Patience Leonard, PBA Journalism MenteeA retired lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Professor Damian Opata, now a traditionalist, observes that Nigeria’s modern day youths are moving back to traditional religion in the most criminal and negative fashion, killing for money.
Professor Opata made this assertion during the 2022 Hybrid International Conference held at the Ikenga Hotels, Nsukka, a programme put together by the Department of Religion and Cultural Studies, UNN.
The theme of the programme, “Globalisation, Religion, Politics and Ecological Crisis in the 21st Century,’’ triggered lengthy debates among professors in Arts and Humanities and the Clergy. Bishop Godfrey Onah who was the keynote speaker, participated actively, alongside Prof. J.O Oguejiofor, Prof. D. Opata and Rev. Sr. Dr. M.J Obiora.
Arguing that ‘’our modern-day youths are surging back to tradition in full force’’ Professor Opata noted that “one who deals with deities ought to be very careful. Do not turn to deities for power and notion to destroy lives.”
He warned the young ones going back to tradition to tread with caution to avoid destroying themselves or families. According to him, many Nigerian youths use traditional means to kill relatives and friends so as to make money.
Professor Opata argued that deities of Igbo land ‘’work for the just and money given to deities are used for philanthropy and credit facilities for people in need.’’
According to him, money given to deities are not spent by chief priests but are accumulated to operate credit outlets for people in need.
“Deities do a lot of philanthropy.They visit motherless babies homes with gift items and build houses for widows. An example is the Widows’ Lodge at Ogbodeaba in Enugu State,” Opata added.
The retired university teacher urged everyone present not to think of tradition as evil in itself but mentioned that some evil people have penetrated it to justify their course. He said, “Deities work for the just. The unjust chief priests do not end well and there is no place for them to join their ancestors.”
Talking about why spiritual forces control the affairs of man, the traditionalist narrated a comic mythology of creation from what he said was an ‘Igbo perspective.’
“God created the birds first,’’ he said, ‘’and commanded it to take care of the Earth. Birds, fully in charge and their ego heightened, failed to carry out the assignment. They flew everywhere which made God curse them to keep flying.
‘’He then created animals and commanded them also to take care of Earth but they rather spend time eating vegetation and other things. God then cursed them to remain like that.
‘’This continued, until he created man and placed him in charge of his other creations. Man did this until he ravished the daughter of Earth’s goddness, Nwani (daughter of earth). In order to appease the earth, God made man to return to the soil upon his death.”
Akpata, however, added that. unlike what obtains in the Christian belief, God does not interfere in the affairs of man; rather, He had dispersed his powers to different deities to rule the earth.
But the professor traditionalist was instantly opposed by another Professor, Agbojaba, who argued that “gods of our tradition are taking sides. They are particular and partial which does not make them supreme beings.
‘‘The god of Adada people in Nsukka is different from the god of the Onitsha people. God of Osun is different from the god of Ogun; and they do not work in the same way. Divinities are individualistic and can be selfish themselves.
He further argued: ‘‘Why don’t we follow the God developed by others, who is universal and cuts across all races? Christianity preaches one God who we can interact with directly without deities.’’
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