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AFRICAN TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF GOD: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

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 AFRICAN TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF GOD:
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Shafiul Islam*
Md. Didarul Islam**

ABSTRACT

Oneness of God joined its moral vision with the traditional activities, which have
opened the way to the triumph of the African traditional religious followers in their
expectations of life and spiritual satisfactions. Monotheism’s insistence on the
concept of One God directs their lives in every dimension and point towards dignity,
gratefulness, values, achievements, hopes, etc. It is important to note that within
their traditional culture and religiosity, there is a potential spectrum of possible
perspectives on the inner significances of the spiritual tradition, including how they
associate with their feelings, social behavior and actions. This paper introduces
varieties of prayer, types of offering, devotion toward God and routine works broad-
ly found in different traditions and vary significantly among various tribes or societ-
ies. The critical analysis indicates various tribal aspects and identifies the diversity of
African society and concept of One God in same vein. Diversity of Supreme God is
quite common in various monotheistic religions. But the way of God’s true apprecia-
tion and acceptance in African traditional culture can be really commendable and
interesting as well.

Key Words: Morality, Concept of Supreme God, Tradition, Diverse Manifestations,

Rituals, Offerings.

1. INTRODUCTION

God is the Supreme entity to the adherents of the traditional religions of

Africa and is considered to be the origin of everything in this universe. In Africa,
God is viewed in both immanent and transcendent dimensions. This very idea of
Oneness of the Supreme Being is core to the followers and this belief creates no place
for the atheists in their traditional concept of God. There is no sacred text in written
form, but the root of this traditional idea of God is mainly taken from proverbs,
short statements, stories, religious rituals, prayers, songs, myths, etc. The knowl-
edge of God is a gift given at the time of birth to a newborn baby. According to an
Ashanti proverb, ‘No one shows a child the Supreme Being’.1 Knowing about God
is believed to be an instinctive knowledge to the religious adherents. Along with the
traditional culture, Islam and Christianity have inspired them most. African
religions take inspiration and encouragement from the morality and belief system of
Christianity and Islam, but have their original exploration of religion. The African

* Academic researcher, Department of World Religions & Culture, University of Dhaka.

** Lecturer, Department of World Religions & Culture, University of Dhaka.

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Green University Review of Social Sciences, Volume 02, Issue 01, June-2015

God is characterized by many prime attributes including concrete knowledge.

According to John S. Mbiti, “It is tough for a person to be detached from his/her
religion, for to do so is to be served from his roots, foundation, his context of securi-
ty, his kinship and the entire group of those who make him aware of his own
existence”2. There are several examples of this thought. Human beings are limited
in all aspect, but God is designated to be great, supreme, omnipotent (Almighty),
omniscient (All-Knowing), Sustainer, Transcendent and Immanent, Self-Existent
and Pre-Eminent, etc. No entity or being is comparable to God.

2. METHODOLOGY

This is an explanatory and analytical research based on African traditional

religions in terms of the life style and their inclusive faith in One God. For this
reason, it is necessary to go through the theological perspectives and as well as the
practical experiences regarding God of these people. Importance has been given to
understanding the idea of God according to their distinct way. This article is mainly
based on secondary sources like books, journals and internet websites. In addition,
this work provides a deeper critical analysis. For getting a traditional idea of God,
this research has especially emphasized on the books which were published before
2000 C.E.

3. GOD IN AFRICAN TRADITION

African religious followers mostly adhere to the same faith about God like
the Islamic and Christian concept of monotheism, but holding their own way of
practicing rituals. That is why Monotheistic God appears to them with all possible
qualities a God can be attributed to.

Islamic religious adherents all over the world hold the common sacred text
(The Holy Quran) and their same faith in all aspect of their religiosity, except cultur-
al variations of their national heritage and ethnic peculiarities. The very core or
primary meaning of Islam is to have complete surrender or submission to One God.
In the same way, African traditional religious followers surrender to their All-pow-
erful God in almost each and every step they take for them. Whether they sleep or
wake up from dream, or even go for their goals or vision in lives, or their sincerity
to pray to that God, they are rarely to divert from their Supreme Being.

In case of Christianity, a true Christian believes in the Trinitarian Identity

of God and these are to believe Him as ‘God the Father’, ‘God the Son’ and ‘God the
Holy Spirit’. Among African traditional followers, we find the ‘Father God’ in

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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

societies like the Nuer, the Bambuti and in several other tribes too. If we talk about
the Barundi people, here God is prayed to as a ‘Spirit’ or ‘Spiritual Entity’.

