Ancestral belief in Adebowale’s The Virgin and Ngugi’s The River Between

Abstract

The focus in this work is the re-examination of the place of the ancestors in contemporary world. This paper critically evaluates the pre-colonial status of the ancestors and clearly explains the pride of place they once enjoyed. The invasions of religions, especially Christianity and Islam maliciously challenge the place of the ancestors today. It is the thrust of this paper that since the missionary religions have made a lot of converts among the traditional people, as a consequence, little or no regard is paid to them. The converts prefer to go their new worship centres instead of venerating their departed. The civilization the West brought to Africa had helped in no small way to pave way for the high disregards for them. This paper concludes that since the living ones do not even show moral sanctity Africa was once known for, propelled by greed and materialism, moral sanctity should be allowed to rest in peace.