Author(s): Necati Sümer / Language(s): Turkish
Issue: 38/2019
Godianism is a new religious movement that emerged in Nigeria, a country of the African continent in the 20th century. This movement opposed to Western colonialism and the religious conception it brought. Godianism combined the traditional beliefs of Igbos, the indigenous people of Nigeria, with the new interpretation of Christianity. Thus, it has imposed its existence as a syncretic movement with the name first as the National Church of Nigeria and later as Godianism. Its founder K.O.K Onyioha is the religious leader of this movement. This movement has its own teaching, worships, rituals and festivals. Godianism has been a movement that defended the belief in a single god in a continent like Africa where there were many gods. The understanding of the creator and the great God has been identified by the names Godian or Chineke. This belief system has its own holy text and place of worship. Godianism inspired and adopted many worship and ritual from African traditional beliefs, the church construction and some religious practices from Christianity, and the beliefs such as karma and reincarnation from the Indian religions. Although Godianism bears nationalistic and regional motifs, it has been spreading with the claim of being a universal belief system. In this context, the aim of our study is to address this new religious movement in Africa in all aspects in the light of existing sources.Summary: In the historical process, some religious movements emerged as a reaction to the belief in the geography in which they were found. When these religious movements find supporters, they gradually turn into a system of beliefs on their own. Godianism is such a religious movement that emerged against the oppression of colonialists in the African continent. It sprouts as a protest movement in Nigeria, which has been under the British colony for many years. There are many reasons this move enables the emergence of. One of the reasons is that Britain has exploited underground resources and food products of Nigeria for years. Britain's long-term exploitation of the people of the country and especially the low wages of workers in the factory harass the indigenous people to run the local people. Igbos cannot accept to be treated as a slave in their own homeland. This situation creates a national consciousness against foreigners in the locals. Ethnic discrimination is another reason for the emergence of this movement. British white people think that they are privileged in the country of blacks people, develop a national anger among indigenous people. Nigerian indigenous people see the British exploiting and humiliating themselves as indignity behaviour. When protesting low wages, their rejection and killing is an indication of the extent to which this discrimination has come. The indigenous people of Nigeria, Igbos are not discriminated against for economic and ethnic reasons only. There are also religious reasons. Thus, they did not allow the funeral of the Igbos to be held in the church even though they were Christians, shows that they were also excluded from the faith. England, which established Christian churches through Christian missionaries and christianized the indigenous people was able to easily excommunicate the indigenous people for economic, ethnic and religious reasons by using the protests as excuse. In fact, Nigerian natives are a people of African traditional faith. Poverty and hunger caused them to turn to Christianity. In a sense, being Christian was an obligation for them. Being a Christian means bread for poor indigenous people. In this context, it cannot be said that the Igbos have embraced Christianity willingly. The deliberate exploitation of their own countries and beliefs may seem tolerable for a while, but the situation becomes unbearable. They cannot accept the exclusion of their traditional beliefs by Christian missionaries for hundreds of years. The killing of workers, preventing religious ceremonies in churches for their funerals, and the exclusion from the church, has caused a national and religious reflex in Nigerians. Thus, the National Church movement of Nigeria, which consists of a new interpretation of Christian traditional beliefs and Christianity under the leadership of the religious leader Onyioha arises. This religious movement, Godianism, is spread in many parts of Africa with a national consciousness. The increase of the supporters makes this movement open to the world. Thus, it claims to be a universal belief system with his own institutions and rules. Godianism becomesr religion that has founder, a sacred book, temple, teaching, worship, rituals, festivals and a peculiar moral movement that has a considerable number of followers in the African continent. The reason why it is syncretic is that this movement creates a new synthesis by being influenced by Christianity, African traditional beliefs and Indian religions. The discussion that whether Godianism is sect of Christianity or not is an indication of the extent to which Godianism is influenced by other religions. It is normal to have such an approximation in terms of this movement. Because it emerged as a reaction to Western colonialism and the Western understanding of Christianity. It is natural that the African Igbos, who were Christians for years, were influenced by Christianity in creating this new belief. Godianism inherited from Christianity so many things such as conception of temple, communion, marriage, funeral, ceremonies, churches and clergy building. The emphasis on Christ believe and the fact that the movement sees itself as the new savior of Africa and Christ is an indication of being influenced by Christianity. Godianism was a movement that advocated a single god belief in a continent where there were many gods in Africa. The understanding of suprime and creator God has been identified by the names Godian or Chineke.Considered as a whole, it can be said that Godianism is a religious movement or belief system in which different religious, cultural and moral elements are imbedded. This movement is syncretic as well as national character. The Godian movement, boasting its African personality, wants not only the African continent, but all the black people of the world to gather under the same roof. In this context, the aim of the study is to reveal the historical process of Godianism movement which has reached millions in Africa today, its reasons, teaching, worship, festivals and moral values. To know this belief system thoroughly will contribute to our understanding of the new religious movements in the African continent and other continents. Within the framework of the historical discipline of religions related to this religious movement, there is no study conducted in our country yet. Therefore, our aim is to address this new syncretic belief system in a scientific way in light of the available resources.
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