
Aje in Idoma land and other solar divinities.
The Dinka people of Sudan
recognize Deng divinity associated with rain, fertility and others, Abak with
mother role, Garang– perfect picture of father/son relationship.[2] They also recognize Macardt– a divinity
associated with death. Nature of Divinities: There are two major schools of
thought as regards the origin of divinities in African religious ontology. The first school of thought is led by John S.
Mbiti. He argues that divinities were
created by the Supreme Being. He
explains that divinities “have been created by God in the ontological category
of the spirits. They are associated
with Him, and often stand for His activities or manifestation either as personifications
or as the spiritual beings in charge of these major objects or phenomena of
nature”.[3] By this view of Mbiti and his group,
divinities are under the Supreme Being in the order of things. They can also be seen as manifestations of
the characteristics or attributes 
3.2
SELECTED DIVINITIES IN SOME AFRICAN
LOCALITIES
It
is absolutely impossible to discuss all the divinities in Africa simply because
they are numerous and in different localities. Some are identical though their
names are different. For example, there is a Yoruba invocative hymn that
attempts to indicate the number of the divinities. Other people groups will
also be examined so that we can a representative account of the divinities in
Africa
Obatala
is the arch-divinity in Yoruba land. He is known by other names like:
Orisa-nla
and Ogiyan. Obatala is the creator-divinity. Myth has it that it was Obatala
that Olodumare commissioned to create the earth and equip it with everything
that humanity would need. He was also the one commissioned to create the
physical bodies of human beings from the dust of the earth. It was however
Olodumare's prerogative to make the physical form made by Obatala a living
being-the secret that was withheld from Obatala.
Another
myth has it that when Obatala grew jealous and curious and attempted to spy on
Olodumare to detect how He makes the physical forms turn to living beings,
Olodumare made him to fall into a deep slumber only to wake up after all the
physical bodies had come alive. Note that this myth is another pointer to the
fact that the divinities were not considered to be Deity and were not
independent from Deity. [4]
Obatala is regarded as the divinity of
purity. The name Obatala implies the King of purity. This is the reason for the
white colour of everything associated with him. His temple or shrine must be
white-wahed. His priests and priestesses along with the followers are usually
dressed in white. His emblems are white chalk and white beads. In fact it is a
taboo for anyone to bring palm
oil
close to his shrine. There is usually in the shrine water drawn from the spring
in the early hours of the morning (that is before anybody gets to the spring).
The water must be drawn by
a
virgin who has not started menstruation or an old woman at menopause. This
again implies that blood of any kind do not come to pollute his shrine. The
water drawn at drawn too implies unpolluted water. This nature of Obatala
demands from his adherents a life of purity, honesty and one set apart from
pollution. In all things, Obatala represents the holiness of God. Obatala
is
worshipped all over the Yoruba Empire and beyond as seen in the recovery of
African religions in the West today.
Barren women, those afflicted with
inexplicable diseases, and those facing problem during the crises of life take
their petition to him for solutions. Water taken from his shrine is also given
to the sick or invalids for their cure.
ORUNMILA is the great oracle divinity and
is also known as ha. This is a divinity which one can be said is worshipped
throughout Africa under different names. However, according to Yoruba
mythology, he was said to have accompanied Obatala as a counselor when Obatala
was sent to equip the earth after it has been created. Orunmila is undoubtedly
one of the most revered representatives of Olodumare on earth. Great wisdom and
power are attributed to Orunmila divination is associated with the cult of
Orunmila.[5]
He is said to declare the will of God and the other divinities.In addition to
his skills and wisdom in matters pertaining to divination, Orunmila can reveal
to the Ifa priest (Babalawo) what roots and leaves that can be used in healing
a particular ailment. In this field, he is said to be assisted by Osanyin
(another divinity that has variously been described as a brother, friend,
partner or servant of Orunmila).Yoruba myth has it that Orunmila was present
when human destiny was fixed in heaven before they were born. This is why he is
called "the witness of destiny" (Eleri-ipin) and this forms the basis
for people going
to
him almost at every stage of life to inquire if they are on the track of their
chosen destiny. This singular factor explains why the worship of Orunmila is
the most widespread in Africa. Orunmila is believed to be able to give advice
to all and sundry.
[6]Orunmila
constitutes one of the elements of the demands and sanctions of morality in
Yoruba religion. For instance, an Ifa priest is constrained not to abuse his
office in any way or use his Position to enrich himself or refuse his services
to anybody because of inability to pay the divination fee. It is believed that
the Ifa priest should not tell a lie or bear false witness or do anything evil
with his powers. They say that anyone who does will forever remain impoverished.
The shrine of Orunmila is usually found in the house of the worshippers or
priests. Him emblems include palm-kernels, cowries and a graven and beautified
elephant's tusk. These are kept in a white plate or bowl. Sacrifices are
offered to Orunmila from time to time. The fifth day (orun)
is
however his day of worship when sacrifices are more elaborate. underworld who
rules the
ancestors
that have been buried in the
earth.
As the mother goddess, Ala is the spirit of fertility. The Igbo believe that
she
is a powerful beneficent deity. She is also the custodian of public morality.
