Research Articles (Biblical and Religious Studies)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/17108

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Women, biblical texts and COVID-19 in Zimbabwe : navigating the mental health terrain
(Africa Journals, 2024-03) Manyonganise, Molly
From its onset in Zimbabwe, COVID-19 disrupted the mental health of many Zimbabweans. Its quick transmission and viciousness caused fear and panic as people tried to ensure their safety from infection. When lockdown was first declared as the death toll slowly climbed up, it became clear that a number of people would suffer from mental health problems mainly because of isolation, failure to take care of the sick loved ones as well as stigmatization of those who got infected and recovered. In most cases, name calling resulted from ignorance of how to treat those who had recovered from the disease. While recovery was celebrated, the recovered patients were labelled as ‘vaya vakamborwara neCOVID’ (those ones who once suffered from COVID) or ‘pamba peveCOVID-19’ (the home of the COVID-19 sufferers, sic). As infection cases soared and hope seemed to be lost, many people turned to religion. The genderedness of the pandemic became clear as women suffered the most, both as carergivers for the sick as well as from Gender-based Violence (GBV). In such cases, the deployment of biblical texts took centre-stage in most Zimbabwean societies and beyond as women tried to make meaning of their situation. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to investigate how biblical texts were deployed by women for the sake of taking care of their mental health in a threatening environment. The intention is to establish the many ways that religion becomes a useful resource in pandemic contexts particularly for the mental wellbeing of women in Zimbabwe. This is largely a qualitative paper which utilizes in-depth interviews of women in Harare’s Central Business District (CBD). The African Womanist Approach informs the study.
'When faith is not enough' : encounters between African indigenous religious practices and prophetic Pentecostal movements in Zimbabwe
(MDPI, 2024-01-16) Manyonganise, Molly
African Pentecostalism remains the fastest growing form of Christianity on the African continent. Scholarship on Zimbabwean Pentecostalism has noted how the emergence of New Pentecostal Movements (NPMs), specifically Prophetic Pentecostalism (PP), has increased this growth. Apart from other attracting factors, such as the Holy Spirit, claims of faith healing, deliverance and prophecy, among others, African Pentecostalism is known for its emphasis on faith as a major anchor of any Pentecostal Christian. Hebrews 11, with its emphasis on faith, is, therefore, a central scripture in this Christian tradition. However, the emergence of NPMs at the height of the Zimbabwean crisis from the year 2008 to the present, has challenged Zimbabwean Pentecostal Christians from their sole dependency on faith. The crisis called for much more than faith could stand on its own. Hence, NPMs responded to this need by infusing indigenous religious practices with biblical ones as a way of strengthening believers through the crisis. Prophetic Pentecostal Movements (PPMs) in Zimbabwe introduced touchable objects such as anointed towels, handkerchiefs, wrist bands, stickers, oils and even condoms. While this appears to be sophisticated syncretism, a critical analysis of the practices shows how steeped they are in the African indigenous religious worldview. This article, therefore, seeks to examine the religious encounters between indigenous African religious practices and Pentecostal practices as practiced in the NPMs in Zimbabwe. The focus of this paper is to establish the resilience of indigenous religious practices within a Christian tradition that claims to have totally broken from the past. It further argues that the fast growth of PPMs depends on the ‘Christianization’ of indigenous religious practices, which are presented to believers as ‘purely biblical’. This is largely a desktop research project in which secondary sources were used as sources of data.
A duplication of marriages? An ethnographic account and assessment of the necessity for both traditional and Christian marriages for African Christians
(Africa Journals, 2024-03) Dube, Elijah Elijah Ngoweni
This article is based on ethnographic research for a doctoral study that was conducted in 2016 among the Ndau people of Chimanimani, Zimbabwe. The article described and assessed the practice of some African Christian churches, especially missionary founded churches, to conduct ‘white church weddings’ after getting married customarily. The study employs a postcolonial approach as a theoretical lens. It argues for a hybridized form of Christian marriage that takes into cognizance the validity of African customary marriages in and for themselves, while at the same time appreciating the importance ascribed to ‘church weddings’ in especially missionary-founded churches. The study uses the case study of the Ndau people, but the phenomenon is widely practised among African Christians across the continent. In the article, doctoral thesis findings were related with Erlank’s (2014) work on marriages in South Africa. The article offered description, critique (postcolonial, gender, class), and suggested interventions. Critical phenomenology was utilized to assess the findings and to expose the power relations that exist in the hierarchical treatment of African customary marriages as of an inferior status compared to church weddings. The economic aspect of the duplication of marriages was also foregrounded. The article underscores the importance of ethnographic research on religion as a human phenomenon in Southern Africa and beyond, as well as a critical assessment of the phenomenon. It provided several possible interventions for African missionary-founded churches.