The concept of ‘Ex nihilo’ and many other ideas are to be found in traditional
practice of Africa, where they seem very much compatible with the Christians and
Muslims. A thorough discussion and depiction afterward will make us clear about
the mingling of African traditional religion, Islam and Christianity.

3.1 Greatness and Supremacy of God

God is supreme and great over all visible and invisible beings or things that
we believe to exist. One of the best Zulu names of God is ‘Unkulunkulu’, which
means ‘the Great-great-One’ and like them the neighboring people call God as the
‘Ndebele’, which also means ‘the Greatest of the great’.3 Like them, the Tonga, the
Ngoni, the Akan, the Baluba and some other tribes designate God as ‘Great God’, or
Great One’, or ‘the Great King’.

3.2 God as both Transcendent and Immanent

Many religions see God as transcendent or immanent dimension, but in

African traditional concept, ‘He is both transcendent and immanent’. He dwells
inside human souls and He is also beyond any reach. People cannot even appreciate
Him fully in their imagination.

3.2.1 Transcendent Nature of God

God’s transcendence outlook stretches over and beyond the whole Zamani
period. He is the prime reality of being without lacking any incompleteness. Accord-
ing to a Bacongo saying, ‘God is made by no other; no one beyond Him is’.4 The
Akan refer to God as ‘He Who is there now as from ancient times’ and the Tonga
people express Him as, ‘the Ancient of Days’.5 The Ngombe encloses this feature of
God to the forest and that’s why they call Him as ‘the everlasting One of the forest’.6
God’s existence is never ending and it preceded the beginning of His creation too. He
transcends all boundaries and all things we ever know. African people think that, the
sky is beyond human reach and God dwells somewhere above.

3.2.2 Immanent Nature of God

God has His immanent feature too for the need of His people. That is why,
religious followers address Him through prayers, invocations, offerings and sacri-
fices by thinking Him near to them. God is contemporaneous to the traditional

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people of Africa. He exists in all objects and He manifests through natural phenome-
na. The Ngombe prefer to designate God as the One Who fills everything.7 The
important concept is that, God’s immanence here cannot be mixed up with panthe-
ism8 because His immanent character is associated with the acts of worship or in
short practice.

3.3 Supremely Wise God

God holds the supreme position and wisdom as well. He is absolute and
beyond all knowledge. The Sona and the Ndebele report God as ‘Father, Mother
and Son’.9 To the Akan people, ‘God is He Who knows or sees all’ and according to
the Zulu and the Banyarwanda, ‘God is the wise One’. The Yoruba people say that,
‘Only God is wise’ and ‘He is the Discerner of hearts’ Who ‘sees both the inside and
outside of man’. Among the Barundi, ‘He is the Watcher of everything’ and the Ila
society utter ‘His ears are long’. So, God knows, hears, sees, observes and controls
everything in this cosmos and beyond.

3.4 God as Almighty

In a simple sense, God is all-powerful to the followers of the Ashanti, the

Yoruba, the Ngombe and the Akan. To the Ngombe, the forest is full of struggle and
they think God’s omnipotence is linked up to the forest. They believe that ‘He is the
One Who clears the forest’.10 The Yoruba hold a practical sense about God that
‘duties or challenges are easy to do as that which God performs but difficult to do as
that which God enables not’.11 But the Zulu tribe thinks God in a political way that
‘God is He Who bends down … even majesties’, and ‘He Who roars so that all
nations be struck with terror’.12

God’s omnipotence also manifests in His power to this nature. According to

the Banyarwanda proverbs, ‘God has very long arms’ and ‘the plant protected by
God is never hurt by the wind’.13 God seems as all-powerful also to many other
tribes in Africa, such as the Vugusu, the Teso, the Gikuyu, the Akamba, the Kiga,
etc. The Gikuyu address God in their prayer for rain, the Kiga believe God ‘Who
makes the sun set’ and some hold that ‘He makes quake and flows river’, etc.14 So in
these above mentioned context, God is the sole possessor of all highest qualities and
every being including mankind is lower and limited than Him.

