African Traditional Religion and Sustainability: The New Indigenous Religious Movements

Abstract

The practice of African Traditional Religion (ATR) has faced myriad of challenges on the continent, Africa. These problems include lack of scripture in the category of Bible and Quran of Christianity and Islam, respectively. There are also the problems of historical and iconic figures that can represent the origin of the religion. The lack of literature and pressure from imported religions, like Christianity and Islam, forms a major obstacle. These challenges have been the source of great concern to both adherents and scholars of the religion. Bolaji Idowu (1970), Awolalu and Dopamu (1976), Kayode (1984), and Aderibigbe (1994) posit a future, without conviction, for ATR in spite of all the challenges mentioned above. However, the emergence of New Religious Movements (NRM) with flare for African Traditional Religion has brought hope for its sustainability. This chapter examines the problem of sustainability of ATR using the NRM as a response to the growing concerns among scholars and adherents of ATR on its future and value to the spirituality and sociology of the people of Africa. Also the place of ATR in modern scholarship shall be considered. Further, the chapter shall enumerate the features of New Religious Movements using that as the basis to determine how such groups (NRM) can be a point of reference in the sustainability of ATR. Data were collected using qualitative approach, participant observer method (POM), and interaction with principal officers of the case study group using oral interview. Respondents were selected based on age, affiliation, gender, and office. The chapter adopts critical and historical methods in its analysis. Ijo Orunmila shall be used as a case study (a new Yoruba Pentecostal group which combines the liturgy of ATR and Christianity to promote “pristine” African Traditional Religion). I observed that Ijo Orunmila has two variant groups: Ato and Adulawo. There are tendencies to be syncretic in their epistemology and theology of the groups. However, in spite of its shortcomings, Ijo Orunmila as a type of NRM is a clear pointer to the future and sustainability of ATR in our technological world.