

























391 

29 

THE RELEVANCE OF THE STUDY OF 

AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION IN THE 

THEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF 

SEMINARIANS TODAY 
 

Dr. Chris. A. OBI 
Department of Religious Management and Cultural Studies, 

Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state. 
obichris@aauekpoma.edu.ng;chrisaobi@yahoo.com 

 
Abstract  
Speaking on the revision of ecclesiastical studies, Vatican II 
recommended among other theological courses that seminarians “should 
also be introduced to a knowledge of other religions which are more 
widely spread through individual areas” (Optatam Totius 16). She 
reasoned that this will help them better understand the elements of 
goodness and truth such religions possess and learn how to disprove the 
errors in them in the process of sharing  the full light of the truth with 
those who lack it. Both Mbiti and Gyekye have noted that religion 
influences in a comprehensive way thoughts and actions of African life, 
fully determining practically every aspect of life including moral 
behaviour. The African lives in a religious universe in which all actions 
and thought have religious meaning and are inspired or influenced by a 
religious point of view. With African Traditional Religion (ATR), 
Christianity and Islam as Nigeria’s three main religions, Nigeria is a 
typical religious plural society. Each of these religions has their values. 
These values have served as a guide and control of human behaviour, 
dictating right from wrong and this is the most important aspect of 
religion, that is, its capacity to shape honorable human personality and 
values being in accord with human society. Some of the human and 
religious values in traditional society include honesty, education, 
morality, brotherhood tie, respect for elders and fellow citizens, good 
name, community living and family loyalty. One of the most significant 
values that traditional Nigerians hold to be of great importance is the 
wisdom of its elders which manifests in proverbs-speaking. This paper 



392 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

examines the relevance of the study of African Traditional Religion in 
contemporary Catholic theological formation houses. The method 
adopted is multi-dimensional - analytical, historical, phenomenological 
and theological. Our findings highlight the main reasons or benefits of 
the study, the traditional values to be integrated in theological formation; 
that our contextualization of the Christian faith has to be based on a good 
knowledge of pre-Christian traditional heritage or the knowledge of 
earlier religious tradition in our local environment; and that African 
Christian theology must be diverse based on different cultural 
background, social-economic and political diversity and the diverse  
strands of Christian missionaries   that evangelized Africa. Our 
conclusion is that the African Christian theologian must engage in a 
serious dialogue with African traditional religion. He / She can longer lay 
claim to exclusive truth and condemn the non-Christian religion as a 
mere worship of idols as some Pentecostals would do.  
 
Keywords: African Traditional Religion, Traditional Values, African 
Christian Theology, Theological Formation                                 
 
Introduction 
In this new era of evangelization advocated by the Catholic Church 
today, one of the basic questions that have to be addressed is: “How have 
the African seminaries, in general, and the Nigerian ones in particular, 
faced the challenges and adjusted to the inevitable changes in the 
formation of their priests?” (Ekwunife, 2011). According to him, the 
primary goal of formation in Catholic seminaries is to produce men who 
will be intellectually, socially and spiritually equipped to be effective 
instruments of evangelization after their ordination. The seminary is 
expected to train capable priests, who in response to God’s grace, can 
collaborate with their Bishops and superiors in serving God’s people 
throughout the world. The importance of formation was recently 
stressed by Pope Paul II in his Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation to the 
Bishops, Clergy and the faithful so that the end products of Catholic 
priestly formation may become with the sacrament of Orders, “a living 
image of Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd of the Church” (Pastores  Da 
Vobis 42). 
 Speaking earlier on the revision of ecclesiastical studies, Vatican II 
recommended among other theological courses that seminarians “should 
be introduced to a knowledge of other religions which are widely spread 
through individual areas” (Optatam Totius 16). She reasoned that this will 
help them better understand the elements of goodness and truth such 
religions possess and learn how to disprove the errors in them in the 
process of sharing the full light of the truth with those who lack them. In 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    393 

addition Alexander Carter in his introduction to Optatam Totius has 
observed that the pastoral preparation must take into consideration the 
specific environment in which the young priest will begin his ministry 
(Abbot 1972, p. 436). Both J. Mbiti (1969) and B. Gyekye (1996) have 
noted that religion influences in a comprehensive way thoughts and 
actions of African life, fully determining practically every aspect of life 
including moral behaviour. The African lives in a religious universe in 
which all actions and thoughts have religious meaning and are inspired 
or influenced by a religious point of view (Obi 2013, p. 442). 
 With African Traditional Religion (ATR), Islam and Christianity as 
Nigeria’s three main religions, Nigeria is a typical plural religious society. 
Each of these religions has its values. These values have served as a guide 
and control of human behaviour, dictating right from wrong and this is 
the most important aspect of religion – its capacity to shape honourable 
human personality and values being in accord with human society. Some 
of the human and religious values in traditional society include: honesty, 
education, morality, brotherhood tie, respect for elders and fellow 
citizens, good name, community living and family loyalty (Ebhomielen 
2011, p. 131). One of the most significant values that traditional 
Nigerians cherish is the wisdom of its elders which manifests in proverb 
– speaking (Onimhawo &Adamu 2011, p. 25; Obi 2013, p. 443). 
 This paper examined the relevance of the study of African 
Traditional Religion in Catholic theological formation houses in lieu of 
Vatican II’s earlier advice that Episcopal Conferences of each region are 
to adjust ecclesiastical courses to the pastoral requirement of a particular 
region. The method adopted is multidimensional – historical, analytic, 
phenomenological and theological. 
 