3.5 Self-perfect God

God is Self-dependent, Self-supporting, Self-sufficient and Self-containing

too. Self-existent and Pre-eminent features of God are found mainly among the

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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

Gikuyu, the Zulu and the Bambuti groups. In a biological sense, The Herero say that
‘God has no father and is not a man and does not even eat at all’.15 The Gikuyu
believe that God has,

‘‘No father nor mother, nor wife nor children;

He is all alone
He is neither a child nor an old man;
He is the same today as He was yesterday’’.16

As His theological aspect, the Zulu group thinks God as ‘He Who is of Him-
self’ or ‘He Who came of Himself into being’.17 The Bambuti designate that ‘God
was the First, Who had always been in existence, and would never die’.18

3.6 Spiritual Outlook on God

Along with the greatness of God, African traditional concept also holds the
view that, He is a ‘Spiritual Being’ or a ‘Spirit’. Since the beginning of human
consciousness about God, He remains unseen and thus there is no physical manifes-
tation of God to the people. But God is a never ending creative force, that inspires
people to go for innovative ideals and actions. One of the most explicit Shona hymns
describes God as ‘the Great Spirit’ Who piles up rocks to make mountains, causes
branches to grow and gives rain to mankind.19 According to a traditional Pygmy
hymn:
‘‘In the beginning was God
Today is God
Tomorrow will be God
Who can make an image of God?
He has no body
He is as a word which comes out of your mouth.
That word! It is no more,
It is past, and still it lives!
So is God’’.20

To support this evidence of God’s spirituality, societies like the Shilluk, the
Ga and the Langi call Him to be like air or wind. Air has no visibility in that sense but
we can feel its presence. Though, there is no one or no intellect can examine Him and
that is why the Ashanti designate Him as the Fathomless Spirit. As God is unknown to
us, some refer to Him like the Lunda which means the God of the unknown or the
Maasai which designates the Unknown or that of the Ngombe which means the Unex-
plainable. God is not a stranger to the African people. People have personal character-
istics, but God’s essential attributes are mysterious and almost totally unknowable.

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3.7 God as Eternal Being

Eternity of God is very much associated with His nature. According to the
Ngombe, ‘God is the everlasting One of the woodlands’. The Ashanti and the
Baganda assess Him directly as ‘the Eternal One’. The Tonga group compares God
as heaven and thus they expressed His immortality as that ‘The heaven never dies,
only men do!’ Like them, the Baluba, the Ila and some other groups refer God as ‘He
of many suns’ or ‘He of the suns’. But the Yoruba describe Him in a different flavor
like ‘the Mighty Immovable Rock that never dies’. God is unchangeable and will
remain so forever. The Yoruba hold the same idea that ‘one never hears the demise
of God!’21

3.8 Moral Features of God

Apart from above manifestations of the African God, He has given numer-
ous moral attributes too. Followers from the Ila, the Bacongo, the Akamba, the Igbo,
the Herero, the Banyarwanda and several others believe Him to be very Kind,
Merciful, Generous to His people, Fortune Provider, Pitiful, etc. In time of personal
and natural problems or difficulties, people feel the need of His urgent help and feel
Him as Merciful.

God causes rain during drought, provides fertility to all animals and averts
calamities. The Vugusu consider that material prosperity comes from God; the
Nandi invoke God daily to grant fertility to the women, cattle and fields; and the
Langi believe that rich harvests come only from God.22 God uses to solve difficulties
and that is why, the Akan and the Akamba call God as ‘the God of comfort’.

Most of the African believers think that God does only good to them and
they need not to be worried at all. The Ewe firmly believe that ‘He is good, for He
has never whithdrawn the good things from us which He gave us’.23 But for the evil
deeds, they do not categorically blame God. They think those as the works of spirits,
magic workers or as punishment for their own misdeeds. That is why, God always
seems to be ‘Just’.

The Nuer consider that, God throws things out and He is ever rightful.
According to the belief of the Ila tradition, God can never be charged, since He is
above the level of ‘fault’, ‘failure’, ‘wrong’ and ‘unrighteousness’. The Yoruba think
in the same way that ‘God is the pure King . . . Who is without blemish’.24 So,
African God is ever Holy to them.

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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

After the above mentioned human comprehension about the true nature
of African concept of God, several activities of God are going to be discussed in
brief.