They have killed your prophets : Roman Catholic Church priests in Nigeria and (non) state actors
(AOSIS, 2024-07-03) Uroko, Favour Chukwuemeka
This article examines why Roman Catholic priests are targeted by kidnappers and Islamic extremists in Nigeria. Although there have been studies carried out on kidnapping in Nigeria, to the best of the researcher’s knowledge, the literature on why Roman Catholic Church priests are targets of kidnappers in Nigeria is difficult to find. In this study, the literature was extended to this area. Data were collected through classified documents from national and international gazettes and periodicals and analysed using documentary analysis. According to the findings, Roman Catholic priests are heavily involved in citizen education and human rights awareness in Nigeria and command media attention whenever they are attacked. Furthermore, the huge financial returns from the priests and their active participation in politics are other motivating factors for their present victim status. The recommendations are also discussed. CONTRIBUTION: Roman Catholic priests of Nigeria are targeted because of their active participation in politics, their efforts to strengthen Christianity in Nigeria, their role in educating citizens about their rights and privileges, and the large ransoms obtained from the relatives of these priests when they are kidnapped. These circumstances have practical implications for theology.
The therapeutic importance of the study of the effects of the near-death experience
(AOSIS, 2024-01-23) Jock, Agai Matthew
During the near-death experience (NDE), most percipients do express a high level of orderliness; yet at some instances, some percipients show some symptoms of trauma. It is pertinent to notice that a great quantity of academic work has been carried out about the excitements and awesomeness that comes alongside the NDE, but very little has been itemised about the traumatic or the negative aspects of the NDE. The aim of this research is to discuss the seemingly abnormal effects of the NDE that can be connected to the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is important to note that the life review is one of the major features of the NDE in which a percipient narrates vividly and logically his or her dying experiences that may or may not include a feeling of guilt. A phenomenological method is implored in this research because the researcher uses the life review feature to argue that there is both saneness and some distressing features observed among many NDE percipients. At the end of this study, the researcher argued that the NDE may provide scanty evidence or possibilities for symptoms that pertained to a PTSD that may require a therapeutic and medical attention. CONTRIBUTION: The researcher challenges the current status quo, which does not provide any guide or therapy for NDE percipients. The researcher therefore instigates the need for the psychiatrists and other caregivers to begin to develop some guide or therapy for NDE percipients especially those who experience a negative NDE
COVID-19 vaccines, sexual reproductive health and rights : negotiating sensitive terrain in Zimbabwe
(AOSIS, 2024-02-28) Manyonganise, Molly
The COVID-19 period caused a lot of suffering globally, as millions lost their lives while others went through the pain of being infected. The introduction of vaccines to minimise chances of infection and death was a welcome development. However, it was also fraught with its own challenges in the area of sexual health and rights of both women and men. Scholarship on gender and religion noted the way women failed to access contraception in a period in which sexual activity had increased as most couples were together for long periods of time. The introduction of vaccines was accompanied by a lot of misinformation. Lack of clarity on the effect of the vaccines on pregnant and lactating mothers caused a lot of anxiety. This was exacerbated by the information that was being circulated on social media platforms that the vaccines would interfere with individuals’ reproductive capacity. Yet African religio-cultural beliefs and practices place so much importance on both women and men’s ability to have children. In fact, one’s respectability in African indigenous societies is greatly linked to their ability to have children. This article seeks to examine the fears of some Zimbabweans to accept COVID-19 vaccines, establishing how these fears were tied to issues of sexual reproductive health and rights. The article focuses on showing how the terrain of sexual health and rights is a sensitive one which called for caution in a COVID-19 context in Zimbabwe. Data for the article were gathered through informal interviews and social media platforms. CONTRIBUTION : The article makes a significant contribution to the way COVID-19 interfaced with issues to do with SRHR in Zimbabwe.
