A Review of the Concept of Origin and Founder of the Indigenous African Religion

Abstract

There is widespread certainty in African scholarship that African religion is a revealed religion. This religion, according to many scholars, has no founder. The other side of the argument is that the religion is purported to have originated or born out of the experiences of our African forefathers. Proponents of such assertion include John S. Mbiti, Awolalu and Dopamu among other scholars.  Using a critical reflection tool, this paper attempts a re-examination of the issue of origin and founder of the African Traditional Religion. Contrary to the view of many scholars, the paper finds as logically inconsistent, the notion that African Traditional Religion has no founder though it is perceived to be a revealed religion. It further argues that the attempt to trace the origin of the religion to the experiences of African forebears makes the religion largely experiential and must be given a second look. The paper concludes that African Traditional Religion has founders and the founders are Africans themselves.

Keywords: African Traditional Religion, revealed religion, founder.