Nigeria’s religion is a mixture of
Muslim, Christianity and indigenous beliefs. The Muslim population is 50%,
Christian population 40% and, indigenous beliefs 10%. An estimate of 51 million
are believed to be Christians. Of the 51 million Christians an estimate of 26 percent
are Protestants and 14 percent Roman Catholic.[1]
Nigerians have the freedom to practice any
religion. However there is no separation of religion and state. No Nigerian
state has adopted a state religion but many states in the North have introduced
public Sharia laws. Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups. Of the 250 ethnic groups,
one of the most popular and politically influential are the 18% Ibo's. The
Southeastern Ibo's are mainly Christian. But they have not always practiced
Christianity.[2]
During precolonial times they believed in more
than one god. The Ibo men would pray to their gods to give them the means to
marry many women and to be blessed with many male children. It was believed
that the more people you had in your village then the stronger you are to defeat
rival tribes. The idea was to have many wives to produce many offspring’s.
Christian missionaries educated the Ibo's and caused many of them to
convert to Christianity thus taking one wife. As time passed many have awakened to the idea that they
may be a lost tribe due to new archaeological evidence and oral traditions.[3]
On February of 2013 CNN featured a
documentary of the Igbo Jews. These Igbos claimed to be part of the lost tribes
of Israel. Over the years there has been numerous artifacts unearth in Igbo
campsites. There is also an oral tradition that Israelite exiles fathered clans
of people in present day Nigeria.
It has been speculated by historians that the
exiled Israelites could have in- fact migrated to Africa and other areas. Missionaries have observed many traditions of the Igbo people that were very
similar to ancient Hebrew tradition. Some scholars speculated that their Hebrew
tradition came from Christian missionaries introducing them to the bible.. Never-the-less they call themselves
Igbo Jews.[4]
Today many Igbos are Christians.
Many of the Christians have converted to Judaism. They are still converting to
Judaism to this day.
What is interesting to note is that
in several scriptures the Israelites would not know they are lost. They would
be a people with no identity or remembrance of their history. Deuteronomy 32:26
[1]"Nigeria's Religion"
Kurian, George Thomas, ed. "Nigeria: Religions." World
Geography and Culture Online. Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE39&Culture.aspx&iPin=
M0019833&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 5, 2016).
[2]"Nigeria At A Glance"
"Nigeria: At-A-Glance." World Geography and
Culture Online. Facts On File, Inc.
http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE39&Country.aspx&iPin=
M0019833&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 5, 2016).
[3] "Ibo Polygamy"
Egboh, Edmund O.. 1972. “Polygamy in Iboland (south-eastern
Nigeria) with Special Reference to Polygamy Practice Among Christian Ibos”. Civilisations
22 (3). Institut de Sociologie de l'Université de Bruxelles: 431–44.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/41229235.
[4]"Ibo Jews"
Oduah, Chika. "Nigeria's Igbo Jews: Lost Tribe of
Israel." CNN. February 4, 2013.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/01/world/africa/nigeria-jews-igbo/index.html
(accessed February 5, 2016).
*"Image 1 Igbo Wedding" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/318489004874352400/
*"Image 2 Igbo Jews"
http://www.nairaland.com/attachments/1102992_synagouge_in_anambra_jpg2a6e96fb0220c21c5aa9dd6aeb02a8ee
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