The Truth About African Spirituality – Stephanie Ike Okafor
The Truth About African Spirituality – Stephanie Ike Okafor
Understanding African Spirituality: The Truth Behind Its Origins
Hello, everyone! I’m Stephanie EK Okafor, and welcome to part five of my series on the Modernization of Witchcraft. Today, we will explore the truth behind African spirituality.
To give you some context, I was raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and I am a Christian. My father’s side of the family belongs to a royal lineage, and royal families often inherit ancient customs, including worship practices passed down through generations. In fact, my father’s half-brother was a high priest in their community, dedicated to one of the deities that is acknowledged in what today is called African spirituality.
I’ll dive into some of the fascinating stories later, but let me set the stage first. I am not speaking solely from knowledge but from personal experience. Some of you may be watching this because you’re curious about African spirituality or perhaps exploring your African roots, especially with the rise of DNA testing. This might inspire a desire to connect more deeply with your heritage, but I want you to approach this with an open mind.
As we lay the foundation for understanding African spirituality, we’ll explore how it’s perceived versus what it truly is. I’ll also discuss why there seems to be a targeted agenda against Black people. This is not random—there’s a strategy behind it.
What is African Spirituality?
In simple terms, African spirituality refers to the lifestyle and worship practices that trace their roots to African customs, long before the advent of colonialism. Many people connect to the idea of “worshipping the god of their ancestors” instead of the god of their slave masters, which is why African spirituality has been gaining influence globally.
For instance, the worship of Ifa is a key example. Ifa is an ancient deity worshipped primarily by the Yoruba people in Nigeria, West Africa. However, Ifa has gained followers worldwide, particularly in the United States among African Americans.
The growing interest in African spirituality often coincides with the racial divide and the quest for empowerment beyond oppressive systems. Many people struggle to reconcile their faith with their cultural identity, especially when they begin to learn about their African roots. This creates a tension between Christianity, which some associate with colonialism, and the desire to reconnect with their ancestral practices.
African Spirituality vs. Christianity: A Search for Liberation
In the search for liberation from societal structures, some individuals leave Christianity in favor of African spirituality. This shift is often seen as an attempt to reclaim power and reconnect with one’s roots. However, here’s the truth: When people leave Christianity for other belief systems—whether it’s African spirituality, Buddhism, or any other faith—it’s often because they never truly connected with Christ.
Many people hold a relationship with their church or follow the religious practices of their parents and grandparents. Christianity, for many, becomes a checklist: attending church, reading the Bible, and following rituals. But Christianity is not about following a set of rules or traditions—it’s about a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
You cannot understand the divine by approaching it from a logical, natural perspective. Christianity is not just about what we do as Christians; it’s about who we have met as Christians. It’s about the life-changing encounter with Jesus. A true believer’s conviction comes from an encounter with Christ, not from merely following a to-do list.
When people say they are walking away from Christianity, they’re often leaving the church or the traditions of their family, not the personal experience of knowing Christ. This is an important distinction that I want to clarify.