Church uniforms as signs of piety : an exploration of the significance of church regalia in the United Baptist Church of Zimbabwe
(Southern African Missiological Society, 2024) Dube, Elijah Elijah Ngoweni
The church founded by the South Africa General Mission (SAGM) missionaries in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe, is now called the United Baptist Church (UBC) of Zimbabwe (Dube, 2017; 2022). Like other missionary-founded churches in Zimbabwe and elsewhere in Southern Africa, its members wear church uniforms. Missionaries introduced church uniforms in these churches to foster uniformity and to distinguish between Christians and non-Christians. These church uniforms are only bestowed to certain members who meet certain established criteria, especially at UBC. The departments (youths, women, and men) have different church uniforms. While church uniforms are not a problem, the unintended consequences of having church uniforms that only some qualify to wear and not all the members have been quite a major bone of contention within the church. This article focuses on church uniforms in general and at UBC. The article is a phenomenological study of the phenomenon, presented from an emic perspective. It employs the theological approach to assess the relevance of church uniforms. It recommends that inside piety should be more of the focal point in African Christian churches, not church uniforms that only adorn the outside.
Religion, water and climate change : are theologies of African Initiated churches in Zimbabwe adaptable?
(AOSIS, 2024-11) Manyonganise, Molly; Matutu, Tawanda
An eco-theological analysis of African Initiated Churches (AICs) has revealed that most of these churches use water for a myriad of rituals ranging from baptism to consecratory rites. Their affinity with water even qualifies them to be dubbed water-based churches; yet, the world is faced with an imminent scarcity of this natural resource. The United Nations echoed that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene are the most basic human needs for health and well-being; but it has observed that unless the water situation improves, by 2030, billions of people will lack access to these services because of climate change. Given this reality, there is a genuine need to examine the possibility of having the eco-theologies of AICs adapted to suit these emerging realities. The paper explores how water is used in the religiosity of the AICs in an effort to elucidate the possible challenges to be encountered because of climate change. It then examines the possibility of realigning the water uses to the current climatic trajectory. The article is largely based on desktop research which utilises secondary sources. CONTRIBUTION: This article makes a critical contribution to the body of knowledge by making an analysis of the adaptability of AICs’ conceptualisation and use of water in a climate change context. An eco-theological analysis is crucial as it enables the nuancing of AICs’ theologies so that they conform to a world in a climate crisis.
The place of water in the Ndau religion of Zimbabwe
(AOSIS, 2024-10) Dube, Elijah Elijah Ngoweni; u15029892@up.ac.za
There is a gap in studies focussing on Ndau traditional religion and water. Most research addresses nature conservation rather than examining how water is perceived by the Ndau people. This study aims to explore the relationship between the Ndau and water, filling the gap in understanding the significance of water in the Ndau traditional religion of Zimbabwe. The study was based on a literature review focussing on published works, available as open access on the Internet regarding the Ndau people and their relationship with nature. It was presented from an emic perspective by the author, who was born and bred among the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The author was conscious of the need not to impose his own views. Triangulation of information from other sources was utilised to ensure the integrity of the data presented in this article. The main findings indicate that the Ndau people of Zimbabwe have a complex relationship with water, which they regard as sacred. They believe that water is protected by spirits. Taboos assist the Ndau in safeguarding water resources for both present and future generations. The study concluded that Ndau traditional leadership, along with the broader Ndau community, should take further action to preserve wetlands and water resources. The sacredness of water among the Ndau must be upheld to ensure the sustainability of these vital resources. CONTRIBUTION: The article contributes to the discourse on water and spiritualities, focussing on the Ndau people of Zimbabwe. The place of water among the Ndau had not been explored before. The article contributes to the Journal’s focus on sustainable development goals, specifically number 6: Clean water and sanitation.
Unmasking Nigeria’s leadership conundrum : the role of the church
(AOSIS, 2024-08) Onuorah, Chioma P.
The intricacies of Nigeria’s leadership challenges present a formidable obstacle to the nation’s progress. Corruption, political instability, and ethnic and religious tensions form a complex web that impedes development. While studies often analyse the political mobilisation of religious groups, some failed to recognise their potential to bring about positive changes in governance. This research addresses this gap by examining how the Church, with its network and moral influence, can tackle Nigeria’s leadership hurdles and promote sustainable development. Utilising historical and descriptive research methods, the study explores the Church’s involvement in shaping Nigerian society and politics. It acknowledges the challenges the Church faces in navigating the socio-political landscape and highlights its role in advocating for ethical leadership and effective governance. By exploring both historical contexts and contemporary realities, the article emphasises the importance of the Church’s active engagement in advancing Nigeria’s democratic progress and socio-economic growth, offering valuable insights for civil society and religious organisations to enhance their collaboration. CONTRIBUTION: This study significantly contributes to tackling leadership challenges in Nigeria by emphasising the crucial role of the Church and promoting collaborative governance approaches as a means to achieve positive societal change and transformation.