Religions in Nigeria 
Historically, before the advent of Islam and Christianity the main 
religion was ATR. African Religion can be defined as “institutionalized 
patterns of beliefs and worship practiced by various African societies 
from time immemorial” (Metuh 1987, p. 51). The main tenet of this 
religion, based on the principle of hierarchy of beings, is made of five 
elements, namely, belief in God, belief in divinities, belief in ancestors, 
belief in spirits and the practice to magic and medicine (Idowu 1991, p. 
137-202; Kanu 2015, p. 92-127). The African universe has physical and 
spiritual dimension. This means all beings can be said to belong to either 
two worlds- the visible world and the invisible world. There is no wall of 
demarcation between the two worlds as the two realms shade into each 
other (Metuh 1987, p. 51). Thus, there is no clear-cut distinction or 
opposition between the visible and invisible, the material and spiritual, 
the temporal and non-temporal, the sacred and the profane unlike the 



394 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

dichotomy which is characteristic of Graeco-Christian worldview 
(Metuh 1987, p. 5). In spite of this sense of cosmic oneness that is 
essential to African religion, there are slight variations between West 
African worldview (made up of five elements), the worldview of Nilotic 
societies (in so far as their Supreme Being has prophets) and the 
worldview of the Bantu areas (who have three categories of spiritual 
beings instead of five). The implications of these variations for African 
Christology/African Theology ought to be noted and their import for 
priestly formation not to be disregarded. 
 However, with the introduction to Nigeria of Islam in the 11th and 
14th centuries through Kanem – Borno in the North East and the 
medieval empire of Mali in the South West and Christianity in the 
South, the centre could no longer hold, that is, the social order hitherto 
maintained through traditional religion caved in. Islam’s emphasis on 
Allah’s absoluteness, Sharia law, judgment day, its code of crime and 
punishment as well as its universalism, introduced elements of value 
confusion among the adherents of the old order in the rural 
communities of pre-colonial social institutions of the Hausa and Kanuri 
polities. For example, the bori or spirit possession cult of the Hausa, was 
one of the institutions of traditional social system that struggled for 
survival in the face of threatened extinction when it lost male converts to 
Islam and retained the support of women generally (Tamuno 1994,p.32). 
Though Islam accepted polygamy and its Sufi inspired tolerance of ritual, 
charms and magic, and some bits of syncretism, ancestor worship and 
reverence for associated spirits did not command acceptance by Islamic 
fundamentalists in attempts to accommodate spirits and jinns. In these 
and other respects the theocracy of the traditional social order differed 
significantly from the concept associated with Islam, more so after the 
Jihad of 1864 led by Uthman dan Fodiye whose success established the 
Sokoto Caliphate. Thereafter, Islam’s mission of purification was actively 
pursued by its clerics in the Fulani Hausa States (Obi 2013, p.444; 
Tamuno 1994, p. 33). The above instances portray the issue of 
contextualization in the history of Islam in Nigeria.    
 On its part, Christianity came to Nigeria in mid 19th century through 
the coastal areas of Badagry, Bonny, Calabar and the hinterland at 
Abeokuta, Onitsha and Warri after earlier attempts by the Portuguese 
failed to take root. The familiar Christian practices – Trinity, Salvation 
through Jesus Christ, the ten Commandments, forgiveness, judgment 
day, monogamy, abhorrence of idol worship and the like challenged the 
social order and its buttresses for group solidarity and crime control. The 
principle of individualism which Christianity directly encouraged also 
threatened the durability on social control systems and values built on 
traditional collective or communal approach (Tamuno 1994, p. 30; Obi 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    395 

2013 p. 445). Besides, the notion of individual responsibility and 
accountability challenged the traditional belief and fear that serious 
crimes like abominations against earth goddess, would pollute an entire 
community if not expiated, began to be eroded seriously. Above all, other 
notions of the certainty of punishment prevalent under the traditional 
corpus belief system stood in danger of disintegration with the increasing 
pressure of Christian doctrine and practice. In short, the combined 
forces of Christianity, Islam and Western education, if not also the wide 
logic of colonization weakened the belief in the traditional social order, 
as E. B. Idowu acknowledged with regard to the Yoruba in 1962 
(Tamuno 1994, p. 31; Idowu Olodumare 1996, p. 227-228; Obi 2013, 
445). This experience found literary expression in literary works such as 
Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) and No Longer at Ease (1969). 
This analysis provides a sufficient background on the stress on the 
relevance of study of ATR in the formation of priests in Nigeria today. 
 
