African Religious Concepts and Practices as Portrayed in Achebe's Novels

Abstract

This paper attempts to explore how successful Achebe is in portraying the African religion concepts and practices in selected novels by Achebe. Sudanese Nuba's traditional religion in the Nuba Mountains is taken as a reference to support the view that these novels really depict Igbo's religion concepts and rituals. The study traces Igbo religion concepts, and practices including funeral rites in Things Fall Apart, Arrow of God and No Longer at Ease, and then compares them with those of the Nuba's. The research employs the descriptive analytical method, and in it is shown that there are considerable similarities between the two communities in religious beliefs, and funeral ceremonies. These similarities definitely support Achebe and other African writers in their argument with their European counterparts, who contend that the Africans have no culture of their own. Igbo and Nuba believe that there is one creator, the almighty, who created the universe. But they claim that there are other lesser gods and goddess and spirits, who help the almighty god. However, they think that their dead ancestors protect their living descendants, punish, or bless them as the god the almighty's mediators. They also believe in life after, thus their funeral ceremonies are highly ritualized; including drumming, animal sacrifices, and dancing. The study reveals that Africa has a great and rich religious system, which had organized people's way of life spiritually, socially, and politically. The study is believed to benefit students of literature, linguistics, history, to instigate religious debates and comparative researches on the topic.