The goddess is a giver and administrator of moral laws and her priests are the
guardians of public morality on her behalf.[7]
Crimes, such as stealing, adultery, giving
birth to abnormal children such as cripples and twins are offences that must be
purged by necessary sacrifice. The shrine of Ala fosters social unity among the
Igbo group. Every Igbo village has communal shrine of Ala where she is depicted
by a statue of a woman carrying a child on her arms and on her knees. Women
pray to her for children. It is believed that the spirit controls the earth and
as a result, farmers usually propitiate her before tilling the ground. The Igbo
regard this divinity as a mother and a god and according to their belief all
that they have derives from this divinity. It is also believed that when a
child mistakenly falls on the ground, Ala will take care of the child.
The priest of Ala is known as Ezeala and is
the one that offers sacrifices to this divinity. The sacrifice usually comes up
before the planting of crops, during the harvest of first fruits and finally at
the full harvest during which special sacrifices are offered to Ala who owns
the land on which farming had taken place. Ezeala takes the lead in every
ceremony and he is a potent force in all aspects of village life. Amadioha This
is another popular divinity among the Igbo people. This divinity is also known
as Igwe, Ofufe and Kamalu in other localities within Igbo land.
AMADIOHA is highly regarded among the Igbo.
He is regarded as the one in control of lightning, thunder and storm. He
represents the wrath of God and the manifestation of divine justice. He is the
one that punishes witches, thieves, sorcerers and other evil doers. As it is
among other African groups parallel of this divinity, the victims must not be
mourned because they have been punished for their evil deeds. Their corpses are
given to the priests of Amadioha for burial. The burial is immediately followed
by sacrifices at the spot where Amadioha had killed the victims It is also held
that all the properties of the victims must be handed over to the priest's of
Amadioha immediately after the burial of the victim.
It has to be noted however that Amadioha
is not only known for his fearful [8]dealings
with the people, he is also regarded as a benevolent god. He gives rain to the
people and is also prayed to for soil fertility by farmers. Barren women also
pray to him for children while traders approach him for success in their trade Oloku
is a divinity among the Edo people.[9]
The name, Olokun literally means "the
owner of the sea". This implies that Olokun is the divinity of the ocean
and water. It is believed among the Edo that Olokun has been in existence as
the eldest of Osanobua's children, the rest being
Esu,
Ogun (the divinity of iron),
Igiuwu (the divinity of death)
Obiemwen
(the divinity of fertility).
So it was held that when Osanobua created the
earth and needed to appoint a representative from among his children it was
easy for him to appoint Olokun who has already distinguished herself as being head
and shoulder above other children in terms of wisdom and health
.
After
Olokun was appointed the vicar on earth, Osanobua endowed herwith more wealth,
power and wisdom and all that is needed to make lifecomfortable for people on
earth. In addition, all other brother-Divinities were placed at her beck and
call. This is why Olokun is seen as the divinity of fortune.
OLOKUN is regarded as a beneficent divinity.
It is believed that Olokun has all the material well-being at her disposal and
can distribute this to people according to her will. The divinity is believed
to send rain and give the soil fertility. The association of Olokun with wealth
has actually drawn a lot of people to the divinity. Apart from this, Olokun is
regarded as a divinity of morality and purity of heart and body. 
This is symbolically seen in the emblems
which include pots of fresh water drawn from the stream early in the morning,
pieces of white chalk and white cloth. Special offerings to the divinity
include; white fowl and white pigeons. The adherents of Olokun are expected to
put on white apparels except the priestess who wears crimson red parrot feather
and crimson coloured velvet cloth. The white apparels signify that the
adherents belong to a cult of holiness and they are also expected to be pure
both in the heart and physically. The priestesses are supposed to be embodiment
of purity and honesty.[10]
SOKOGBA is the thunder divinity of the Nupe.
This divinity has a close resemblance to Sango among the Yoruba and Amadioha of
the Igbo. He is seen as representing the wrath of God upon the disobedient. His
presence is manifested in thunderbolts and lightening. He punishes moral
offenders such as thieves, wizards, sorcerers and witches.
However, he is not always seen as a god of
destruction, the believer are offered on behalf of the needy by the priest of
the divinity. When this is done, children that are born are possessions of
Sokogba. The priest, Kuti as he is called, is notified of the birth of such a
child who will in turn inform the divinity through a sacrifice asking for long
life for the child. After the sacrifice, the child is handed over to the priest.
TANO is regarded as the greatest of the
Ashanti divinities. He is often described as king as his other name, Takora,
signifies. He is also seen as the father of water gods. The Ashanti people see
him as the creator divinity and the principal temple is located near the source
of River Tano at Obuase. Other shrines are also erected near rivers. The
emblems of Tano include stones taken from river beds, a brass pan or basket in
which these emblems are placed and sometimes medicinal herbsare also included.
Tano is worshipped by other ethnic groups. His worshippersare expected to keep
some taboos including the one which forbids the menstruating women from coming
near his shrine.
3.3
POSITION AND DUTIES OF DIVINITIES
Divinities
hold a prominent position in African Traditional Religion as far as the
adherents are concerned. They are real to the people and are believed to exist
with definite functions or duties and each of them functioning within its
jurisdiction.