Seminary Formation in Nigeria in Perspective  
In his brief history of Seminary formation in Eastern Nigeria written 
some 20 years ago, Ekwunife opined that seminary formation in Nigeria  
can be divided into the following three epochs: (i) the early beginning 
(1930-1960), (ii) the post independence period (1960-1980), and (iii) 
Modern period 1980 and beyond (Ekwunife 2011). Among the 
deficiencies he pointed out over the periods include: seminarians were 
isolated from their people, their traditional cultures and  institutions; 
they were imbued with foreign cultures and manners; bias of the 
formators against anything African; seminarians were trained to be fluent 
in English and Latin but inarticulate in their own native language, ready 
to imitate their formators’ foreign cultures and manners but unable to 
study their own culture where they were to work after ordination and 
lack of contextual orientation because the formators failed to take into 
consideration the cultural environment of the seminarians. Among the 
weaknesses in the second period of which the writer is a victim is the 
over emphasis on English and Latin as the official language of church and 
even teaching of philosophy in Latin using Di Napoli as the main text and 
wrong approach to cultural values. The 1970 Bigard Curriculum of 
Studies lists some 13 courses in philosophy and 13 in theology in 
addition to auxiliary subjects (Oburoto 2001, pp.75-76). With one course 
in Igbo philosophy and one course in comparative religion the deficiency 
in ATR is easily discernible (and had to be rectified later). 
 Even in the 1980s the negative attitude of both formators and 
seminarians towards the traditional religion and culture that sustained it 
was still rampart. Even though the formators were indigenous clergy 
men, “the quality of formation still lacked deep cultural orientation 



396 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

which would encourage dialogue with African Traditional Religion and 
Culture” (Ekwunife 2011). 
 It is noteworthy that prior to Vatican II the Christian church had a 
rather negative attitude towards other religions and expected them to 
disappear with the introduction of Christianity in the places where they 
were practiced. But as the religions have continued to exist side by side 
with Christianity, the attitude of much of the Christian world towards 
them has changed from that of confrontation to that of dialogue. It is no 
longer theologically acceptable today, at least in the non-radical 
evangelical circles to look on other religions as satanic. Positive 
evaluations of religions vis-à-vis Christianity are being put forward by 
scholars who studied them (Ukpong 1989, p. 422; Pannikar 1999). The 
official Catholic position is reflected in the guidelines issued by the 
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue (PCID) which encourages 
the study of ATR, Islam and Interreligious Dialogue in the Seminaries 
and Houses of Formation in Sub-Saharan Africa (PCID 2004). But the 
question to be addressed is: “How far has this instruction been 
implemented in Seminaries throughout the country? It is still doubtful 
whether the study of ATR has found its way into the curriculum of 
junior seminaries in Nigeria or any other African country” (Ekwunife 
2011). 
 In this regard the response to a survey in Africa of the content of 
what is taught in 61 major seminaries and 6 Catholic Universities and 
Institutes of Higher Learning with reference to ATR, Islam and 
Interreligious Dialogue by the PCID as of 2001 is apropos (instructive).A 
summary of the replies received from 47 major seminaries show that:  
In 36 major Seminaries, ATR is taught as a course. In the rest of 11 
Seminaries, ATR is taught under various titles – Inculturation, African 
thought, African spirituality, African philosophy etc.  
In 35 major Seminaries, Islam is taught as a course. For others, no 
information has been given (it is presumed that it is not taught). 
In 20 major seminaries some form of information is given in 
interreligious dialogue (PCID 2004, p. 10). 
Of 6 the Catholic Universities and Institutes of Higher Learning 
consulted, four replied they have courses in ATR. In two of them Islam 
is taught as a course. None has a programme for teaching interreligious 
dialogue. 
 Based on the result of this survey, PCID tried to provide a common 
programme subject to local adaptations for teaching the courses provided 
and it is to the credit of the authorities of Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele, 
Ekpoma  that ATR has been mounted for those in year 600 and 700 level 
theology. However, it is disheartening that over the years some students 
do not take the course serious. It is embarrassing that some students are 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    397 

unable to explain why the derogatory terms used by western investigators 
to describe our fore-fathers’ religion are inappropriate. One is however, 
encouraged by the positive attitude displayed by the Bishop of the 
Catholic Diocese of Uromi, Most Rev. Dr Donatus Ogun who recently 
organized a Diocesan Delegate Assembly with focus on Burial Practices 
in Esanland which held Monday, 15th February to Thursday 13th 
February, 2020 at Brother Roman Catechetical and Renewal Centre, 
Ekpoma. It is hoped that such discourse will help understand and douse 
tensions on the burial rites in Esanland. This particularly shows the need 
to adjust academic curricula to the needs of the environment. 
 
