Divinities in African Traditional Religion

Divinities are gods who emanated from Supreme Deity. They have attributes of the Supreme Being and are in essence His offspring. These divinities render service to the theocratic government of the world.

Categories of the Divinities

They can be divided into three categories based on their positions, functions and influence.

1. The Primordial Divinities

These are believed to be the divinities of heaven. They are believed to be in existence with the Supreme Being before the creation of the universe. They usually thought of as parking in the work of creation.

2. Deified Ancestors

These are human beings who are deified because of the extraordinary live they have lived.

3. Personification of Nature and Phenomena

These groups of divinities are spirits associated with hills, mountains, rivers, lakes or thick forest. Whatever is considered the abode of spirits becomes a sacred place.

Positions and Duties of the Divinities

The divinities have responsibilities. They are ministers with portfolios in the theocratic government of God. The belief is that God has delegated authority to them. They are intermediaries. People worship God through them. They are worshipped daily through sacrifices. They have temples, shrines,priests, priestesses and devotees. They are also semi-autonomous agents. Each of them is the executive head of his department. Their adherents see them as a means to an end and not an end in themselves.

Worship of divinities

Worship is an expression of man’s attitude towards God and other spiritual beings. It is an act of communication and communion between man and the supernatural world. It is a means of strengthening the cord of relationship between God and man and a mean so restoring broken communion as a result of sin.

Worship can be regular or occasional. There are also daily worships to adore God for his protection. The adoration is offered along new requests. It is not always flamboyant when compared with the communal one.

People can worship under special arrangements. Preparations are made in line with the need of the occasion. The nature of such worship depends on the prescription of the oracle. The annual festival observed in honour of each divinity is very elaborate and in characterized with merriment.

Objects of worship

Each divinity has his or her specific sacred objects which can either be symbols or emblems. The symbols are usually the anthropomorphic images of the divinity while the emblems can be sacred objects set aside as visual representations. The emblems are however kept out of profane gaze and must not be touched by ordinary persons. They are mostly kept in the temple or shrines where the priest and priestesses take care of them daily.