Humans and the de-creation of God in the contemporary society
(AOSIS, 2024-07) Ekeke, Emeka C.; Nwosu, Enyioma E.
The contemporary era witnesses a profound shift in humanity’s relationship with the concept of God, characterised by the de-creation of traditional religious frameworks. This paper provides an overview of this phenomenon, tracing its background in the context of sociocultural, philosophical, and scientific developments. The aim of this study is to comprehensively explore the de-creation of God in contemporary society, with three main objectives: analysing the contributing factors, examining its implications on religious institutions and spiritual practices, and investigating alternative expressions of spirituality. Employing a multidisciplinary approach, the literary method involves a synthesis of scholarly literature from sociology, philosophy, theology, and the natural sciences. Findings reveal the complex interplay of secularisation, scientific rationalism, cultural pluralism, and ethical critique in shaping the contemporary landscape of religious belief and spirituality. Despite the challenges posed to traditional religious institutions, the emergence of new spiritual movements and ethical frameworks signifies a potential for creative reimagining and exploration of human spirituality. In conclusion, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamic interplay between culture, belief, and meaning-making in contemporary society, shedding light on the transformative processes reshaping humanity’s conception of God. CONTRIBUTION: This study provides a deeper understanding of the changing dynamics of modern spirituality and religious belief, bringing valuable insights into the process of decreation of God in the contemporary society. It prompts theological reflection on the impact of secularisation, scientific rationalism, and cultural pluralism, while exploring alternative spiritual expressions.
I believe in water : a religious perspective on rain and rainmakers
(AOSIS, 2024-08) Beyers, Jaco; jaco.beyers@up.ac.za
Water has always played a significant role in religions. This contribution seeks to investigate comparatively the figure of the rainmaker as presented in Traditional African religions and biblical texts. The phenomenon of the rainmaker is at the centre of this investigation. In Traditional African religions, the rainmaker is not only a figure controlling rain but also has a substantial social standing. In biblical texts, the rainmaker (of which Samuel and Elijah can be considered as examples), functions more like a prophet without an elite social and political status. Despite the differences in the status of the rainmaker among Traditional African religions and biblical texts, both traditions make it abundantly clear that rain originates with God. God sends or withholds the rain. The figure of the rainmaker as a social leader can today contribute to instilling a sense of using water responsibly and guiding communities in considering climate action to ensure sustainable living on land and water. A sense of concern over the responsible use of water will bind communities together. In this way, water can be a binding factor and stimulating topic-enhancing interreligious dialogue. CONTRIBUTION: This contribution is a comparative study of the phenomenon of the rainmaker as presented in Traditional African religions and biblical texts. It aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, number 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation); number 13 (Climate Action) and number 15 (Life on Land).
Interreligious dialogue
(AOSIS, 2023) Beyers, Jaco; jaco.beyers@up.ac.za
Interreligious dialogue is a process of communication and an attempt at establishing mutual respect and understanding between people from different and even no religious affiliation. The desired outcome of interreligious dialogue is to promote peace, create understanding, work towards cooperation in multi-religious societies, and if at all possible, social cohesion. This endeavour requires persistence, patience and a commitment to finding common ground while respecting the diversity of religious beliefs and practices.
Bindepinde [stout rope] theology and religio-political dialogue in Zimbabwe
(AOSIS, 2023-12-26) Dube, Edmore
The article is motivated by a growing interest to solve local problems by infusing indigenous knowledge systems. It discusses the strained interface between religious and political actors using a local brand of theology, termed bindepinde [stout rope] theology. This theology is based on a local fable told to children, on how a Hare abused Hippopotamus and Elephant using a tethering rope. The folk story is taken as a metaphor in which Hare represents the sly politician abusing the rope to control Hippopotamus and Elephant, representing religious actors. Though Zimbabwe has a special place in this research, the research has shown that politicians act as third forces the world over. Religious entities often act as fodder for the progress of political demagogues, whose egos are legitimised by competing religious ideologies. Many religious bodies inadvertently enable politicians, thinking that they are fulfilling their own mandates. The article proposes negotiated versions of liberation theology and synodality as possible ways of overcoming inadvertent scaffolding of bindepinde theology. It concludes that while it may be difficult to tame the politician, it may be worthwhile to minimise the damage by making him focus more on the common good. CONTRIBUTION : This article contributes bindepinde brand of theology as an indigenous theory of knowledge in the area of religio-political dialogue. The bindepinde theology has proved applicable to various contexts globally, where it thrives on dualism. Its mitigation lies in Kairos theology.