Rationale for the Study of ATR  
The students of any department of Religious Studies in Nigerian 
Universities have always met the embarrassing question from colleagues: 
“why are you studying religion? Are you preparing to be a pastor?” In 
like manner, some Christians in Africa may ask, “why study ATR? We 
have forsaken our old religion and have embraced the Christian faith. 
Jesus Christ is now our Lord and Saviour. What further need do we have 
to research ATR?” (Gehman, 1989, p.15). 
 Several scholars have taken up this challenge. According to 
Aderibigbe and Ayegboyin (2001) the all embracing reason why religion 
should be studied is its importance, significance and hold on human life. 
First, there is currency of religion as a human phenomenon. Secondly, 
the dominating presence, and existence and functions in society have 
come to be accepted so that there is no apology for its acceptance. Third, 
is its universal relevance. Religion has universal application that 
transcends demarcations of place, race, colour and time. Fourth, is the 
fear that it is impossible to find a replacing value for or to fill the vacum 
of its absence (pp.20-31). Other reasons include the benefits of the study 
such as emancipation from ignorance, information and skill since one is 
exposed to the proper methods of data collection in the study of religion, 
and appreciation of one’s and other peoples’ religion. 
 For Gary Kessler so much of human history and culture remains a 
mystery if we cannot comprehend the role religion has played and 
continues to play in the development of human institutions, values and 
behaviour. In addition, study of religion especially religions of others 
helps us overcome our all-too-comfortable ethnocentric attitudes and 
achieve a more comparative perspective (Kessler 2006, p. 12). Moreover, 
the study of religion opens up a space in our busy lives where we can 
pause and reflect on the meaning and purpose of our lives. It provides an 
occasion for us to think, in a comparative setting about what constitutes a 
good life. Finally, the study would prepare for a career in the field of 



398 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

religious studies and other fields and to satisfy the requirement for 
general or liberal education (Kessler 2006, p. 13). 
 Similarly, different scholars have given reasons why African 
Traditional Religion should be studied. For example, Gehman offers six 
reasons, namely, we ought to study the traditional religion in Africa 
because it is one of the world’s religions of a great people with a great 
past. ATR was formerly embraced by a whole continent. Second, ATR is 
the religious background of African people whom Christians seek to 
evangelize today. Therefore, in order to build bridges of communication 
with them, we must study the beliefs and practices of the traditional 
African. Thirdly, many professing Christians rely on ATR in times of 
crisis, particularly those looking for the fruit of the womb, power and 
money. Fourth, the Christian church in African needs to contextualize 
her faith so that it becomes truly rooted in the life of the people. The just 
concluded Catholic Diocese of Uromi Delegate Conference on funeral 
rites in Esanland is apropos here. The rise of African Independent 
Churches (AICS) owes its origin to failure of earlier ‘missionary 
Christianity’ in this regard. In the same token, the church of North 
Africa that produced famous theologians as Saints Augustine and 
Cyprian was wiped out, due in part to its non rootedness in the life of the 
indigenous people. Fifth, the revival of ATR in Ethiopianism brings a 
sense of urgency to the study. Sixth.ATR should be studied for its own 
sake (Gehman 1987, p. 15-22).  
 On his part, T. Quarcoopome gives some fundamental reasons for 
studying West African Traditional Religion (WATR). He asks the 
question: “Of what relevance then is the study of WATR on the 
contemporary scene?” In his view the objectives for the study of ATR or 
WATR are as follows: 
to help the African to reconstruct his past in order to understand the 
present and effectively plan for the future: to help the African in his 
search for self determination and self-assertion; to make known the 
world view of the Africans so that non-Africans can understand the social 
and moral behaviour of the African; to make scientific comparison with 
other religions and finally to correct misconceptions about the 
Traditional Religion by Western Investigators and educated Africans 
(Quarcoopome 1987, pp.9-10). 

Thus the basic aim of the study is not to glorify the African past 
but to present the truth with regard to what Africans authentically 
believe and authentically think about God and the supersensible world 
(Idowu 1973, p. 106). This will induce sympathetic understanding for 
the traditional faith. 
 Finally the PCID document earlier mentioned highlights the aims of 
the course on ATR as: (a) to awaken the interest of participants in 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    399 

