The Fading Echoes: How Colonialism Shattered Africa’s Spiritual Harmony

In the cherished annals of African tradition, spirituality was an intrinsic thread woven into the fabric of every society. The existence of a supreme Creator, the architect and bestower of all life, dwelling in the celestial realm above – known by a symphony of names across Uganda’s diverse ethnicities: Ruhanga/Nyamuhanga by the Banyankole, Imana/Rurema by the Banyarwanda, Katonda by the Baganda, Mukama by the Basoga, Were/Nsaye by the Banyole, Jok by the Luo and Acholi, and Edeke by the Iteso – was a foundational belief.

Yet, within this understanding of a benevolent Creator, many cultures also recognized the potential for malevolent forces. It was believed that those steeped in darkness could wield black magic, disrupting the divine harmony and inflicting ill-health, drought, death, or even barrenness upon the land and its people.

At a more accessible level, the connection to the Divine was often mediated through spiritual entities, such as the Emandwa among the Banyankole. These were akin to divine messengers, particularly associated with different families and clans, offering a more direct point of contact in times of need. Each family often maintained a dedicated shrine, believed to be the dwelling place of these family spirits. The Banyankole, for instance, would offer sacrifices to the emandwa as acts of devotion and gratitude. In the face of sickness or misfortune, families would perform rituals known as okubandwa, a form of supplication to these spirits to ward off adversity – a practice echoing the Old Testament tradition of offerings and sacrifices to maintain a favorable relationship with the Creator.

Furthermore, many African cultures held a different understanding of mortality. Death, particularly of the young, was often attributed not to natural causes but to sorcery, misfortune, or the ill will of neighbors. Natural death was typically expected only in advanced age. The sudden loss of a young life was rarely accepted as a natural occurrence, often prompting the bereaved to consult a diviner (omurangi in Runyankole or Nnabi in Luganda) to uncover the perceived spiritual forces responsible.

In numerous African cultures, places of worship were often within the home, where designated prayer points or shrines were established. Individuals could communicate with the Divine through intermediaries such as the Mandwa among the Banyankole and Nyabingi among the Banyarwanda, akin to the angels in the early Christian church.

Striking parallels emerge between traditional African spirituality and the Old Testament: the presence of intermediaries (Mandwa/angels), designated places of worship within homes, and the vital role of prophets who served as messengers of the Divine, foretelling the future, interpreting dreams, and offering healing.

In those times, a sense of harmony prevailed. Communities lived in relative peace with each other and with their Creator. Prophets served as vital guides, identifying the root causes of societal anxieties and helping to find resolutions.

The Turning Tide: How Colonialism Remolded the Spiritual Landscape

The understanding of spirituality in Africa underwent a profound transformation during the colonial era, orchestrated by colonial powers who often arrived under the guise of Christian missionaries. Recognizing the challenges in achieving their political objectives directly, they astutely leveraged the power of religion as a tool of influence. Their success was significantly bolstered by the introduction of services that met genuine African needs, such as education and healthcare. Through these avenues, colonial missionaries were able to fundamentally reshape African spirituality according to their own designs.

The initial wave of missionaries launched a concerted campaign against each culture’s unique understanding of the Creator, advocating for the concept of One Universal God, often dismissing indigenous beliefs as primitive or misguided.

They actively discouraged home-based worship in family shrines, promoting instead a centralized form of worship in designated structures they called churches.

They undermined the authority and role of traditional prophets (abarangi) and all other forms of indigenous spiritual intermediaries.

Furthermore, they sought to alter fundamental African lifestyles, with their followers gradually adopting Western customs and practices.

One particularly contentious teaching was the condemnation of polygamy, a deeply rooted practice in many African cultures. Husbands were instructed to abandon all but one of their wives to be accepted into the church, leaving numerous women and children in precarious and often destitute situations. The ethical implications of such teachings remain a point of profound questioning within the African context.

Perhaps one of the most historically significant and symbolically charged actions was the effective “transfer” of religious authority from Africa to Europe. The headquarters of the Anglican Church found its seat in England, and the Catholic Church in Italy – nations where these faiths did not originate. The very genesis of these religions, as acknowledged by their own scriptures, lies in Africa. It is a historical anomaly that these headquarters were not established in regions like Egypt or Israel, the very cradle of these faiths.

There is a deeply felt incongruity in the contemporary reality of African religious leaders expending significant church resources to travel to Europe to receive religious directives concerning a religion that originated in Africa. Similarly, the spectacle of European religious figures utilizing African resources to instruct Africans about a faith that sprang from African soil is viewed by many as a fundamental inversion of historical and spiritual reality. In a more natural order, Europe should be looking to Africa as a spiritual heartland, a place of pilgrimage and learning, rather than the other way around. African religious leaders, conversely, should be empowered to share the richness of African-rooted spirituality with the world, including Europe, rather than receiving instructions from those whose spiritual heritage on this particular matter is secondary.

A critical reading of both the Old and New Testaments reveals the foundational role of Africa in the narrative of creation, the birth of religion, the earthly ministry of Jesus, and the lineage of biblical prophets. The most sacred sites of these faiths are geographically located in Africa. This begs the question: how and why did the centers of religious authority shift to Europe? By what right did these foreign entities challenge established African modes of worship? What genuine understanding did they possess of the African spiritual landscape and its deep connection to the Divine? Many Africans believe it is long overdue for religious authority to be rightfully returned to its original custodians.

The Bitter Harvest: The Enduring Effects of Spiritual Disruption

Since the primary objective of the colonialists was political dominance, often pursued through religious means, their initial strategy involved dividing African communities along the lines of newly introduced religious denominations. These divisions had a profound and lasting impact on African society, the echoes of which continue to resonate today. Africa remains, in many ways, spiritually colonized, with religion often entangled with political agendas across the continent. Spirituality has lost much of the profound meaning it held in the era of traditional African practices. People have become detached from a direct connection with their Creator, and genuine, unadulterated worship has become less prevalent. Religion has, for many, been commercialized and politicized. Consequently, a sense of global unease persists, partly attributed to the disruption of the vital role of spiritual intermediaries – the prophets, or abarangi. The divine messengers, the “angels of God” within the African spiritual context, have been displaced, left without a recognized space or purpose, seemingly wandering aimlessly. The world is perceived as being afflicted by calamities without adequate spiritual redress, a reflection of a perceived displeasure of the African God.

The present moment calls for a spiritual awakening in Africa, a reclamation of the Divine from the vestiges of colonial influence. It is time to restore God to His rightful place within African nations and homes. It is time for worship to revert to its original, authentic forms, for prophets to fulfill their divinely ordained roles, for spiritual intermediaries to find their place and purpose among God’s people, and for the prophetic ministry of the Divine to be redeemed. This is a time for divine intervention, for miraculous occurrences, for healing, and ultimately, for the restoration of peace and prosperity to Africa. Many believe that the path forward lies in embracing a non-denominational, authentically African Indigenous Church, a return to the spiritual roots that sustained the continent for millennia.