Religion is a touchy subject. And one that not many people are willing to talk about.
Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling, especially a personal God or gods.
Religion in Africa is multifaceted and has been a major influence on art, culture and philosophy. Today, the continent’s various populations and individuals are mostly adherents of Christianity, Islam, and to a lesser extent, several Traditional religions.
Christianity is the most dominant religion in Africa. The term “Christianity” basically means “followers of Christ”. The bible and the cross are the two symbolic instruments of Christianity. The Bible is contained with the history of life and interventions of God and his son Jesus Christ, and it is most revered as the holy book of Christians.
Its content is said to be dogmatic; authoritative beliefs which are considered to be absolutely regardless of evidence, or rather lack of evidence to support it.
Christianity was introduced to Africa by Europeans during the Colonial era for a number of reasons. One was that it’d be easier to exercise control and power over a group of people abiding by the same religion as that of the government in charge. Since this was about the propagation of the existence of a supernatural being whose doctrines can only be accepted and not questioned, the general acceptance of the religion seemed that it could facilitate the general acceptance of the government.
Another is that it would seem that the content of the practice of making efforts to convert more followers is an integral nature of the existence of any organization, religion inclusive. Therefore, the act of converting others to Christianity is an act of piety of the European missionaries who believed and hoped for a reward in heaven if they successfully converted the Africans.
Islam in Africa is the continent’s second largest religion after Christianity. Africa was the first continent into which Islam spread from Southwest Asia, during the early 7th century. Almost one -third of the world’s Muslim population resides in Africa.
Islam is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centered primarily on the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of Allah, as it was revealed to Muhammed. Islam teaches that God is merciful, all-powerful, and unique, and has guided humanity through various prophets and revealed scriptures and natural signs. The Quran serves as the final and universal revelation and Muhammed as the last prophet of God.
The Religion of Islam arose in the Arabian city of Mecca around A.D 610 through the work of prophet Muhammed. After prophet Muhammed died in 632, his teachings were carried into Africa by Arab traders, settlers, and soldiers. By conversion and conquest, Islam spread across North Africa, into the eastern Horn of Africa, and even over the Sahara desert into West Africa.
Factors that facilitated Islam’s spread into Africa included; Trade, Inter-marriage, Activities of Muslim clerics, and the nature of Islam being easily adaptable to the African communities.
EFFECTS OF RELIGION IN AFRICA
- . Religion gives people hope and something to believe in. It provides a sense of structure and allows a group of people to connect with similar beliefs.
2. The first ‘formal’ schools were set up by missionaries. They comprise mission schools set up by European colonial states. Yet, their teachings were not restricted to the teachings of Christ. Research has shown that Africans had their own education system before the colonialists ever came.
3. The Christian missionaries did not come into Africa without a plan for their survival. Their early missionary journey was not entirely a smooth one. Health incidences necessitated the need to establish hospitals and health institutions.
4. Religion promoted trade between West Africa and the Mediterranean and European countries.
5. Christianity came with its own ideology which was entirely different from the practice known to Africans. In fact, it seems like the primary purpose of European Christianity is to suppress and entirely abolish African traditional religion.
6. Christianity and Islam played a considerable role in fostering the inferior status of women by providing a male justification for male superiority. The Bible and Quran are clearly patriarchal in nature, and its influence still shows in the present day, although a considerable reform has been attained.
7. Religion is one of the major causes of conflicts in Africa and the world as a whole. Each set or denomination believes its ways and practices as being the approved or acceptable one, and such view the others as either inferior, or a threat to them. This leads to disunity, conflicts, and sometimes wars.
8. Religion is an indirect cause of poverty in Africa. A lot of believers would rather spend their time attending one religious event or the other throughout the year at the expense of their work or source of living.
9. Religion makes many of its adherents lethargic, and over reliant on religion. Sick Christians will pray and visit their Pastors first instead of a hospital at the first symptom of illness. It is thus not a wonder to find out that a lot of preventable and treatable illnesses have a high a mortality rate.
10. Some religions milk their members of their hard earned money, making these originally poor believers even poorer. This is most prevalent in Christianity. It is not a strange sight to see a religious leader living a life of luxury, when most of his congregation members can barely afford to meet their basic needs.
11. Some Governments use religion to sow discord, and create disaffection among the populace, all to advance their political interests. This leads to the fragmentation of the society.
12. Religion does not encourage creative or critical thinking. In fact, I believe that Religion DISCOURAGES thinking, wanting believers to believe blindly in the dogma.
If religion was as important as Africans deem it, then it comes as a surprise how areas with little or no religious presence are doing so much better than Africa. Religion is static and conservative in innovation. It is by no means the only, but there should be no doubt that it is the major factor contributing to the woes of Africa.
Africa is a beautiful land filled with natural resources, and would no doubt see a boom in development, if and only if they focus less on religion and more on Science and Technology.
SOURCES:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Africa
https://bscholarly.com/impact-of-christianity-in-africa/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/islam
https://www.modernghana.com/amp/news/712435/the-damning-effects-religion-in-africa.html
https://wasscehistorytextbook.com/3-islam-in-west-africa-introduction-spread-and-effects/