3.9 God as the Creator

The title ‘Creator’ is very much associated with the ‘Oneness’ of God. God
as a creator appears to be so true through His activities over the African traditional
believers. Two of the four popular Akamba names of God are ‘Maker’ and ‘Cleaver’,
which are complementary to each other. God created this universe and thus
supplied materials for its maintenance too. The Ovimbundu title for God is ‘He Who
supplies the needs of His creation’.25 He provides life, health, rain and other things
for our sustenance. The Akan consider God as ‘Borebore’, which means ‘Creator,
Carver, Architect, Excavator, Hewer, Originator, Inventor, etc.’26

As a supporting example of God’s creation among the Banyarwanda,

women believe that God shapes their babies in the wombs. Women leave water
ready before going to bed, so that God may use it to create children for them. It is
known as; God’s water’; and He is known as ‘the Giver of children’. During preg-
nancy period, the Bambuti women offer food to the God and say:

‘‘(God) from Whom I have received this child,

Take thou and eat”! 27

The people believe that ‘there was nothing before God created the world’.
The concept of ‘ex nihilo’ (‘ex nihilo’ stands that God created this every visible and
invisible thing of this universe out of nothing) is very much known to the Nuer, the
Banyarwanda and the Shona. The Lunda describe God as ‘the Father Creator’ and
the Ila hold three designations of God as Creator, Moulder and Constructor.

Regarding the creation procedure, different tribes hold different views. The
Vugusu believe that God created heaven at first with the sun, moon, stars and
clouds; then He created the earth, followed by the creation of man; and lastly
animals, plants and other earthly creatures. But the Nandi, the Lozi and the Mende
consider human being as the last work of God’s creation. Some also believe that
along with the creation God also established laws of nature and human behavior
too.28

For example, The Yoruba hold that ‘God is the Author of day and night’ and
regard each day as His offspring.29 On the other hand, the Zulu think that their
marriage custom and circumcision are ordered by God. It is also held that God

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continues with His creative work throughout the universe. The Twi say that ‘God
never ceases to create things’.30 Creation needs necessary things to survive as well.
That is why, for example, the Nuba pray for the cattle during their rituals that:

‘‘God, we are hungry

Give us cattle, give us sheep’’!

While making sacrifices, the officiating elder prays:

‘‘God, increase cattle,

Increase sheep, increase men!’’31

Along with God’s own creation, He also determines human destiny as well.
The Yoruba, for example, hold that a person faces God to choose his destiny before
his birth and during creation time God fixes that person’s life span.32 According to
the African traditional concept, everything of human life is determined by God. So,
God creates us and protects us too. He is creator along with the provider or sustain-
er. As a result, the Ashanti, the Barundi, the Tonga, the Nandi and other people
collectively think God as the Creator, Protector, Guardian and Preserver.

3.10 God as the Ruler

God governs all things in this cosmos. He is the prime judge (impartial)
and ruler of everything. The concept of ‘God as the Ruler’ is found mainly among
the tribes which traditionally have or have had kings or king like officials. For exam-
ple,
Names of the Tribes Designations of God

Barundi and Banyarwanda Supreme Ruler and Governor

Ila Chief
Zulu King of kings or Chief of chiefs
Barotse and Baluba The Great King
Akan Ruler of the sky, earth and underwater
Indem Ruler of all tribes of the earth
Banyarwanda Master of all
Bambuti Lord of magic power
Yoruba Lord of heaven

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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

4. CONFLUENCE OF GOD AND HUMAN RACE

Human history and God are complementary to each other. God knows
everything that has happened earlier and shall happen in the future too. African
history is considered as moving from the Sasa to the Zamani period and the anchor
lies in the Zamani. We have already observed God’s activities with the people by
creating or even providing necessary things or in solving problems on earth, but
there are some other acts of God linked up with the history of human beings.

According to the Chagga, God may take part in our daily lives but He inter-
vened in the past destroying His people for their misdeeds and thus saved few of
them. The Meru consider that God led them long ago, out of their own land of bond-
age through the agent of a religious leader. The Shilluk people believe that God is
mystically linked with their king and reveals Himself through the king. Like them,
the Bavenda think that from time to time, God reveals Himself to them especially by
communicating with their chief by means of thunder. The Gikuyu usually say that
although God lives in the sky, He comes to the earth from time to time to bestow
blessings and to punish the evil doers.33

People of Africa see God with a wider dimension and in short it can be
uttered as ‘anthropomorphism’. Sometimes traditional people consider God as
‘Father’ and sometimes as ‘Mother’. Here, the concept of ‘Father’ is derived from
God’s supremacy over all things actually. In time of prayer, God’s fatherhood
makes it possible for religious followers to communicate with Him. The Gikuyu, the
Nuer, the Azande, the Bambuti and others address Him as ‘our Father’, ‘my Father’,
‘Father God’, etc. Apart from them, tribes like the Ovambo and the southern Nuba
call God as ‘Mother’ which means same as ‘Father’. As a result human beings seem
to be ‘His children’ or ‘the sons of God’, etc.

