The challenges facing African traditional religion as a minority religion in Nupeland, Kwara state, Nigeria

Abstract

Interaction among religions of unequal size involves challenges. The challenges facing African Traditional Religion (ATR) as a minority  religion in Nupeland, Kwara State, Nigeria, were the focus of this study. The aim of this work was to find out the state of ATR in Nupeland,  and how it was coping with the challenges confronting it. The historical approach was adopted for the study because the issues involved  were existential and related to the life experiences of the peoples involved, while the phenomenological approach was used to  investigate and describe the events captured in the research. Data were gathered through participant observation, interview, and library  consultation. The researcher found out that some ATR adherents were practising the religion in hiding, in order to avoid being ridiculed, if  not attacked. The ATR adherents were coping with the challenges facing the religion through adaptation, syncretism, formation of association of adherents, provision of social and spiritual services, and maintenance of high ethical standards. It could be seen that  Muslims assimilated Ndakogboya and Kuti Eyagi masquerades to celebrate their festivals. Some Muslims when faced with perplexity also  consulted ATR diviners. The study concluded that the hostility of Muslims to ATR was mitigated by their assimilation of some ATR  elements in Nupeland, making the society to be somewhat religiously peaceful and interesting.