ANCESTRAL CULTS IN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGION: THEIR RELEVANCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN SOCIETY

Abstract

Africans had a strong belief in ancestors. The ancestors once lived in the physical world with their kinsmen, but now they reside in the underworld and still influence the lives of the living. They are moral regulators and were known as the living dead. It is a strong belief that they have the power to bring prosperity or misfortune to the members of their families, depending on the relationship that exists between them. The living venerates them in a bid to maintain a good and favourable relationship with them. However, this relationship is no longer as strong as it used to be in the past. Most people are negating the role which the ancestors can play in their lives and that of their families because of the influence of Western culture and modernity. This has caused far-reaching problems, especially in marriage-related matters. It is necessary, therefore, to evaluate the roles of the ancestors in maintaining the family ties and norms, and to identify their relevance in this global era. The study was descriptive in nature. Data collection was through observation and library sources. It was gathered that in the past, the ancestors were the moral regulators of their various families. People were afraid to commit evil and other immoral acts for fear of punishment by the ancestors. But recently the reverse has been the case. It is, however, necessary for the younger generation not to neglect their ancestral lineage. They should follow the legacy preserved by their ancestors. Moral uprightness is the foundation of any given society; Africans should, therefore, as a matter of fact re-awaken the norms handed over to them by their ancestors for posterity.