5. DIVERSE MANIFESTATIONS OF GOD

The traditional people of Africa think heaven or sky as the dwelling place
of God and thus God cannot be separated from the heaven. Some consider sky as
His chief manifestation. For example, the Bari and the Fajulu word for God is Ngun
lo ki which means ‘God in the sky’; the Shona name Nyadenga means ‘the Great
One of the sky’ and Wokumusoro means ‘the One Above’; the Tiv name Aondo
means ‘Heavens, sky’; and the Turkana term for God , Akuj, means ‘(of) Up.
Above’.34

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Thunder is common occurrence during rainy season and is considered God

in different forms to the religious adherents of Africa. For example,
Tribe Names Thunder as

Gikuyu God’s weapon

Abaluyia, Banyoro, Basoga, Tonga and Youba Divinity, rooster, bird, etc.
Bambuti, Ewe and Ila God’s voice
Tiv and Yoruba Indication of God’s anger
Shona and Nuer God’s own revelation
Bachwa, Ila, Babuti, Zulu, etc. God’s instrument of punishment to the evil doers
or an accomplishment of His intentions

Like thunder, wind or air also seems to be God’s manifestation. Even, natu-
ral calamities like earthquake to the Shona people appear to be caused by God’s
walking. There are different explanations about other natural phenomenon of God
to the people of Africa.

For example, the Langi and the Lugbara believe that rocks are manifestation
of God too. The mountains are considered to be the dwelling place of God or His
presence to many societies. Even colors get special significance in African tradition
religions. The Abuluyia, the Baganda, the Watumbatu and the Gofa offer white
animals during their rites and rituals as a sacred color. On the other hand, the
Bavenda, the Shona, the Nandi, the Luo and the Ndebele sacrifice black animals in
their ritual performances.

Number is also believed to be sacred. The number ‘4’ is sacred to the Nandi
people; ‘6’ among the Shona and the Jie; ‘7’ is the lucky and holy number to the
Akamba and the Vugusu; and the number ‘9’ seems to be sacred among the Bagan-
da. Following individual sacred number, they offer different animals to satisfy God.
These are the ways that how each and every thing is closely related to God. The
thing is like; African religious followers cannot do or think anything without God
any way or other.

6. DUTY TOWARDS GOD

6.1 Sacrifices and Offerings in African Societies

The attributes, activities, characteristics, control of ruling, significance in

people’s life and eternity of African God deserve acts of worship from His creation. At
the same time, people also do not make Him dishearten but always engage to satisfy
this everlasting God. As we have already known that the African traditional religions
have no sacred text in written form and thus proverbs have vital role in their lives.

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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

Through proverb, people like to express their religious identities and

feelings. It is also a significant tool of their wisdom and knowledge. For example,
people of the Barundi society warn a person, saying, ‘The creature is not greater
than its Creator’; and as a safeguard against worrying, they say, ‘God knows the
things of tomorrow’. When a person of the Banyarwanda group falls into distress,
he says, ‘The enemy prepares a grave, but God prepares you a way of escape’.35
Prayer to the Great God is the best possible way to show gratefulness toward the
God.
The acts of worship mainly constitute with sacrifices and offering to African
traditional religious followers. Here, ‘sacrifice’ refers to cases where animal life is
destroyed in order to present the animal, in part or in whole, to God, supernatural
beings, spirits or the living-dead. ‘Offering’ refers to the remaining cases which do
not involve the killing of an animal, being chiefly the presentation of foodstuffs and
other items.36 There are some differences between the items of sacrifices and offer-
ings in Africa. The sacrifice items include human beings, cattle, dogs, chickens,
goats, sheep, etc. On the other hand, offerings continue through water, wine, fruits,
maize, millet, honey, eggs, nuts, cassava, vegetables, leaves, milk, beer, money,
cloth, chalk, agricultural implements, ornaments, tobacco, etc.

The Yoruba, for example, make many sacrifices and offerings as ‘the essence
of Yoruba religion’.37 They do sacrifice human beings as a gift to gain special bless-
ings of God. Drink and meat are offered everyday at the shrines; gift offerings are
especially done to the divinities in appreciation for children, good health and
success in life. During serious illness, famine or drought, they make propitiation
offerings and sacrifices. In term to alter any agreement, they do substitutionary
offerings and sacrifices.

The Chagga only sacrifice to God for making a recovery from the great
distress and at rare intervals. Kiranga is a ‘hero spirit’ to the Barundi people. The
people of this society perform offerings to this spirit and they believe that, this spirit
is the mediator between man and God. But as alternative, they also depend on God
as their last and certain hope. As an everyday offering, particularly the oldest
member of the Barotse tries to satisfy God with a wooden plate full of water in the
cattle shed and he kneels down facing east as a salutation invocation.

