article · American Journal of Social and Management Sciences
African traditional religious ontology encompasses distinct conceptions of the Supreme Being, divinities, and spirits, challenging historical academic misunderstandings that African societies lacked awareness or worship of God. Traditional African thought recognises the Supreme Being fundamentally, operating within an ontological framework where atheism does not exist. Within this structure, divinities act as entities granted authority by the Supreme Being to function within a unitary theocratic system of governance. In contrast, spirits are categorised as strangers, foreigners, and outsiders rather than central deities. These spirits represent elements that must be overcome through the deployment of spiritual powers. By delineating the precise roles and hierarchical relationships among the Supreme Being, commissioned divinities, and external spirits, this conceptual framework clarifies the organised theological structures intrinsic to African traditional beliefs.
Understanding African religious ontology corrects long-standing scholarly misconceptions about indigenous spiritual life. Clarifying how communities conceptualise the Supreme Being, divinities, and external spirits provides accurate cultural insight into traditional governance, worldviews, and spiritual practices, fostering deeper comprehension and respect for African philosophical heritage.
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The concept of God, divinities and spirits in African traditional religious ontology has been so misunderstood by many scholars to the point of seeing Africans as people who did not know the Supreme Being nor worship Him. This paper seeks to examine how Africans conceive of the Supreme Being, divinities and spirits. The paper shows that the concept of God is not strange to Africans but in traditional Africa there is no atheist. It sees the divinities as beings who receive authority from the Supreme Being to serve in the unitary theocratic system of government. The paper sees the spirits as strangers, foreigners and outsiders in the category of things that should be defeated using spiritual powers.
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DOI: 10.5251/ajsms.2010.1.2.209.218
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