THE DEPRIVATION THEORY OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE IN IGBO LAND: A CASE OF CONVERSION OR ADHESION

Résumé

The religious change that took place in Africa and Igbo land obviously brought in changes in all aspects of people's lives. Many scholars have been trying to explain this phenomenon of religious change that happened so fast in the lives of Igbo people and Africa in general. The two world religions (Christian religion and Islamic religion) that invaded African nations influenced them quickly and tremendously. The case with which the Igbo people abandoned their traditional religions and culture, left one to ask what is in this Christian religion? Not only the religion but all aspects of their lives were abandoned, hence some people concluded that the gods are on retreat only to come back in a later time. In the deprivation theory, Ifeka-moller tries to explain the cause of this religious change in Igbo land. She suggested and claimed that the social-structural factors are mostly responsible for religious change found in Igbo land. This paper tries to see if this religious change is real conversion or adhesion or in another way a syncretic practice we see today in most of the Igbo land. For conversion is a lifelong experience as explained and understood by many religious experts. From all indications, the practice of Igbo traditional religion is coming back to its original form though in a refined and stronger perspectives. The deprivation theory when looked wholistically, one understands that it may have helped to explain the religious change in Igbo land and Africa in general but one factor alone in its essence cannot vividly explain the phenomenon of religious change that took place in Igbo land. This paper argues that the deprivation theory has only helped to explain some aspects of religious change especially the increase in mass movement from traditional religion to Christian religion.