African traditional religion; (b) to prepare and dispose them for 
interreligious dialogue; (c) to help them appreciate the lasting values of 
this religion which are relevant to modern African quest for nation 
building; and (d) to reinforce their appreciation of the urgency of the 
Church’s constant call for inculturation of the Christian faith in Africa 
(PCID 2004, p.10). Consequently it designed a  programme that suits 
long term (two semesters) and short term (one semester) option 
depending on the local need. Hitherto Seminary of All Saints, Uhiele has 
chosen the two semester option. 
 While emphasizing the manifold reasons and relevance of the study, 
the difficulties besetting the study ought to be noted. These include the 
vast geography of Africa with the corresponding mistaken generalization 
about Africa, the influence of direct or indirect colonial indoctrination by 
the British and French colonial masters, the factor of death of custodians 
of the cultural and religious traditions; the myriads of language and 
dialectics in Africa. Nigeria alone has over 250 ethnic groups. Last but 
not the least, is the influence of other cultures and religions, western 
education and modernity. What this means is that the interpreter has to 
note that Africa is a continent of multitudes of nations, myriads of 
people, countless languages or dialectics and peoples at various levels of 
culture (Idowu 1973, p. 78-83). 
African Values and Priestly Formation 
There are many African values of ATR which could be integrated in the 
holistic formation of Catholic priests. Among them could be: (i) the 
sense of the scared, (ii) corporate existence, (iii) a sense of justice, (iv) 
sincerity in ones’ commitment to a cause, and (v) good leadership 
(Ekwunife 2011). Others are the concept of omenala, respect for elders, 
use of language and traditional concept of mediation. We will illustrate 
with some of the lasting values of ATR for a modern nation 
building/priestly formation. 
 In ATR the sense of the sacred is very strong and important. Rudolf 
Otto (1958) did mention two dimensions of the sacred, the mysterium 
tremendum: it attracts and repels. In order to safeguard the distance we 
have taboos. We have already mentioned that there is no dichotomy 
between the sacred and profane, the invisible and the visible since the 
two shade into each other in African worldview. Consequently, 
whenever the harmony in one is destabilized, it affects the other and the 
services of the diviner are needed to restore the harmony. There are 
varieties of the sacred – God, divinities, ancestors, persons, places and 
objects based on their relationship to God and the world. For example, a 
masked person is sacred because it is related to the invisible reality, the 
ancestor. To unmask a masquerade is a taboo, an abomination that 
requires a ritual cleansing because we are expected to preserve the 



400 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

respectful distance from the sacred without severing the relationship. In 
Africa the sacred is not only associated with power, it is affiliated with the 
highest values in human life such as honesty, justice, gentleness, patience 
and sincerity. A sacred person is expected to mirror these values. This is 
depicted in the Igbo concept and practice of Ozo title–taking in which 
the initiate is addressed as Nze – an epithet of truthfulness and justice. In 
the words of Ekei:  

Initiation into Ozo makes the recipient “sacred” Nze.  
The group of Ozo titled men are therefore called ‘sacred 
group’ (Ndi Nze). The concept ‘Nze’ has both ethical and 
religious significance for the Igbo. Etymologically, ‘Nze’ 
is an abridged term of Nze’-le’, that is, ‘separation’ or 
‘apartness’ or sacrosanct. These concepts convey a 
mystical meaning to the recipient. In other words, he is 
by this title, ethically aloof, and ritually separated from 
‘commoners’ or from ‘pollutions’ and ‘defilements’ (Ekei 
2001, p. 4). 

It is this symbol of justice that makes Ozo initiation to be linked with 
sense of Igbo morality. 
 The emphasis on the African sense of the sacred has far reaching 
effects in the formation of Catholic seminarians. It will create in them an 
attitude of deep respect for the things of God and anything associated 
with God. Among the sacred things is the human person. Hence crimes 
like murder, abortion, uprooting seed yams are nso nla abomination that 
can only be cleansed by Nri priests. Worship, covenant with divinities 
and others, oath-taking, sacrifice and prayer are among the means used to 
internalize the sense of the sacred and sacredness of the human person. 
Therefore stimulating the sense of the sacred in seminary formation will 
help respect the sacred of non-Christian religions. 
 Africans recognize life as life-in-community. There is the conviction 
that humankind of the past, present and future generations forms one 
community. The concept of individual success or failure is secondary. 
The ethnic group, the village, the locality, the family are crucial in one’s 
estimation of oneself. Our nature as being-in-relation is a two-way 
relation with God and with our fellow human beings. Catholic 
seminarians in Africa need to emphasize the sense of community-living 
and values to cut across ethnic and social boundaries. The sense of life-
in-community will help douse the tensions that sadly manifest between 
the parish priest and his curates/priests in residence. 
 However, this community living cannot thrive without a sense of 
justice. ATR is so concerned about justice such that anyone who negates 
the principle of justice will be severely punished not only by society but 
also the gods. This is of expressed in the Igbo proverb Egbe belu, ugo belu 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    401 