The Akan and the Ashanti offer foods, eggs and wine to God for well-being.
Animal hunting and food gathering are the main professions of the Bambuti and the
Bachwa societies. They do not forget to offer a portion of their animal meat, fruits,
honey, etc. to God. As they believe that these offerings will grant them healthy lives
and more killing in the future.

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The Akamba and the Gikuyu do sacrifices at the time of drought or delay of
rain, after an epidemic for the recovery and at the harvest of the first fruits. The
Gikuyu make sacrifice a particular colored sheep and the Akamba take oxen, sheep
or goat of one color. But they categorically sacrifice a child (bury it alive) for severe
drought. The Abuluyia believe that ‘God is the One to Whom sacred rites and sacri-
fices are made or paid’. They perform sacrifices during the time of newborn baby,
it’s naming, circumcising any person, at wedding ceremony, funerals and harvest
time, etc.38 They express their gratitude to God through prayer during those occa-
sions.

The Ila society has varieties of sacrifices in their lives. Four main offerings
are depicted below:

a. To heal from the illness, the family head prays through offering food and water
by placing them on the right threshold of his house.
b. Travelers offer to God at the time of passing by a river. They take water from the
river, squirting on the ground and pray to God so that He would lead, shepherd
and prosper them as well.
c. As a hunting society, they make sacrifices after killing an animal and also at the
time of their poor days of hunting.
d. Even during smoking, a person offers some of the smoke to the God by blowing
it and asks for good health and a prosperous day.

Animal sacrifice is the central religious act of Dinka society and is consid-
ered as valuable as human sacrifice toward their God. They think that every ox or
bull is destined for sacrifice. They used to give personal names to the cattle, before
one is killed they announce to it ‘the important and necessary purpose for which it
is victimized’, and compensate it for its death ‘by naming the next child after it’, thus
‘preserving its memory’.39

6.2 Prayer or Worship in African Societies

Sacrifice and offering items and procedures are very much clear from the
earlier discussions but the way of praying or simply prayer is needed to be cleared
in details. African prayer is usually short and to the point, except few examples of
formal and long form of prayer. Prayers are mainly addressed to the God Himself.
African people communicate with God through prayer, pouring out their hearts
before Him, at any place and at any moment.

In short, through prayer people show gratitude to God, for their welfare
and safety. Religious intermediaries have significant roles and position in African
societies. Intermediaries include priests, prophets, oracles, seers, medicine-man,
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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

diviners, etc. and they seem very near to God. For example, the Jie consider their
intermediaries as revelation holders from God Himself. While the Turkana think
their diviners as chief representatives of God. People believe that middle-men
receive knowledge from God. That is why, among the Shilluk, people pray to God
and diviners (national leaders) believing that the leader (Nyikang) will pray to God
for their well-beings.

The Lozi people also pray before going to hunt, after dreaming and if they
fall into illness. The sick people do not have to go for hunting but they have to pray
to God until sunset. The Mende society prays directly to God but often depends on
the intermediaries. The spirit and living-dead play a vital role in their political and
social lives. When followers address through the intermediaries, they end up by
saying: ‘God willing!’ The prayer format to them is like the following:

‘‘O God, let it reach to (through?) Kenei Momo,

Let it reach to (through?) Nduawo,
Let it reach all our forefather who are in Thy hands’’.

They pray for God’s blessings, retribution where injustice has been committed and
deliverance from trouble.40

As a customary duty, the Barotse old men pray every day in early morning
and offer water to God. They address God as ‘the great King to Whom no man can
be compared, and Who shows compassion and innumerable favors to His servants’.
The Ila people pray to God especially in time of drought and they pray together and
sing that:
‘‘Come to us with a continued rain, O God, fall!’’

They also pray at the time of hunting. During hunting if the hunters fail,
all of them pray to God falling on the forest ground and say,
‘‘O Chief, today let us kill!’’

But the leader (oldest man) of the hunting group surrounding by all prays
to God. He says:
‘‘O Mutalabala, Eternal One . . . We pray Thee,
Let us kill today before sunset’’.

Eventually, if they succeed in killing an animal, they cut up pieces of the

meat which the oldest man offers to the God saying,
‘‘I thank Thee for the meat which Thou givest me.
Today Thou hast stood by me’’.

