IBA MMUO RITE OF INITIATION AS A VIABLE INTERPRETATIVE KEY FOR UNDERSTANDING THE RITE OF CHRISTIAN INITIATION OF ADULTS

1.       Relationship between Igbo Religion and Christian Religion

At the intersection of Igbo religion and Christianity lie a deep sense of awe of the universe (wondrous world/uwa di egwu) and wonder about creation (creation/okike), the order of things, about life, about death and about hereafter. Both adherents of Igbo Religion and Christianity believe that divine beings control the sequence of events in creation and the affairs of human beings. And both believe that these supernatural entities could be influenced through supplication, prayers, and offerings. However, the theological imaginations, cardinal doctrines and affirmations, and the religious practices and acknowledgements of both religions seem to differ. Emerging research by theologians, historians, linguists, archaeologists, folklorists, and anthropologists, however, suggest that the roots and fundamental tenets of Christianity may not be too far-fetched from traditional Igbo religion and vice versa. The International and Interdisciplinary Conference on Igbo Theology offers Igbo theologians, liturgists, philosophers, sociologists, folklorists, historians, and other scholars a context to share perspectives from their various disciplines and approaches for understanding Igbo Religion vis-a-vis Christianity - the dominant religion in Igbo land, and vice versa.

Certainly, there was some resemblance of aspects of Igbo indigenous religious worship and certain features of the Roman liturgy. One clear example was the similarity between the awe and dominant sense of mystery that largely characterised the Pius V Roman Liturgy in vogue in the pre-Vatican II era on the one hand, and the dense ritual symbolism, aura and mystically-oriented nature of Igbo indigenous religion.

Even the fundamental outlook, perception or vision of reality (world-view), as well as a number of important beliefs and ideas of the indigenous Igbo, were said to have considerably influenced the overall method of evangelisation of many Catholic missionaries, including the great Bishop Joseph Shanahan. 

The method Catholic missionaries adopted here in teaching the faith to the people especially since the time of Bishop Shanahan was one which strove to transform, not destroy, the people’s religious consciousness. The missionaries realized that the people’s traditional religious ideas were not so much incorrect as incomplete and required only completion and sublimation.

C. A Obi who talks of “proto-Christian” content of much of Igbo traditional religion, concludes that the people’s outstanding response to the mission of the Holy Ghost Fathers in Onitsha and its neighbourhood was greatly facilitated by the “spirit-consciousness of the Igbo”.[1] 

The Christian religion shares many aspects with the Igbo religion; both religions have one primary god who created everything. The Igbo religion has minor gods which serves the main god (Chukwu), these could be easily compared with the angels of the Christian faith whom also are servants to the Christian God. When the British missionaries began conversing with the Igbo people they found the similarities, even though it was rejected and outrightly criticized as fetish. However let us sample a few of the relationship between the Igbo culture and Christian religion.

·         Creator God

According to Boafo, a common ground can be found in the area of how the universe came to be (cosmogony). Both Christianity and Igbo religion have creation accounts. In Christianity, Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, and an alienation of humans from God resulted. With this, alienation from an originally given right relationship of humans with God, death, both physical and spiritual, entered the world. In Igbo culture, the Supreme God dwelt close to humanity until humanity offended God. The offended God departed and chose to dwell far away from the reach of humanity.

The Supreme Being in Igbo culture is seen as the creator of humans and all other things. This Supreme Being is viewed in different forms and dwelling places, yet he is the almighty. He is often distant from humans because of some bad actions of humans.

There is much discussion among African theologians and missionaries alike concerning whether or not the creator God of various African Traditional Religions is God. Some Bible translators have chosen to use the name Creator God and others have settled on simply God.

With Christianity, God rules by his divine Son and through governments, and family heads. But in Igbo traditional religion, God rules through lesser gods, ancestors, and families. Both religions believe in a Supreme God who is the creator. This Supreme God is also benevolent, a helper and a deliverer. God in both religions, rules by delegated authority. [2]

·         The Presence Of Evil

Humans are often believed to be the battle ground between evil and good forces in the world. Humans can also call upon evil forces to punish or persecute wrong doers or enemies. Special functionaries have the greatest input into the forces of evil but all people can wield it to a lesser degree. The two religions claim that the universe is inhabited by spiritual beings as well as physical beings. These spirit-beings are both good and bad. In addition to the Supreme God, both religions acknowledge the existence of a head of the evil spirits who is a personal opponent to humankind and is notorious for rebellion and destruction. In Christianity, this evil one is known as humanity’s accuser, Satan.