(live and let live). Again this is also aptly depicted in Igbo religion 
through the Ofo- na- ogu concept. The Ofo concept has been exposed by 
Clement Ejizu (1986) and the Ogu is aptly exposed by Stephen Egwin 
(2005). Ofo is the guarantor of truth, just judgement, just living and 
authority to rule as well as pray to the gods for onesself and others. Ogu 
stands for moral uprightness and innocence. The concept is well utilized 
in the dynamics of Igbo litigation. Ofo represents ancestral authority, 
sacred tradition and community and enforces justice while Ogu 
ascertains the innocence of the individual and determines whose side 
justice takes. The judicial system is based on the traditional moral code 
which is considered to be sacred tradition. The ancestral power to 
dispense justice is determined by innocence (Ogu) and judgement (Ofo) 
and operates in the form of punishing the guilty and vindicating the 
innocent (Egwim 2005, p. 195). A sense of justice has to be instilled in 
the formators and seminarians in the seminaries throughout Africa.  
          Among the good leadership qualities Arinze advocated that has to 
be inculcated in seminarians six African values stand out: “sense of the 
sacred, respect for life, sense of community, family spiritual vision of life, 
authority as sacred and symbolism in worship”. Idowu associated many 
of these African values with the Yoruba concept of ‘Iwa’, character. 
Indeed there is hardly any good textbook on ATR that does not reflect on 
some African moral values (Ekwunife 2011). 
 One of the most valuable culture of the African society is the concept 
of respect for elders and those in authority. Africans generally have deep 
and ingrained respect for old age: the old man’s gray hairs earn him right 
to courtesy and politeness. Hence the dictum, “the words of the elders 
are words of wisdom” because of the experience they garnered over the 
years. Hence elders in Africa are respected for many reasons. An Igbo 
adage has it: “He who listens to an elder is like one who consults an 
oracle”. The oracles are believed to give the infallible truths; these elders 
are believed to say the truth and their words and instructions are heeded 
to for the promotion of good behaviour among the youth. The church 
like the society and African traditional value teaches respect for elders 
and those in authority. This is because this group of individuals has been 
given the authority of leadership. 
 The African culture values language and proverbs, because in them 
they communicate and in them wisdom is passed in the process; the 
importance of both cannot just be overemphasized in the African cultural 
heritage. Moreover, for the African, if the individual is not able to 
communicate with the native language the individual ideologically, puts 
himself outside the community. Speaking a language in the African sense 
does not depend on the peripheral knowledge of the language but on the 
ability to express oneself adequately in the proverbs and idioms of the 



402 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

language community. One is therefore happy that Seminary of All Saints, 
Uhiele academic curriculum allots some space for the vernacular. 
 Diagnosing the causes of affliction is a central preoccupation of 
African Religion (Magesa 2008, p. 190). There are people who have the 
power to “sniff out hidden sources of disorder”, who can advice on 
procedures to correct the situation. They are generally known as 
diviners. Laurenti Magesa (2008) mentions some of the values of 
divination. Since divination systems are “ways of knowing”, ATR 
presumes that true reasons for all events can be known although 
sufficient knowledge is seldom available through mundane means of 
inquiry (Magesa 2008, p. 192). Divination assists in knowing true reasons 
for events. Events are either positive or negative. In ATR when calamities 
befall a community, diviners are consulted to know the true reason 
behind the cause, and possible measures taking to avert the calamity are 
also sought. Divination ensures that decisions are made or the right 
course of action is carried out to address certain events or situations. 
Thus, divination helps Africans to gather the necessary information 
about events, the causes and possible solution (193). It aids right decision 
making in addressing calamity in a community. 
Divination also helps to protect and secure the future. Hence at the 

beginning of the year, or at birth, diviners are consulted to ascertain what 
the year or destiny of a child holds. Such diviners will expose the good 
and bad aspects of the coming year and proffer ways to sustain the good 
ones and other ways of averting the bad ones usually by appeasing the 
gods through sacrifices as the case may be. This provides the background 
why today at the beginning of the year, prophecies are awaited from 
insightful men of God. The implication of this traditional value for 
seminary formation is that the equivalent gift of prophecy, of Davidic 
practice of inquiring from the Lord, ought to be paramount in the 
training of seminarians. Prayer of inquiry (Iga na ajuju in divinatory terms ) 
is a major aspect of Davidic and prophetic spirituality as manifested in 
the life of prophet Josiah Oshitelu and Apostle Ayo Babalola (Oshitelu 
2007, p. 71) and seminarians ought to imbibe this. In this regard we 
ought to note the challenge which traditional African concept of 
mediation poses to modern African Christianity. For, the traditional 
agents of mediation are twofold: invisible agents (divinities, ancestors, 
spirits) and visible agents (priests, diviners, medicine men, mediums, 
magicians, seers, kings, queens and elders). This shows a diversity of 
ministry and religious roles of religious specialists or cultic functionaries 
in traditional setting which has to be taken into consideration in the 
process of contextualizing the gospel. None of these religious specialists 
claim monopoly in religious affairs but collaborate with   others (Obi 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    403 

2006, p. 290). Thus collaborative ministry which is advocated today was 
already in vogue in traditional religion. 
 