A fart in the corridors of power : a socio-theological analysis of Evan Mawarire and Raymond Mpandasekwa’s activism
(AOSIS, 2023-12-26) Muzambi, Prosper; Dombo, Sylvester
#ThisFlag movement was started by Pastor Evan Mawarire in April 2016 bemoaning the collapse of the Zimbabwean economy at the hands of the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) government under President Robert Mugabe. Although it started off as accidental, it, however, galvanised disparate groups and enabled them to transform anger against the state from online media to the streets. #ThisFlag movement officially started on the 20th of April 2016, when Pastor Mawarire wearing the Zimbabwean flag posted a video to his Facebook page decrying the state of the economy and what he felt was government's neglect of its duties to serve the citizens of Zimbabwe. Although one government minister described Mawarire's actions as a 'pastor's fart in the corridors of power', the reaction by the state security agents points to the contrary. Street protests have been banned. This article interrogates the transformation of #ThisFlag movement from an online struggle to street protests that have turned violent. It also looks at other movements that are complementing #ThisFlag and how the state is responding to these protests both on the social media and on the ground. Evan Mawarire may be considered as an unusual voice from the ever mushrooming new church establishments. As such, it becomes a point of interest to find out what voice there is, which represents what is commonly viewed as mainline churches. Such a voice is identified as coming from Bishop Raymond Mpandasekwa of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Chinhoyi who in one of his sermons delivered an acerbic attack on Mnangagwa's government as a 'blood thirsty' government. The study explored the messages of Mawarire and Mpandasekwa using the socio-theological lenses as guided by Rawls' theory of civil disobedience. CONTRIBUTION : This study locates #ThisFlag activism in the context of toxic transformative politics in Zimbabwe. In addition, it contributes to our understanding of the relationship between religion and politics in an unstable political and economic setting. It calls for a re-thinking of the role of the church in Zimbabwean society and discusses the state's response to those deemed to be not towing the line. It shows that while some religious organisations and groups are too keen to be co-opted by the regime, some have effectively resisted this and have become combative as they fight for people's rights. Another important contribution is located in how these pastor-cum-activists have harnessed social media to amplify their voices and to reach huge audiences beyond the pulpit. The study is important because it contextualises the role of religion in the country's contemporary politics, and this fits into the scope of the journal in that it is a multidisciplinary study of both religion and politics.
South Africa General Mission (SAGM) missionaries and the Ndau people of Chimanimani, Zimbabwe
(Southern African Missiological Society, 2022) Dube, Elijah Elijah Ngoweni
South Africa General Mission (SAGM) missionaries evangelized the Chimanimani District of Zimbabwe from 1897 onwards. SAGM missionaries focused exclusively on this Ndau territory in the light of the pact between missionaries that did not allow them to encroach into territories where other missionaries were already involved. This was to avoid what the missionaries called ‘competing for souls’. This article presents an emic study of this work that the SAGM missionaries initiated in Zimbabwe. The article follows a desk analysis approach (Chitando and Biri, 2016). It uses primary sources in the form of the South African Pioneer, articles that were written by several SAGM missionaries that were involved in this evangelization work. The article finds that SAGM missionaries, like missionaries elsewhere, had a paternalistic attitude towards the Ndau people and as a result the Ndau were not very welcoming to these “guests” at least in the first few decades of their work in Chimanimani District.
Religious faith traditions tussle with rampant corruption toward sustainable development : search for the missing links in light of ubuntu
(University of the Free State, Faculty of Theology, 2022-06) Chinyena, E.
