The Effect of Globalization on African Traditional Religious Rituals By ...

Port Harcourt Journal Of History & Diplomatic Studies | Vol.6 N0.3 September, 2019

The Effect of Globalization on African Traditional Religious Rituals By

Innocent Ogbonna Nweke, PhD Chukwu Odumeigwu Ojukwu University

Igbariam Campus ekedion@.08037953551

Abstract Globalization is the process of increasing interconnectedness between societies such that event in one part of the world have effect more and more in the other parts of the society, thus, a globalized world is a world that has its political, economical, cultural and social become more and more interconnected. This interconnectedness of the world has affected African Traditional Religion drastically. This work is going to look into how globalization has affected African Traditional Religion especially in the area of the rituals. This ritual is known as a form of behavior presented by custom, law, rule or regulations, these include; the mode of eating, dressing, language, worship etc. It was discovered that globalization affected African Traditional Religious Rituals drastically such that Africans are now loss in the way they do things. It encourages Africans to uphold their original identity and to think of developing the character of selfacceptance are against self rejection. The work used historical method of approach in its finding.

Introduction Africa is a continent made up of several languages, tribes and cultures. It can boast of several climatic regions and geographical zones. It has over 50 independent states who are members of United Nation (UN) and African Union (AU) respectively. Africans are similar in some respects which

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necessarily include religion, culture skin pigmentation, dress code, language, philosophy, social life and world view. We do not want to state the dissimilarities between African peoples. What we intend to express is rather their obvious features which distinguishes them out in the global forum. Dissimilarities therefore exist in languages spoken, dresses worn, geographical locations and climatic conditions among others.

Africans are therefore specific people with similar and different approaches to life, philosophy, religion and world view which also mark out other people like Europeans, Americans, Asians and Arabs.

African values and norms are embedded in their cherished culture. What makes the African district from other peoples of the world is her regard, respect, knowledge, pride and defence of her culture in the community of nations. This is what we can sell to the outside world. This is what other nations want to learn, know and understand. Because it is priced more than gold due to its inestimable value, we would want to know cherish, honour, and sell it like ourselves. At this point we should start strategizing how to sell it to the outside world. This globalizing African Traditional Rituals. It is possible because the rest of the world wants to know what is happening in the next town, village or country. The zeal and determination is made possible because the globe is connected technology wise to disseminate news and information on science and technology, politics, economics, culture and other aspects of human occupation. This brief work therefore looks at what globalizing African Traditional Rituals means. This especially relates to some African traditional values embedded in our culture. Understanding what African rituality is, is therefore necessary at this point.

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African Traditional Rituals

Africans are religiously conscious and tends to express this truth in their

practical life. Madu (2003) underscores this connection between Africans

and the Supreme Being thus:

African's cosmological base underscores the belief in the Supreme

Being, Deities, the spirit forces Ancestors. Man relates and communicates

with these spiritual beings in cults; otherwise called ritual actions.

Infact, man's helplessness in the face of the mysteries surrounding

him makes him recognize and acknowledge his dependence on these

forces, a situation which necessities his reciprocity to God/gods as his

creator,

sustainer and preserver. This is expressed in ritual actions. P.

26

Madu gave background reasons why the Africans engage in ritual religious

activities. Among the reasons postulated by him includes the African

believe that the origin and sustenance of his life is in the hands of God.

Added to this, the mystery about his life surpasses his conceptualization,

management and control. Subscribing to the assistance and direction of the

divinities therefore seemed to him as the way out.

The definition of ritual by Fairchielf (1965) will give us the steering this

write up really needs.

A ritual is a form of behavior prescribed by custom, law, rule or

regulation. among many primitive people, ritual is the thought to be

pleasing to the gods and deviations from the established ritual are

pushed ritual is considered especially important in church,

Fraternal, government and formal social activities, in admitting new

member in baptism, in initiations, in induction into office, in introducing

members to each other to the group. It is found in ceremonial chance,

feast, sacrifices, burials and many

other establishment forms of

activity. If many include prayers, testimonies, standing, bowing,

kneeling, clasping the hands, singing, marching, carrying across staff and

other in signal. (P. 262)

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Fairchild's definition of ritual is comprehensive enough. It specified areas of human action which can be labeled as ritual or ritualizing activity. As far as this brief reflection is concerned, it has given us insight into what African rituals stands for. African rituality is one with African culture. It is an expression of African culture through social behavior, cultural practice and orientation. African Traditional Ritual can then be said to be those expressions of cultural trait of the Africans in regard to their behavior.

The above cultural traits can be expanded to include: dress code, philosophy, religion, means of fitness, means of interactionism or its modes and world view among other conceptions. Certainly, Africans have what other peoples of the world want to learn from. The Igbo, for instance, in their world view see, life as a gift from God and therefore sacred. It has to be enhanced through human efforts. Africans abhor evil, injuring on the visitors and by implication any act of terrorism is considered as evil in it's entirely. Again, our dress code can be sold to the outside world as something equal or as alternative to French suit.

Having briefly itemized few African rituals, let us now look at globalization especially as it affects African culture and relationships.

What is Globalization? Globalization is better described than defined. Its description can leave one with the opportunity of being free or either incorrect definition or partial definition or one sided definition. Again, globalization as a term is seen and interpreted from various perspectives to understandings by different school of thought. Despite this ostensible fact we shall attempt few definitions and descriptions. Anowai (2010) defined globalization as:

The process of increasing interconnectedness between societies such that event in one part of the world more and more have effects on people and society far away, thus a globalized world is one in which

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political, economical, cultural and social events

become more and

interconnected, and also one in which they have more impact

(P.17).

From the perspective of Anowai therefore, the aims and objectives of

globalization is the pursuance of cooperation of political, economical,

social, scientific and technological ideologies, innovations, discoveries and

consumptions in the world. It pursues for common integration and

understanding in core areas in the minds of its proponents namely the

advanced world.

Ugwueye (2007) supported the view expressed by Anowai. He traced

globalization in Africa to the period of slave trade thus he said;

Globalization on the ability of many people's idea and technology to

move from country to country is not new. In Africa, it was initiated by

the slave trade and given impetus by colonization and Christian

missionaries. The early missionaries saw

African culture and

religion as deadly, adversary and as an evil that had to be eliminated.

Globalization was not handed down from heaven, it was not decreed by

the pope, and it did not emerge spontaneously. It was created by the

same dominant social forces in the world today to serve their specific

interest. (P. 102).

It is clear from Ugwueye's view that globalization as the current political, economic, social and cultural phenomenon is manmade. This means that is was created to serve specific purposes for specific masterminds. According to Ochigbo and as quoted by Ugwueye (2007), "Globalization has become the defining ideology that describes the fast-placed breaking down of barriers that use to define regions and nation states". Ugwueye explains this further by stating that the integrationists see it as a cross-national phenomenon, which forms and forces every part of the world into identical outlook and culture. The constructionists as he opines, see globalization in

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