Beliefs and Veneration of Divinities

Abstract

This chapter focuses on the belief and veneration of the divinities indigenous to Africans. It discusses the place of the divinities in African religious consciousness, highlighting the relationship between them and the Supreme Being, and how they are worshipped. This chapter goes on to stress that the belief in these other spiritual beings by the Africans do not in any way contradict their belief in the Supreme Being as some Western scholars opined. The area of study is in West Africa. The scope of this study covers the transition of the relatively unknown divinities in Africa to their veneration in the diaspora. The study utilizes an inter-disciplinary method involving the use of interviews, participant observations, and secondary sources. Data were collected using descriptive analysis to examine the place of the divinities in African traditional religious consciousness. Findings revealed that the concept of ‘divinities’ is well understood by the Africans, and evidence of the divinities is known outside the African region. The authors posit that the divinities occupy an intermediary position between the Supreme Being and the world. The researchers also contend that the recognition and veneration of these divinities outside the African continent attest to the confidence reposed in their efficacy to solve life’s existential challenges. The study concludes that the current revitalization and rejuvenation of African Indigenous Religion is an indication that the peoples’ religion will subsist for a long time.