Firstly, the divinities function as
intermediaries between God and humanity. They are always at hand. The people
approach God through these divinities and as such they receive daily
sacrifices. As such, the divinities can be described as semi-autonomous agents,
each being the executive head of his or her department in God's monarchical government.
Secondly, the divinities are able to foretell the future and prevent
misfortune. They however derive this power from God, from whom they derive
their existence. This is one of the reasons the divinities are approached on
all occasions of life. For example, they are asked to protect crops and in
times of
war
they are consulted to ensure victory. Even in times of peace they are
sacrificed to as a token of appreciation.
3.4
RELATION OF THE DIVINITIES WITH THE
SUPREME BEING
The
best area to look for a means of understanding the relationship between the Supreme
Being and the divinities in African Traditional Religion is the sociological
pattern of the people of Africa. For example, among the Yoruba, Nupe, Edo, Fon
and Ewe where there is a hierarchical social Structure, the religion also shows
the same attribute. In the above mentioned societies, there is always a supreme
ruler whether he is called King or Oba or chief. He is followed by lesser
chiefs, the village heads, the ward heads and the ordinary people.
This idea is transferred to religious
thinking. Hence in their thought Supreme Being is seen as the Supreme Ruler of
the universe who had appointed the divinities as the executive and
administrative heads of the earthly theocratic society. Thus the divinities are
not seen as having any independent existence apart from God. The relationship
of the divinities to the Supreme Being in African religion can be summarized
thus:
·They are brought into being by Supreme
Being and the people regard them as sons and daughters of the Supreme Being.
·They have no absolute existence
apart from the Supreme Being because their powers and authorities are
meaningless apart from the Supreme Being
·They are ministers of the Supreme
Being in a theocratic government
·They act as intermediaries between the
Supreme Being and humanity.
However,
though they are submissive to the Supreme Being, the divinities constitute a powerful
force in the supra-sensible world in the African thinking.
4.0
CONCLUSION
Various
divinities from various parts of Africa and what they are supposed to be to
their compliant.
The position and the role of these
divinities as well as their relationship with Supreme Being, The divinities
hold an important position in African Traditional Religion. They are brought
into being by God and the people regard them as sons and daughters of God. They
have no absolute existence apart from God because their powers and authorities
are meaningless apart from God. They are ministers of God in a theocratic government.
They act as intermediaries between God and humanity.
Discuss
about the divinities of God's judgement.
7.0
REFERENCES
Abioye,
S. A. (2001). Basic Text of West African Traditional Religion. Oyo:
Akunlemu.Awolalu, J. 0 and Dopamu, P. (1979).
West
African Traditional Religion. Ibadan: Onibonoje Press and Book Industries (Nig)
Ltd.
Dennis,
L. Thompson (1994). "African Religion and Mormon Doctrine: Comparisons and
Commonalities," Religion and Africa, ed. Thomas D. Blakely, Walter E.Brown,
David A. A Guide to Religions. London: SPCK, 1975.
Deng, Francis Mading. Africans of Two
Worlds. New Haven: Yale UP, 1978.Ekeopara, Chike Augustine. African
Traditional Religion: An Introduction. Calabar: NATOS Affair, 2005.
Evans
– Pritchard, Edward E. Nuer Religion. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1956.Idowu, E.
Bolaji. African Traditional Religion: A Definition. London: SCM, 1973.Oludumare:
God in Yoruba Belief. London: Longmans, 1962.
Mbiti,
John S. African Religions and Philosophy. London: Heinemann, 1969.
Concepts
of God in Africa. London: SPCK, 1975. Introduction
to African Religion. London: Heinemann, 1975.
Njoku,
Francis O. C. Essays in African Philosophy, Thought & Theology. Owerri:
Claretian Institute of Philosophy & Clacom Communication, 2002. p’Bitek,
Okot. African Religions in Western Scholarship.
[2] Cf. John S.Mbiti, Introduction to African Traditional Religion,
Second Edition (England: Heinemann Educational Publishers, 1991), p. 2.
[4] Njoku,
Francis O. C. Essays in African Philosophy, Thought & Theology. Owerri:
Claretian Institute of Philosophy & Clacom Communication, 2002. p’Bitek,
Okot. African Religions in Western Scholarship.Tillich, Paul. Systematic
Theology, Vol. One. Chicago: Chicago UP, 1951.
[6] Idowu,
E. Bolaji. African Traditional Religion: A Definition. London: SCM,
1973.Oludumare: God in Yoruba Belief. London: Longmans, 1962.
[8] Dennis,
L. Thompson (1994). "African Religion and Mormon Doctrine: Comparisons and
Commonalities," Religion and Africa, ed.
[9] Njoku,
Francis O. C. Essays in African Philosophy, Thought & Theology. Owerri:
Claretian Institute of Philosophy & Clacom Communication, 2002. p’Bitek,
Okot. African Religions in Western
Scholarship.
[10] Mbiti,
John S. African Religions and Philosophy. London: Heinemann, 1969.Concepts
of God in Africa. London: SPCK, 1975.
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