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During the thanksgiving prayer, everybody claps and then makes a distri-
bution of that meat among all and return home.41 The Nuer on the other, pray
addressing God as ‘Grandfather’, ‘Father’, or ‘Our Father’ and at this time they need
to raise their hands and eyes towards heaven (sky). It is also necessary to move their
hands up and down with the palms facing upwards. The people usually pray
because they ‘like to speak to God when they are happy’ and in time they go for
work. But in a peaceful society, people pray also to God for the protection from evil
forces. One of their typical prayers is:

‘‘Our Father, it is Thy universe, it is Thy will,

let us be at peace, let the souls of Thy people be cool;
Thou art our Father, remove all evil from our path’’.42

In every morning, the Abaluyia men kneel facing east and pray to God,
spitting and asking Him to let the day dawn well, to pour upon the people His med-
icine of health, and to make the evil away from men.

The Bambuti Pygmies normally pray in time of danger like thunderstorm,

because it seems terrifying to them. They pray at this occasion like the following:
‘‘Grandfather, Great Father, let matters go well with me, for I am going into the forest;’’

But when they go to the forest, they say:

‘‘Father, Thy children are afraid; and behold, we shall die!’’43

Barren women pray to God for a baby; and hunters ask for a deserving hunt-
ing and good food as well.

The Galla tribe prays every day morning and evening frequently for the
protection of themselves, their cattle, crops and families. During these asking, they
pray:
‘‘O God, Thou hast given me a good day,
Give me a good night;
Thou hast given me a good night,
Give me a good day!’’44

Along with the oldest member, every adult Nandi must have to recite a
common prayer twice a day. The prayer is as follows:

‘‘God guard for me the children and the cattle,

God guard for us the cattle,
God give us health’’! 45
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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

They pray for rain during drought and for the safety of their cattle and preg-
nant women. When they go for war, everybody at home and at the battle field pray
for a successful fight and safe return at home as well.

Sometime greetings, salutation and farewell are also included into African
prayer. If a Mende person asks anyone about his present life condition, the reply is
like ‘No fault with the Chief (God)’; which means that ‘everything is all right’.
Among the Barundi and the Banyarwanda, if two people move away from each
other, one says, ‘Go with God’, and as a reply the other says, ‘Stay with God!’ Before
sleeping, one says to the other that ‘Pass the night with God’. Among the Banyar-
wanda people, if a long termed barren woman receives a child, people congratulate
them saying, ‘God has removed your shame!’ If a person makes himself safe from a
danger is congratulated like ‘God shielded you’, or ‘He still stands upon you’.46

There is another form of worshiping the African God. Some people incorpo-
rate God’s name into children’s name. It is a kind of thanksgiving towards God from
parental side. A particular child holds a unique attribute of God and throughout
his/her life, the grown baby expresses that name’s significance among the individu-
al society. The Barundi and the Banyarwanda name their children as Ndibokubgayo
which means ‘I am alive because of Him’, or Ntirandekura which means ‘He has not
let me drop yet’. Sometimes they designate them as Ntawuyankira which means
‘No one can refuse Him His way’, or Bizimana which means ‘God knows every-
thing’. In order to show parents’ faith in God, children are named as Niyibizi which
means ‘He knows all about it’, or Ndayiziga which means ‘I depend on Him’.47

Song is another way of worshipping God and full of knowledge to African

traditional people. For strengthening group feeling and unity, everybody celebrates
his or her religious rituals and gathering through singing songs. Praying through
singing is traditional to them. For example, the Ngombe hunters sing for God to
attribute their success to Him.

7. CONCLUSION

God’s oneness, supremacy, omnipotence, omniscience, everlasting nature,

prime intellectuality, etc. are very core to the traditional people of Africa. In short,
believing in ‘One God’ is their most significant aspect of knowledge and religion.
There is no limitation of appreciating God to adherents and they worship or respect
God in all ways of their lives in any form they wish. They only know that they just
need to satisfy Him. They mention God while they are talking, walking, singing,
praying, sleeping, working, dreaming, hoping good, wishing peace and anything
they do. It is also for their personal benefits and as because they love, respect and

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Green University Review of Social Sciences, Volume 02, Issue 01, June-2015

fear their God. There are millions of people and several well established religions in
this world who believe in the ‘Oneness’ of God. African traditional religious follow-
ers and their belief systems can be a kind of standard for many of the monotheistic
believers. The concept of ‘Monotheism’ is innate to the African religious followers
and they can be called one of the good standards monotheistic practitioners as they
follow this concept so cordially. There are several and in some extent many mono-
theistic religions in the world but the monotheistic adherents of the African people
are really quite appreciable and inspiring for many followers aspiring to have a firm
belief in the ‘Uniqueness of God’.

