Since the inception of Religion, it has been the work of those that believed in tolerance (biri ka m biri) that have taken it upon themselves to checkmate the insatiable nature of man to lord it over others among our people.
Religion has been accused by some who called themselves atheists to be the beginning and end to the problem of man. For them remove religion, and the world will be peaceful. These people have also failed to understand that they too drinks from the intoxicating wine of intolerance that leads to extremism. Exactly why people like me strongly believed that Atheism too is religion. Those of them that seeks for the destruction of religion for the problem of the world to be solved are the extremist atheists, while those of them that never believed, but yet understands the freedom inherent in us as free beings to believe and not to believe are the tolerant ones. Those of them too religious atheists can drift into using of bombs and weapons to stop people from believing. It is a matter of time. Those that argue or doubt this should look back at the time we all argued and said that a Nigerian can never become suicide bombers. That they too much love their lives. We where proven wrong when Northern Nigeria Islamists started bombing themselves including others around them as suicide bombers. Even a mother carrying a baby at her back had to detonate her bomb at a Market in northern Nigeria killing many more people. An angry atheist can degenerate to this destructive method. How come it offends you so much to verbally attack people for believing in God?
Over here in Africa, especially in Igbo land, we have failed to manage religion properly. We are torn between a foreign religion and traditional religion. Both politicians and leaders have also cashed into it. Not forgetting extremists from both religions that brings setbacks and disunity among us as a people.
It is important we x-ray the earliest beginning a little here. It is important to note here that the Igbo was without Christianity until the coming of the whiteman. It was Igbo Traditional religion. These religion isn't a law, yet many worshiped different gods in accordance to their ancestors and clan.
When the Europeans came in, they as well came with both religion and government. It didn't take time before some people started choosing the whiteman's religion. But not without persecution. It was even showcased in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart when Okonkwo's son Nwoye became one of the earliest converts. He was ostracized, sent out of his father's house and nearly killed by her father on one certain occasion.
One of Urualla finest Late Sir. James B. Onyia in his autobiography "In My Father's Footsteps" narrated how his father, an early convert in Urualla suffered lots of persecution from the majority AMAALA as they were called then. They were always locked indoors to avoid being killed. On too many occasions, according to him, his father escaped assassination. The early Christians were persecuted by their brothers and sisters that stood with Amaala.
Table turned when Christianity started growing. The Christians became more in number and started the same persecution. This time around it was gentle and at times harsh. The Christians that started with enticing non believers in Christ with gifts and good things of life started subtle persecution. Those that doesn't belong to the Christian fold was denied certain associations. That was during the time of Orthodox churches like Catholic, CMS etc, until Pentecostalism came with their much more attack to Omenala.
There and then an attack on Igbo Omenala was born and lunched.
Drinking palmwine became a sin, but red win not a sin.
Masquerade became a sin but Halloween and father Christmas wears not a sin.
Oji became a sin. Even using palmwine during Igba Nkwu ceremony became abrogated by over zealous Christians. Some stopped attending Ọgbakọ Umunna, saying they can't mingle with sinners.
While overzealous Christians are doing this, those of them overzealous Traditional Religious group calling themselves Omenala are attacking back. Personally I see both as a danger to our Omenala. While over zealous Christians are making mess of our culture, those of them traditional worshippers are subjecting our Omenala to religion alone.
I submit that our culture is not religion and can never be religion. With whatever you believe in, you can still practice our Omenala. You can marry in our way, wear our traditional attire, or join Eriri ji Ọhụrụ festival.
Religious extremism, coming from Christians, Traditionalists or atheists should not be tolerated!
Elochukwu Ohagi, 2019.
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