·         Unseen Realm

Igbo Traditional Religion divides the world into the seen and the unseen realms. Existence is lived in wholeness of those two ‘realities’.[3] The two realms interact with each other. Some personalities have lived in both realms more than once. People can move into the unseen realm during dreams, visions, or trances and, of course at death. There is constant communication between the seen and unseen. Igbo culture believes to have functionaries who communicate with God and the spirits on behalf of individuals and the community. This does not negate the ability of individuals to communicate with the unseen. These functionaries are trained, initiated, and in many cases, from a bloodline that has a special window into the unseen realm. Communication takes many forms. Chief among them are prayers or incantations. Igbo culture and Christianity have specialized ministers who administer certain functions for the people they serve. Christianity has prophets, pastors, priests, priestesses and elders, while Igbos have priests, priestesses, and prophets. Sacrifice for sin is an important theme in both religions. In Igbo culture, sacrifices are human beings’ attempt to turn back evil, or to bargain with God or divinities.[4]

·         Emphasis on Community

Some would say that family is at the core of Igbo society. Family is indeed emphasized. Society is broader than that. It is composed of friends, age mates, and relatives. Not only does each member of the community have a defined role to play, but there are responsibilities to each other that when transgressed bring about judgment from God or the other spirits. Both religions recognize the important role of the family as the basic unit of society. The family nurtures the individual and offers the individual a sense of community.

2.         Similarities and Dissimilarities between the Iba Muo rite of initiation and Christian Initiation

Here we shall begin with the similarities before we go to touch the dissimilarities. The Iba Muo rite of initiation and the rite of Christian initiation are thus similar in a couple of ways. First of all, both are shrouded in mysticism and both are initiation rites signifying a process by which one is introduced into a certain way of life, custom or tradition. Initiation in both rites is a rite of passage marking entrance or acceptance into a group or society. It is also be a formal admission to adulthood in a community or one of its formal components. In an extended sense it also signifies a transformation in which the initiate is 'reborn' into a new role. Both initiation rites exposes such individuals to an aspect of rebirth, new life, in which the one involved disposes of his former life and embraces a new  one. The rites of both initiation processes are divided into phases, with each phase signifying an important stage in the process. These initiations can be considered similar because of their twofold purpose which they share in common, thus:

(a) Those who are not associated with a community of faith and who wish to become members

 (b) Those who want to convert to a different belief. For them, the initiation is the process through which they will become full fledged members.

Still more, these initiation rites have functions which tend to gear towards the same goal, such functions are; that the real valuation of ritual death finally led to conquest of the fear of real death. Also, the initiation's function is to reveal the deep meaning of existence to the new generations and to help them assume the responsibility of being truly men and hence of participating in culture. It reveals a world open to the trans-human, a world that, in our philosophical terminology, we should call transcendental. Finally it makes the candidate open to spiritual values.

Furthermore the dissimilarities of the Iba muo rite of initiation and the rite of Christian initiation lie mostly in the method and procedures of the initiation. The activities of both initiation rites differ in system, catechesis, celebration and content. First the Iba Muo rite has to do with tradition of the people and the age for participating in the initiation process is between the ages five and ten years old, and those to participate in this initiation are selected, it is not out of free choice. The rite of Christian initiation of adults has to do with the church and has no specific age for those to be initiated. It is also an initiation done out of freewill, meaning that the reason for wanting to be a member of the church is based on your own decision and consent and not out of compulsion.

Subsequently, the duration for the initiation process varies, while Iba Muo rite may take the tradition Igbo week, the rite of Christian initiation takes a longer period of three months. Also during the Iba Muo rite, the initiation tends to get violent towards the end of the initiation to determine those who are physically sound and fit to join the cult, thus during the end of the  initiation, the masquerades give whips to the children pairing them in twos and force them to engage themselves in bloody whipping challenges. The ones who fall or cry are sent home, while the others are made spirits (masquerades) in the end. Meanwhile this inhumane and violent practice is lacking and can never be said of the rite of Christian initiation. Lastly, the catechesis given to those who are to be initiated through the Iba Muo rite are taught through oral sources as handed down from the ancestors, there is no formal training or method and the initiation rite may vary between igbo communities. However, the catechesis given to those willing to be initiated through the rite of Christian initiation have for their sources, the scripture, tradition and the magisterium of the church. Those to instruct the candidates are trained formally and the initiation rite do not vary.

3.         Explaining the contents of the rite of Christian initiation of adults in the light of Iba Muo rite in Igbo land

 As earlier explained in chapter three, the rite of Christian initiation of adults is primarily a journey of faith. It is a restoration of the ancient practice of initiation in the church. It is focused on conversion, whereby the candidates enter into an extended period of formation and conversion through prayer and reflection on the Gospels.

Here, the contents of the rite of Christian initiation of adults will be explained while showing or throwing some light to the iba mmuo rite of initiation.