Endnotes:

1. Mbiti, J. S., (1969), African Religions & Philosophy, Morrison & Gibb Ltd, Great
Britain, p. 29.
2. Ibid, p. 2.
3. Hughes, A. J. B., Velsen, J., and Kuper, H., (1954), The Shonaand Ndebele of
Sothern Rbodesia, International African Institute, London, p. 103.
4. Claridge, G. C., (1922), Wild bush Tribes of Tropical Africa, Published by Seeley
Service, London, p. 269.
5. Danquah, J. B., (1944), The Akan Doctrine of God, Boston University African
Studies Center, London, p. 55.
6. Smith E. W., ed., (1961), African Ideas of God, Edinburgh House Press, London,
second revised edition, p. 166.
7. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 33.
8. Matin, A., (2006), An Outline of Philosophy, Noorun Nahar Adhuna Prokashan,
38/2 Ka Banglabazar, Dhaka, p. 296. ‘’Pantheism is the view according to which
God and the world, the creator and the created, are identical. In pantheism God
is wholly immanent. The word pantheism, literally means ‘all is God and God is
all’ (pan = all+theos = God). Here, pantheism identifies that every object is part
and parcel of God, and every event is a divine operation, an exercise of the
divine will, or a manifestation of divine energy.
9. Hughes, Velsen, and Kuper, see above n 3, p. 104.
10. Smith, see above n 6, p. 167.
11. Idowu, E. B., (1994), Olodumare: God in Yoruba Belief, Wazobia Publication,
London, p. 40.
12. Smith, see above n 6, p. 109.
13. Forde, D., ed., (1954), African Worlds, Oxford University Press, London, p. 169.
14. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 32.
15. Kenyatta, J., (1938), Facing Mount Kenya’’, Published by Vintage, London, p.
233.
16. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 34.
17. Smith, see above n 6, p. 109.
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 African Traditional Concept of God: A Critical Analysis

18. Schebesta P., (1936), II: Revisiting my Pygmy Hosts, Stanford University Press,
London, p. 171.
19. Smith, see above n 6, p. 127.
20. Young, T. C., (1944), African Ways and Wisdom, Published by Unites Society for
Christian Literature, London, p.146.
21. Idowu, see above n 11, pp. 36, 43.
22. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 37.
23. Westermann, D., (1912), The Shilluk people, Negro University Press, p.197.
24. Idowu, see above n 11, p. 47.
25. Campbell, D., (1922), In the Heart of Bantuland, Trubner and Company, London,
p. 245.
26. Danquah, see above n 5, pp. 28, 30.
27. Schebesta, P., (1936), I: My Pygmy and Negro Hosts, Hutchinson, London, p.
235.
28. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 40.
29. Idowu, see above n 11, p. 39.
30. Westermann, see above n 23, p. 197
31. Seligman, C. G. & Seligman B. Z., (1932), Pagan Tribes of the Nilotic Sudan,
Published by Wiley, London, p. 394.
32. Talbot, P. A., (1932), Tribes of the Niger Delta, Reprinted Cass, London, p. 24.
33. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 47.
34. Ibid, p. 52.
35. Smith, see above n 6, p. 194.
36. Mbiti, see above n 1, p. 58.
37. Idowu, see above n 11, pp. 118-25, for details information.
38. Mbiti, see above n 1, pp. 59, 60.
39. Lienhardt, G., (1961), Divinity and Experience, the Religion of the Dinka, Oxford
University Press, London, pp. 10, 21.
40. Little, K. L., (1951), The Mende of Sierra Leone, Routledge & K. Paul Publication,
London, p. 218., and Smith, see above n 6, p. 281.
41. Smith, E. W., and Dale A. M. Dale, (1920), The Ila-Speaking Peoples of Northern
Rhodesia, Vol. I, Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal African Society,
London, p. 208.
42. Evans-Pritchard, E. E., (1956), II: Nuer Religion, Clarendon Press, Oxford, pp. 7,
9, 22.
43. Schebesta, see above n 18, p. 235.
44. Huntingford, G. W. B., (1953), The Nandi of Kenya, C. Hurst & Co. Publisher,
London, p. 74.
45. Ibid, pp. 135, 144, 153.
46. Smith, see above n 6, p. 189.
47. Ibid, p. 194.

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