By Daniel Mwambonu, The President of Global Pan Africanism Network (GPAN) —
Percent of Population Practicing Indigenous African Religions (1900, 1970, and 1990), and Percent of Population Practicing Major Religions in Africa Today (Indigenous Religions, Islam, and Christianity)
The continent of Africa is home to many indigenous religions: Vodun, Ifá, Badimo, Dini Ya Misambwa, Ọdinani, and countless others. A century ago, these were the dominant faiths across the continent, but today, only about 10% of Africans practice an indigenous religion.
90% of Africans today practice foreign religions that were brought up through colonialism and slavery.
When we had our indigenous religions Africa was very prosperous and so peaceful but after embracing colonial religion, violence has increased in many countries.
In Nigeria Muslims have been slaughtering Christians in broad daylight yet we are one people united by a common ancestry.
All these acts of brutality are happening fueled by religious differences and the desire of some religions to impose themselves on people who don’t subscribe to their faith.
In 21st century I believe that Africans have a right to exercise their unalienable right to choose religion of their choice.
I believe that no man or country has a right to force entire nation or population to subscribe to a certain belief.
Anything that uses force or coercion is a form of slavery thus many Africans have fallen into religious enslavement for hundreds of years.
A state having one religion imposed on entire population is like going in into hotel and forcing everyone to eat pork and ugali.
The fact is not everyone eats that therefore there is need for people to be given freedom to choose what they will eat.
Days of slavery and colonialism when Africans were indoctrinated to recite things they don’t know and to believe what they don’t believe are over.
We must walk into religious freedom and make independent choices to determine our spirituality.
Religion is probably the greatest problem holding Africa from progress many Philosophers have said that but how did they come to assert this?
Many faiths are driven by burning desire to impose their faith on other people using peculiar means while others using force.
The more Africans became religious the higher the rate of poverty shot up as pastors and priests made a huge kill from offerings that were brought before them by submissive lambs.
The big question is are Africans allergic to wealth and prone to exploitation by foreign missionaries who used religion as a tool to suppress Africans and strip them off their culture?
Europeans have became gays and now Richard Quest is trying to impose his gay beliefs on Kenyans.
When Theresa May came to Africa she promised to help Ghanians implement gay policy and had offered £200 million pounds to fund abortions in Africa.
In African society children are sacred and a blessing but due to imposition of western beliefs Nigerian minister started drumming up for creation of a new law to limit the number of children a woman can have!
Nigerians are undoubtedly the most religious and also the poorest in Africa.
When everything is going wrong you will hear Nigerian governors and legislatures saying things like “God will make a way.”
“Everything is under control.”
“To God be glory.”
“Let us put this drowning economy in prayer.” So they say as they continue looting resources and using Bible to defend their corrupt lifestyles.
Is Africa going to the dogs because we have chosen to believe what they believe and to live how they live?
Its about time we stop dreaming and believe what we believe and not what they Believe.
If there is poor leadership holding back our progress as a nation let us replace them with good leaders.
Believing in fake leaders to bring change is like stealing from yourself or lying to yourself.
We need to wake up as a nation and liberate ourselves from mental enslavement that has allowed the West to control us like puppets.
If there are no schools let us crowd fund and build new schools.
Let us take charge of our destiny as a people and as a nation.
Its only through this that the West will begin to respect us and our culture.
We Africans had our own culture before colonialism and now is the right time to go back to our roots and culture.
Never have our ancestors been told what to do ,how to live or what to believe because they had their own lifestyles and culture.
We must stand up for our values and culture for it is the supreme law of the land.
Our culture is what guided our ancestors for thousands of years they never went astray.
Our African women must stop aping western lifestyles and embrace African originality.
We are African people so why should we wear blonde hair imported from Brazil?
I laud Liberian Finance minister for taking action to curb wastage of funds by banning wearing of unnatural hair.
Upholding our African pride and black identity is the first step towards decolonization of minds.
Let us together together and make Africa the tree of life.
