How communal lifestyle trapped Africans in the contraption we call Religion

Authentic African lifestyle always anchored itself firmly on community foundation. Across the continent, life had always been lived not just as individuals, but as members of a collective unit, an organisation, a village, a town. This communal lifestyle informed every aspect of African life, from child-rearing to manual labour and from ancestral worship to social engagements. Fortunately or unfortunately, this social system, while it fostered unity, cooperation and cultural richness among the people, unintentionally created fertile grounds for the spread of foreign teachings, especially Christianity. The European invasion of Africa and the subsequent spread of Christianity leveraged this social interconnectedness to entrench itself in virtually every fabric of African life. With time, the communal nature of African societies eventually became the vehicle through which religion, particularly Christianity, permeated and transformed African identity, its values, and its way of life.

In traditional African society, for instance, the upbringing of a child was not seen or taken solely as the responsibility of its biological parents. Instead, the child was considered as communal asset. The raising of a child became a shared responsibility. If elders saw a child behaving inappropriately, they were expected to discipline the child without waiting for the parents. This collective sense of accountability reinforced social order and ensured that cultural norms were upheld by every member of the community. This principle of shared responsibility even extended beyond child-rearing to labour and agriculture.

In many African communities where farming was a communal effort, a family with extensive farmland could summon the entire village for assistance, and the villagers would respond without hesitation. It was not unusual for the whole community to come together to plant, weed, or harvest crops for a family. This culture of mutual assistance ensured that no one was left behind in any community assignment, and that collective survival was prioritized over individual achievement.

Social gatherings, too, highlighted the communal essence of African life. In the mornings or evenings, young people journeyed to the stream in groups to fetch water or bathe. The boys and girls typically moved in their respective groups, creating a social rhythm that was rooted in community interaction. Even the stream was partitioned to reflect societal norms and boundaries, with specific sections designated for boys and girls. It was a simple yet powerful testimony to how every activity, however mundane, was embedded in communal values.

Markets and village squares served as epicentres of communal interaction. These spaces were not merely for trade or entertainment, they were social arenas where values were shared, news was disseminated, and communal decisions were made. The village square was venue for significant cultural events such as masquerade performances, wrestling matches, and festivals like Christmas parties or the Town's Day Celebrations. On such days, sons and daughters of the soil returned home from their various residential places to celebrate their heritage and often to participate in electing leaders for their Town Unions. These events reinforced their sense of communal belonging and ensured that traditions were passed down from generation to generation.

When European missionaries arrived in Africa, they quickly recognized the power of this communal framework. They understood that to penetrate the African soul, they needed to infiltrate the community. And so they did, not with the sword alone, but with the Bible, the school, and a message of salvation. The missionaries capitalized on the communal lifestyle of Africans, embedding themselves in the heart of villages and towns, establishing churches and schools, and offering medical and other social services that endeared them to the local population. The communal nature of African societies made it easier for the missionaries to spread their message. Once a few influential members of a community were converted, it did not take long before the rest followed suit. Chiefs, elders, and traditional rulers, once won over, served as conduits through which Christianity spread like wildfire.

Religious conversion became a communal affair. The people who once gathered for masquerade festivals and wrestling matches now gathered in churches for Sunday worship. The same village square that had echoed with the sounds of drums and chants of ancestral praise now rang out with Christian hymns and sermons. It was even more challenging when the church decreed that none of their members should attend the funeral of a heathen. Seeing that most citizens had joined the church, the remnant of the traditionalists who were committed to ancestral worship became afraid that when they died, their kith and kin would not be there to give them befitting burials. They too rushed to join the church. But between the church and ancestral worship, they secretly had one leg here and one leg there.

What made Christianity particularly appealing, however, was its promise of education and employment. Missionaries established schools alongside churches, offering literacy and vocational training. This opened doors that traditional African religion could not. For the first time, Africans could dream of becoming doctors, teachers, journalists, and civil servants. Many embraced Christianity not just for its spiritual promises, but for the socio-economic opportunities it also presented. Some Africans found new identities and vocations within the religious structure. Gospel artists emerged, making substantial wealth by blending Western hymns with African rhythms. Others became priests, archdeacons, bishops, and archbishops, commanding influence and prestige within both religious and secular spheres. The church offered a new path to leadership and upward mobility.

With this shift came a gradual erosion of African traditional values and spiritual practices. The communal spirit remained, but it was now channelled towards Christian activities. Traditional festivals were deemed pagan and were discouraged. Ancestoral worship was ridiculed as idolatry. Indigenous knowledge systems, once respected and revered, were dismissed as primitive. Christianity, while offering new opportunities, also demanded the abandonment of old ways. And because of the communal structure of African life, this transformation was swift and sweeping.

The very strength of African society which was its communal nature thus became the trapdoor through which foreign religion entered and took hold. What was once a tightly knit web of cultural identity became a canvas for new doctrines, new norms, and new hierarchies. The communal gathering at the village square was replaced by church congregations. The call to ancestral spirits was replaced by the call to Jesus Christ. The traditional priest was replaced by the Christian pastor.

Even naming conventions changed. African names with deep meanings and spiritual significance gave way to Western names like John, Mary, and Joseph. Marriage rites, funeral practices, and rites of passage were all restructured to align with Christian values. A new identity was formed, one that was neither fully African nor fully Western. It was a hybrid that often left individuals and communities confused about their heritage and their actual place in the world.

This did not mean, however, that the communal spirit of African life disappeared. On the contrary, it remained and has continued to remain a strong feature of the African experience. But now, its focus has shifted. Where once it was directed towards sustaining cultural heritage and spiritual continuity, it is now often mobilized for religious crusades, church building projects, and denominational loyalty. Furthermore, the communal endorsement of religion has also contributed to the rise of religious extremism and exploitation. Charismatic leaders have emerged, manipulating the communal trust of their followers for personal gain. Churches have become businesses, and religion, a commodity. The very structure that once nurtured honesty, responsibility, and mutual cooperation has now become a breeding ground for spiritual manipulation.

It is important, however, we acknowledge that not all aspects of Christianity have been detrimental to the authentic African society. Their religion brought literacy, healthcare, and global connectivity to us. It provided a platform for the African voice on the world stage. Still, the cost of this transformation cannot be ignored. The communal lifestyle that once preserved and celebrated African identity became the channel through which that identity was reshaped, repackaged, and, in some cases, erased.

The communal nature of African life, while it was incontestably its greatest strength, also became the conduit for its cultural entrapment in the contraption called religion. The European missionaries did not merely introduce a new faith, they restructured African societies from the inside out. The African communal spirit, which once upheld tradition and nurtured collective identity, now often serves the interests of religious institutions and their leaders. Should they ever want to reclaim their heritage, Africans must critically examine the role of religion in their communities and seek a balance that honours both their past and their future.