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Accepted Paper:
The Geo-location, Traditionalisation and Religionisation of African Traditional Religion and the Questions of Tramsnationality
Obafemi Jegede
(Institute of African Studies)
Whatever name the religion that is indigenous to Africans is called, these three words: African, traditional and religion are always included. It is also geolocated. Most religions are not named after their place of origins, but African traditional religion is.
Paper long abstract:
One important aspect of the decolonisation agenda is the need to critique the calling of whatever is from Africa traditional. Although African traditional religion could be said to have originated from Africa, it has spread to many parts of the world spanning continents such as Europe, the Americas and Asia, in spite, it is taught as African traditional religion. Even when attempts were made to change its name, it has consistently been geo-located to Africa undermining its transnational dimensions. Its geolocation questions its transnationality. This is asymmetrical to what should be the considerable name. There is as well the need to question the reason why a religion should be called religion to be a religion., this is antithetical. Why should a transnational religion be seeing to be just traditional? This study is therefore designed to problematise the geo-location, traditionalisation and religionisation of African traditional religion. It seeks to stimulate conversations around the need to review the words African traditional religion to enable a reflection of its transnationalisation, and to insight an understanding of other parts of the religion. The geo-location of African traditional religion and it's naming as traditional religion, requires rigorous academic scrutiny. A study is therefore designed to problematise African traditional religion so that there can be a wider engagement of the academic aspect of the transnationalisation of African traditional religion. The study argues that questioning the word African traditional religion is fundamental to the task of reconfiguring Africa.