Resort to paganism and idolatry: Increasing misapplication of energy by Igbo Youths
Appreciation of the virtues of the African Traditional Religion (ATR) is assuming a culture of renaissance among the Igbo youths. There is one side of the new awareness which aims at correcting the erroneous impression of the African lacking the knowledge of God (Chukwu) before the coming of the White Christian missionaries. That school of thought emphasises the existence and awareness of God among the Africans from time.
There is however the other side of the renaissance – a pseudo renaissance which is clearly driven by ignorance and hopelessness, essentially caused by uncertain economic climate in the country, which some charlatans seek to overcome by playing on the vulnerability of their kinsmen and other unwary Nigerians. It is a case of motion without movement. This is so because this will not in any way alleviate the poverty in our land today. In the Awka variant of Igbo, it is expressed in the form of “Onye lee nkita du bie golu enwe, ifve mmakpu ka du bie”, loosely translated to one selling a dog in his household to buy a monkey, in the vain thoughts that he had done away with carnivorous animals.
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This is more so, especially considering Africa’s ineptitude and or susceptibility resulting in over dependency on religious beliefs rather than balancing it with realities of life. Shifting from one religious practice (Christianity) to another (Idolatry) should not be the problem of Igbo youths. The Bible says we should “always pray, and never give up” (Luke 18:1), but it doesn’t say anywhere that we should only pray. In fact, there are Biblical commands to do good works beyond just praying, so sometimes to only pray would be a sin. Praying should never be an excuse for not working.
The same is applicable to African religious practice. After our forefathers broke kolanuts and poured libations in the morning, they picked up their matchet and headed for their farms. That was hard work in essence.
However, contrary to this practice of ‘aka aja-aja‘ (enterprise) as my big brother would usually say to me, youths would rather sit tight in churches and chapels praying and worshipping all week and all year round. Those who are laying claims to returning to the ways of our ancestors have also chosen to gather in the morning to break kolanuts and pour libations without picking their matchets (work tools) and going to work. They would rather sit tight over the bottle of spirits and hot drinks used for libations and drink themselves to stupor by 8am in the morning, day in, day out.
The excuse for this unproductive lifestyle is quite handy. “The government has failed us”, they readily echo. Both the educated and uneducated, the employable and the unemployable are blaming the government. One is not holding brief for the government; indeed, its failure is obvious. This does not in any way eliminate the individual failures of the youths. Rather than adopt potent measures to face and put the government in check, they would rather do nothing or at best work as willing tools for political thuggery.
What we require at this stage is not a shift from one religious practice to another, but a change of attitude and a need to be productive and self-reliant. Let religion not be an issue of disagreement and disaffection. “As for me and my family, we will worship Jehova. And if it seems evil unto you to serve Jehovah, choose you this day whom ye will serve”. Above all, choose a handiwork and earn a living. ‘Nkiti aduro mma onuno’ (idleness is not a virtue).
Nche Nwabunnia, Ibobo Nibo, wrote from Nibo, Anambra state