Implication of ATR for African Christian Theology  
In African Christianity, one of the main thrusts in the area of 
contextualization in which ATR has played a dominant part is in the area 
of Christology. J. Onaiyekan (2016) writing on the main trends in 
African Christology mentions four sources to include the Bible, the 
theological patrimony of the church, African traditional religious 
concepts and modern African situation (pp.54-58). Many African 
theologians have borrowed from the thought world of ATR to explicate 
the person of Christ. Such attempts include the East African theologian 
C. Nyamiti, who presents Jesus as the greatest of all ancestors taking a 
clue from East Africa where the veneration of ancestors plays a key role 
in the traditional life.  Because of their kinship with their descendants, 
they are concerned about their welfare. Jesus fulfills all the Bantu expects 
of his ancestors in an eminent degree and can therefore be considered as 
an Ancestor, or more precisely “our Brother Ancestor” (Nyamiti 1985, 
p.33). B. Bujo toes the same line, from an ethical perspective. He 
describes Christ as a Proto-Ancestor (1981, p. 143; Onaiyekan 2016, p. 
55). Kabasele adds to the concept of ancestor that of ‘Elder’ (Onaiyekan 
1991.p.20).  The famous healer and former Archbishop of Lusaka, 
Emmanuel Milingo also expressed similar thought about “Jesus the 
Ancestor” (Milingo 1984, p. 78). 
 Other African traditional concepts have been used to explicate the 
person of Christ such as the concept of “Kinsman”, the concept of 
“Chief” by Kabasele, the “Healer” by C. Kolier and K. Enang  as we see 
also in Nigerian Pentecostal Charismatic circles. An unusual portrait of 
Jesus is that of the ‘Master of Initiation’ espoused by Bishop Sanon of 
Burkina Faso who takes us into the sacred groves of Burkinabe initiation 
ceremonies. He explains what it means to say that Jesus is ‘Master of 
initiation’, that is, the elder who guides towards perfection those who 
have been at the initiation rites. This symbolic approach is not 
completely new as some of the Greek Fathers such as Gregory of 
Nazianzen already spoke of Jesus as a mystagogus, a title derived from 
Greek religions and refers to the ‘leader of initiation rites. From a Yoruba 
religious perspective, J. Onaiyekan adds ‘Christ the Great Orisha’ because 
Yoruba traditional religion is almost exclusively concerned with the cult 
of the divinities called Orisha who act as agents and servants of the 
Supreme Being. Orisha is so much a characteristic of Yoruba religion that 
its followers are called Aberisa, “worshipers” of Orisha. Yoruba converts to 
Christianity often speak of giving up Orisha in order to accept Jesus 



404 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

(Onaiyekan 1991, p.22; Onaiyekan 2016, pp. 39-40). On his part, Chris 
Manus (1993) also exposed a Christology of Christ as “the African King”.  
          Each of these portraits of Christ within an African setting and 
colour has its limits of application. For example, Christ is more than an 
Ancestor. His relationship with the Father is unique and different from 
that of any Orisha with the Supreme Being. Consequently our images 
cannot say it all although they do say something (Onaiyekan 2016, p.58). 
At least they do give us inkling as to the benefits of ATR in the study of 
African Christian Theology. 
 
Conclusion  
The primary goal of formation in Catholic seminaries is to produce men 
who will be intellectually, socially and spiritually equipped to be effective 
instruments of evangelization after ordination. This pastoral preparation 
requires that seminarians be acquainted with religions practiced in their 
specific environment where they would work according to Vatican II. 
Since religion influences in a comprehensive way the thoughts and 
actions of African life, seminarians ought to be grafted in the tenets of 
African Religion which is one of the three religions practiced in the 
multiethnic culture of Nigeria. 
 This paper examined the relevance of ATR for future African priests. 
The reasons for studying religion in general and ATR in particular were 
highlighted using the views of different scholars. The difficulties 
besetting the study were also noted. Many African values which could be 
integrated in the holistic formation of Catholic priests include the sense 
of the sacred, community living, sense of justice, sincerity in one’s 
commitment to a cause, good leadership, respect for elders, and concept 
of traditional mediation which involves collaborative ministry. Finally, 
the implication of ATR as a source for African Christian Theology 
particularly with the understanding of the person of Christ in African 
setting were broached, such as “Christ as Ancestor”, “Chief”, “Orisha”  
and “Kinsman”. The limitations of some of these images 
notwithstanding, they do give us inkling as to the benefits of studying 
ATR in the exposition of Christian revelation. The study of both 
philosophy and theology in major seminaries in Africa needs to be 
culture bound. African traditional religion and culture ought to be the 
springboard of philosophical and theological studies in Africa. Perhaps 
one may not be far from the truth in saying that the deficiencies in most 
seminaries in Africa in the past are largely caused by the non-inclusion of 
timeless African traditional values in the curriculum of seminary 
formation. 
 
 



Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation    405 

References 
Abbot, W. (1972).  The Documents of Vatican II. London: Geoffrey Chapman. 

Aderibigbe, G and Ayegboyin, D. eds (2001). Religion: Study and Practice. Lagos: 

Olu Akin Publishers. 

Bujo, B. (1981). Pour une ethique africano-christocentrique”. Bulletin de Theologie 

Africaine  3, 41-52  

...   (1982). A Christocentric Ethics for Black Africa. Theology. Digest  30, 143-146. 

