Omaba masquerade and the practices connected with it which triggered off the acrimony. Like incidents could be multiplied in hundreds from various parts of Igboland.223 The existence of the Igbo Cultural Beliefs and Practices that militates against effective catechesis and put the Igbo Christianity at a crossroad is a pervasive reality. These Cultural Beliefs and Practices are so deep that they have much influence on the lives of some of the Igbo Christians after they have become Christians. We can say without mincing words that Christian faith has never taken root in the real life and thinking of many of Christians in Igboland. On this issue, Chukwudum Okolo observes with utter dismay that:
Many, if not most, countries in Africa, including Nigeria, even nearer home, Igboland, have triumphantly celebrated at least one hundred years of Christian evangelism on the continent. But what has often equally baffled scholars in African missiology is the constant backsliding of the so-called African converts and long practicing Christians to ‘Paganism224’, more appropriately tagged ‘traditional religious ways and culture'. What this
means in practice is lack of conviction of the new faith (Christianity) among African Christians, perhaps other Christians today are simply nominal Christians.225
The above problem is not unassociated with culture which signifies a body of shared values and meanings embodied in symbols and thought patterns and inherited by a given people through history. It is a comprehensive reality with different elements through which every people
223 Metuh E.I., The Gods in Retreat, Onitsha: Tansi Publication, 2004, p. 152
224
‘Paganism’ seems to be the oldest and most common name used to describe the religion of the so-called “Primitive People”. This word, too, is of Latin origin, Paganus. It originally meant a village dweller or a country man, a person who lives a way from the city or urbanized community. The fact that evangelization first took off in most places in the cities made it a domestic Christian terminology to describe the non - Christian village as a pagan. It must be observed here that paganism has a specific Christian connotation, because the Christian does not always call a Moslem a pagan to mean a non - Christian. Therefore, paganism, often used to imply than an African traditional religionist had no religion is a misnomer, just as it is to describe his religion. See Onwubiko A.O, African
Thought, Religion & Culture, Enugu: Snaap Press Ltd, 1991, p.64
225 Okolo C., African Traditional Religion and Christianity: The Neglected Dimension, Nsukka: Fulladu Publishing
articulate their identity, express and perpetuate their values from one generation to another.226 It is quite clear that culture is the way of life of a people. The way they think and behave. There are people that are so attached to their culture to the extent that everywhere they are; they manifest their attachment to their culture. For instance, the Chinese people eat in their restaurants with sticks and are also attached to their language to the extent that speaking any other language is always difficult if not impossible for them. So also many Igbo people are so deeply rooted in their culture and the easiest way to influence them or make them accept certain ideas is to wrap them in the cloak or wrapper of their culture.
Urbanization and Western education more than anything else, have had the most eroding effects on the grip of traditional African beliefs but many aspects of Igbo traditional religion have survived these agents of change. Many worldly aspects of African religions like, pouring libation to the ancestors, beliefs in magic and witchcraft, and some rituals like the naming, marriage, and funeral ceremonies have survived in some areas, even among the urbanized. While there is a resurgence of interest in traditional religions and culture among the elite, some Christians now apply and are admitted to the traditional chieftaincy title-societies. Communities of traditional religion still exist in some areas, and from time to time are joined by backsliders from ... Christianity.227 Some of the Igbo Cultural Beliefs and Practices will be outlined and analyzed below.
2.3.1 Ancestral and spiritual problems
The ancestors rank among the most benign spiritual beings of the Igbo traditional cosmology. They are the spirits of the good men of any particular lineage who departed this life after a fruitful sojourn, blessed with age, and have been accorded the full traditional funeral rites (final passage rites). Although, their resting place is in the under-world, they are thought to form one community with their physically living members on earth. In their dual role as members of the supersensible domain and the physical world, the ancestors act as active mediators between the two orders in which they share. And the provenance of their interest stretches to anything that
226 Omutah E. P., From Vatican II to African Synod, Vatican City, 2009, p. 54
is of concern to their living members, particularly to the social harmony, maintenance of the tradition of the land and the moral code.228 In Igboland, the ancestors are believed to be aware of everything that happens to an individual or to the community of which they once existed from the land of the dead. They are believed to have a duty to look after their families and protect them from evil. In their capacities, the ancestors can reward their family members with abundant rainfall, crops, children and general prosperity. It is also believed that they can intercede for their family members like the saints intercede for us in the Catholic Church.
The observation of T.C. Young regarding the place of ancestors in Africa Indigenous religion is particularly true of the Igbo people. No approach to any appreciation of indigenous ideas regarding God can take any part but that through the thought area occupied by the ancestors. To Africans life -from day to day - has no meaning at all apart from ancestral presence and ancestral power”.229
They occupy an important position in the lives of the Igbo people. Mbiti described them as “the living dead”.230
As Erivwo has observed: “Like divinities, they are believed to be serving as ministers of deity, and are approached for various blessings: blessing of wealth, health, children and fertility of the land as well as blessing of longevity."231 The ancestors were not adored in the proper sense of the word but special cults were reserved to ask for their aid or to complain of the inadequacy of their protection. To be in enmity with the ancestors is a sign that the individual concerned is already on his way to doom. This is the belief of every traditional religionist in Africa as well as in Igboland Nigeria.
It is therefore not surprising that some Igbo Christians have attributed their successes and failures to the ancestors. These Christians like the Igbo traditional religionist believe that ancestors play pivotal role in the lives of earthly progenies. Ancestors are considered “organic