The Impact Of Christianity On Rural Areas: Case Study Of The Ogonis’

The impact of Christianity on rural areas with direct reference to Ogoni traditional religion in every way would be better appreciated when one takes the mind back to the conflicting experience encountered by the early missionaries and the colonial masters, who had a lot to do to convince their victims to drop their basic traditional worshiping for Christianity.

This paper shall dwell on the positive and negative impact of Christianity on the Ogoni traditional worship with respect to rural areas where all other forms of traditional worshiping thrives not just the Ogoni.

Religion, Christianity, traditional worship and Ogoni traditional worship are some of the major concepts covered in this paper.

Keywords: Religion, Christianity, Traditional worship, Ogoni traditional Kingdom etc

Before the advent of colonialism and coming of Christianity and Islam to Nigeria in particular and to Africa in general, indigenous religions existed.

Traditional Religion in Nigeria is practiced by Nigerians in Nigeria. Nigerian Traditional Religion is still in existence.

Though the impact of the Nigerian traditional religion is not felt until issues like land disputes, environmental pollution, traditional festivities et cetera that directly affects these worshippers occurs.

Traditional religion can be said to be as old as the mother earth itself especially when major continents of the world like Africa and Asia are brought into consideration.

This according to sociologist may be attributed to man’s feel of sub-ordination and need for stronger meta-physical powers to which it could ascribe its fortunes, success, frustrations and ambitions to.

The Ogoni Traditional Religion adumbrates the culture of the extended family system. The extended family system makes it possible for the adherents to see inter-relatedness of people whether from the father’s side or the mother’s side or both. This is because the nuclear family system is foreign to Nigeria. Much of the unfriendly attitudes Nigerians demonstrate to other. Nigerians are due to the emphasis of nuclear family system. It has led to unfriendly attitude found among cultures cultural clashes in recent times. These clashes are struggle over portions of land, resources and positions in government. Although communal clashes are part of human existence, they are prevalent in Nigeria in recent times. This is so because nuclear family system gives attention and preference to the father, mother and children only. Ogoni Traditional Religion, recognizes the extended family system, which is anchored on the principle of ‘Live and let live’ or ‘Be your brother’s keeper’. This is embedded in a community spirit, which emphasizes living and doing things in common.

This paper highlights the positive and negative impact of Christianity on Ogoni Traditional Religion with direct reference to the rural areas where Traditional religion is most practised.