Bujo, B. and J. I. Muya (ed) (2003). African Theology: The Contribution of the 

Pioneers. Vol. 1. Nairobi. Paulines.        

Ebhomielen, T. O. (2011). African Traditional Religious and Human Values: A 

Panacea for Development in Africa. In J. A. Onimhawo ed. Human and 

Religious Development in Nigeria: Theoretical and Methodological Issues. 

Ibadan: Sanifos Publisher, 130-147. 

Egwim, S. (2005) Decolonizing the Lament Psalms: A Reading of Psalm 109 in 

African Context. In S. O. Abogunrin et al (eds.) Decolonization of Biblical 

Interpretation in Africa. Ibadan: A Publication of the Nigerian Association 

for Biblical Studies(NABIS), 192-219. 

Ejizu, C. (1986). Ofo: Igbo Ritual Symbol. Enugu: Fourth Dimension. 

Ekei, J.C. (2007). Justice in Communalism: A Foundation of Ethics in African 

Philosophy. Lagos: Realm Communications Ltd. 

Ekwunife, A.N. O. (2011). Integration of Traditional African Values in Priestly 

Formation. AFER African Ecclesiastical Review 39/4 (1997). Retrieved 

http://www.sedos.org/english/ekwunife.htm 22/1/2011 

Gehman, R. J. (1989). African Traditional Religion in Biblical Perspective. Nairobi: 

East African Educational Publishers Ltd. 

Gyekye, G. K. (1996). African Cultural Values: An Introduction: Accra: Sankoja 

Publishing Company. 

Idowu, E. B. (1991). African Traditional Religion: A Definition. Ibadan. Fountain 

Publication. 

Kanu, I. A. (2015). A Hermeneutic Approach to African Traditional Religion: Theology 

and Philosophy. Jos: Augustinian Publications. 

Kessler, G. E. (2006). Studying Religion: An Introduction through Cases. 2nd ed. 

Boston: McGrew Hill. 

Magesa, L. (2008). African Religion: The Moral Traditions of Abundant Life. Nairobi: 

Pauline Publication Africa. 

Mbiti, J. S. (2015). African Religions and Philosophy. Nairobi: East African 

Educational Publishes Ltd. 

Metuh, E. I. (1987). Comparative Studies of African Traditional Religions. Onitsha: 

Imico. 

Milingo, E. (1984). The World in Between: Christian Healing and the Struggle for 

Spiritual Survival. London: C. Hurst & Co. 

Nyamiti, C. (1984).  Christ as our Ancestor: Christology from an African Perspective. 

Givero, Zimbabwe: Mambo Press. 

Obi, C. A. (2006). “Christian Levites”: Appreciating the Role Lay Catechists in 

Ministry. In I.M.C Obinwa (ed). Collaborative Ministry in the Context of 

Inculturation. Onitsha: Africana First Publishers Ltd., 276-298. 



406 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century 

… (2013). Religion as Basis of Social Order. In G.U. Ukagba, Des O. Obi and I.J. 

Nwankwor, The Kpim of Social Order. A Season of Social Uprising. USA: 

Xlibris Corporation, 425-450. 

Oburoto, A. (2001). Theological and Philosophical Studies in the Major Seminary. In 

V.M. Okeke (ed.). Bigard Memorial Jubilee Essays. Nsukka: Fulladu 

Publishing Company, 69-86  

Onaiyekan, J. (1991). Christological Trends in Contemporary African Theology: A 

Challenge to Nigerian Theologians. The Nigerian Journal of Theology 1(6): 

11-27. 

… (2016) Theology and Context: Inculturation and Evangelization in Africa. Abuja: 

Paulines Publication in Africa. 

Onimhawo, J. A. and C. O. Adamu (2011), Religion and Human Values for 

Sustainable Development in Nigeria: In J. A. Onimhawo, Human and 

Religious Development in Nigeria: Theoretical and Methodological Issues. 

Ibadan. Sanifos Punishers, 19-34. 

Oshitelu, G. O. (2007). History of the Aladura (Independent) Churches 1918-1940: An 

Interpretation. Ibadan: Hope Publications. 

Otto, R. (1958). The Idea of the Holy: An Inquiry into the Non-rational Factor in the 

Idea of the Divine and Its relation to the Rational. Oxford: Oxford University 

Press. 

PCID. (2004). A Guide for Teaching African Traditional Religion, Islam, Interreligious 

Dialogue in Catholic major Seminaries, House of Religious Formation and 

Institutions of Higher Learning in Sub-Saharan Africa. Vatican City: 

Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. 

Quarcoopome, T.N.O. (1987). West African Traditional Religion. Ibadan: African 

Universities Press. 

Tamuno, T.N. (1994). Traditional Methods of Crime Detection and Control in 

Nigeria. Orita: Ibadan Journal of Religious Studies xxvi(2): 25-41. 

Ukpong, J. S. (1989). Pluralism and the Problem of Discernment of Spirits. The 

Ecumenical Review  41(3): 416-425.  


