An Overview of the Historiography of African Traditional Religion

Abstract

An African proverb has it that “He that does not know from where the rain started beating him would not know where it would end”. The relevance of historiography in the acquisition of genuine knowledge cannot be overemphasized. Regrettably, some contemporary scholars of African Traditional Religion pay little attention to the historical development of the said discipline, thereby leaving its sui generis to the whims and caprices of armchair and freelance writers. A situation which is retarding the embracement of the genuine spirit of African Traditional Religion by certain contemporary Africans. Scholars like Kanu (2015, p.23), Oguejiofor (2006, p.23), Mbiti (1969), and Idowu (1973), have written on the historiography of African Traditional Religion, and in all they agree that to think historical in the study of African Traditional Religion is to place oneself in a position of relevance, which, in turn, involves understanding and self-understanding. For the success of this academic work both the primary and the secondary sources of data collection have been adopted.The employment of the phenomenological, historical, and the sociological methods is for adequate analysis of the data collected. The use of the great man theory of history and the history from below is to encourage authenticity. The negligence of the writings of our predecessors poses a great threat to the complete development of the African Traditional Religion. Contemporary Scholars of African Traditional Religion must embrace the honest spirit of the discoveries of the past researchers, and writers on the said indigenous religion in Africa, for leverage in the ongoing campaign for the revival of the African traditional religious and cultural values which among other things promote truth, justice, peace, unity and respect for human life and dignity.