There is a raging debate in scholarly discourse on the role of religious faith traditions in influencing firm dispositions on various institutions and economic growth. Religious faith traditions are fighting rampant corruption that is drawing back socio-economic growth. The vice contradicts the religious faith principles of being virtuous. The church has a mandate to challenge and speak out against corruption. Corrupt tendencies permeate all institutions and cultures in the world, leading to general retrogression in sustainable development. This article aims to seek the missing links in empowering anti- corruption officials in their stated targets. It investigates the achievements of the church in fighting all types and forms of corruption. The study adopts both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Interviews and questionnaires are the data-collection tools. A cross- sectional survey study design was used to collect data from a stratified random sampling of 100 respondents by means of structured questionnaires in Harare, Zimbabwe. The church has a moral and social obligation to fulfil its prophetic mission of fighting corruption. This article analyses how the church can influence the state apparatus in the fight against corruption.
Realist literature, gender and gullibility in African Pentecostalism : the case of Chiundura Moyo's Kereke Inofa
(AOSIS, 2023-03) Gudhlanga, Enna S.; Madongonda, Angeline M.; Manyonganise, Molly
There is a general consensus among religious scholars that Pentecostalism has risen phenomenally in Africa and Zimbabwe is no exception. In most cases, Pentecostalism has been presented as a sophisticated brand of Christianity while members of African Independent churches are shown to be gullible. The newly founded Pentecostal churches are more focused on gospreneurship while the media is busy with cases of cheating, dishonesty and the sexual abuse of women in these churches. Thus, academic scholars have begun to pay their attention on gullibility in Pentecostalism. Unfortunately, not many scholarly works have looked at literary texts that bring out the gullibility of members of Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe. This article seeks to bridge this gap by analysing Aaron Chiundura Moyo’s Kereke Inofa [The Church Can die]. The main purpose is to bring out the significance of literary texts in projecting societal ills, specifically the gender power dynamics in Zimbabwean Pentecostal churches that may be difficult to deal with directly. The focus is on how women and some men are victims of the whims of some Pentecostal church leaders. The article is informed by the socio-historical approach, which states that artists derive the material for their works of art, subject matter, images and artistic languages from the life experiences of their societies. The socio-historical approach enables the researcher to understand the prevalence of gullibility in Pentecostal churches in Zimbabwe. The article relies heavily on content analysis of Moyo’s Kereke Inofa’s presentation of deception, and infidelity in Pentecostal Churches being performed on members who are projected in this play as ‘gullible’.
“God is in control” : religious coping in sermons about the COVID-19 pandemic in the Reformed Church in Zambia
(Springer, 2024-02) Kroesbergen-Kamps, Johanneke
Coping is one of the mechanisms employed by people to deal with crises or disasters such as the global COVID-19 pandemic. The RCOPE, developed by Kenneth Pargament et al., is a quantitative scale to measure styles of religious coping. This article applies the RCOPE qualitatively to live-streamed sermons in the Reformed Church in Zambia, held in the two-month lockdown period in Zambia from the end of March to the end of May 2020. A total of 20 pastors contributed 134 sermons that were transcribed and analyzed using the full RCOPE. The results show that pastors in the RCZ mainly encourage their audiences to seek spiritual support, gain control over the situation, and give a positive meaning to the pandemic. The idea that God is in control is important behind all of these means of religious coping in the Zambian sermons. This qualitative analysis also discovered possible lacunae in the RCOPE questionnaire, especially concerning its applicability to evangelical forms of global Christianity, such as the lack of attention to God’s intervention and control.
Alcohol abuse in African traditional religion : education and enlightenment as panacea for integration and development
(AOSIS, 2023-05) Ekeke, Emeka C.; John, Elizabeth O.
Alcoholism is endemic in Nigeria’s traditional religion and society. This abuse is especially common at New Yam festivals, Ekpe, Ekpo and Nmanwu masquerades festivals, burial rituals, birth, marriage and naming ceremonies. Some claim that this is driven by specific beliefs and activities in African culture, such as beliefs in ancestors, libation, hospitality and entertaining guests and strangers and the desire to maintain the cultural traditions of the ancestors. Alcohol abuse has generated major health and social issues for abusers, their families and society, plunging families, towns and tribes into crises and conflicts that bring economic and political retrogression. This research studied how the African traditional religion encourages alcohol misuse and how to decrease it for national development. This study was on Nigeria’s South-South region. The study uses qualitative and ethnographic research methodologies, including key informants, in-depth and focus group interviews and the reward deficiency syndrome as a theoretical framework. Although African Traditional Religion (ATR) supports alcohol usage, greed, a lack of self-control, peer pressure, indiscipline and lack of moral upbringing led to alcohol misuse, which harms the person, family, community and country as a whole. Education and enlightenment are a remedy to free alcoholics and utilise them for national integration and development.

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