African Traditional Religion as an Antidote to Environmental Challenges in Nigeria

Abstract

The existence of the environment is of paramount importance to all Africans. For an African the environment is a conglomeration of the  physical made up of the air, water, human beings, animals, rocks, hills, mountains; the socio-cultural which comprises ethics, economic,  aesthetics, and the spiritual which embodies the Supreme Being (creator), the deities, shrines, spirits among others. This goes to explain  that for an African the world is not dichotomized but seen as a whole and so all exist to complement the other. In Nigeria, there are some  experiences that are fighting against the environment which is the embodiment of the above-mentioned components thereby generating environmental crisis through flooding, erosion, desertification, pollution, climate change among others. All these forces  destabilize the harmony that keeps the balance of the ecosystem. The aim of this paper is to bring out some environmental challenges  African Traditional Religion proffers solution to so as to set a balance in the eco system. When the environment is in harmony with life will  be better, to some extent, for all Nigerians. The study was carried out in Nigeria. The data was collected through interviews and  analyzed by adopting the qualitative approach. The findings of this paper indicate that through the existence of sacred grooves,  customary laws and environmental ethics like respect for rivers and streams as abode of the spirits and goddesses, totems, reverence for  sacred lands, African Traditional Religion protects the environment from degeneration. The paper recommends that African Traditional  Religious adherents and traditional rulers should sensitize the younger generation on the need to protect environment and take note of  the danger of the climate change red alert.