THE TRADITION OF OUR ANCESTORS & THE VIEW OF MR. UZOECHI ONONGAYA (MY GRANDFATHER)

This article is classified under Apologetics theology, but made simple to a lay reader. 

{Written by Christian Uzoechi}

It grieves my heart to see youths returning to the ancestoral traditions or to a so called god "chukwu okike abiama". My heart was stirred to write this after I encountered a recent popular song which it's lyrics are centered on "the white men stole our tradition and told us not to worship the gods of our ancestors".

THE TRADITION OF OUR ANCESTORS: I want to let the reader to realize or know that I am not from the white race, I am from the Igbo tribe (South Eastern Nigeria), from Africa, and I can speak and write the Igbo language fluently. I am a youth in his 20s, and I spent over 20 years of my life in a village in Igbo land. I also had the opportunity to live in the same roof with my grandfather (a traditionalist) for over 17 years. I understand some of the ancestoral traditions, I saw them, I saw sacrifices offered to idols, but I was never part of it, neither was I initiated into any of it, for I have served my Lord Jesus Christ all my life. Certain ancestoral cultures in Igbo land includes masquerades, ijele, nze & ozo, agwu, itu oji, itu mmiri, itu mmanya, etc.

MY GRANDFATHER (MR. UZOECHI): My grandfather was a traditionalist for over hundred years of his life, he lived to be over 100 years old, and only had the revelation of Christ prior to his departure. At the minute of his death, the Lord told me that He was coming home (heaven). (He was a great man, a good and a righteous man, may his soul continue to rest in the Lord's bossom).

He was not a native doctor, neither was he hearing from the gods, being a traditionalist for over a century (100 years plus), he must have visited native doctors for consultations, divinations, etc. (He was not a wicked man, and he was not an oppressor). People were coming to him for traditional rites inquiries, not as a native doctor, but as an experienced traditionalist. And I heard him mention gods like njaba, amadioha, ogwugwu, etc. 

According to him, are the traditions of our ancestors worth it? My grandfather became sick last days of his life, and had the revelation of Jesus Christ few days prior to his departure on October 2017, and he said to my mother one midnight "So this Jesus is so big like this!" For those last few days, he never again mentioned amadioha, ogwugwu, njaba, etc. He never again mentioned any alcohol, I can still see the picture of those few days with my mind right now, he was so holy, so pure, Jesus Christ had transformed him, his facial expression changed, righteousness had come into his spirit, he was now born again, but he never had the opportunity to step his feet into a church. Jesus touched him. 

HIS VIEW: While I was living in the same roof with him, he was a believer of reincarnation, and he used to say that in his next life, he would be a great scholar, be a pastor, go to church and serve Jesus Christ. (Reincarnation contradicts the scriptures). But why didn't he say that in his next life, he would continue a traditionalist? Because he knew that the tradition of our ancestors were nothing, but darkness. He also used to praise the white men that brought us light and civilization.

He used to tell me certain histories of his life, Biafran civil war, etc. I am also a good questionaire right from my childhood, and he did his best to answer as much as he could. He knew I loved Jesus Christ greatly, and he was not telling me histories on traditional cultures or pagan religion, he didn't want me to put my mind in that area, if he had some sacrifices offered to idols, he would inform me earlier that the meat was sacrificed to idols, and he knew I would avoid it like poison. He wanted me to go to school, he wanted me to serve Jesus Christ and keep preaching the gospel, even though he himself wasn't a Christian. He would permit me to talk about Jesus around him, until Jesus Christ started getting into his own heart (while blessing kolanut sometimes, he would summarize it with "in Jesus Name"), which was not acceptable in the pagan religion, but he didn't mind. He would permit my family to bring in prayer warriors to the house, and sometimes he would join himself in the prayers. But during the last days of his life, he received mercy just like Cornelius the centurion (See Acts 10). Being good and righteous won't get you to heaven, you need Jesus Christ just like Cornelius and Uzoechi my grandfather.

Why am I saying all these? If pagan religion or their so called Biafran religion (according to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) is light and worth it, my grandfather would have educated me and encouraged me to walk in it. But honestly speaking, if my grandfather wherever he is right now ever hears or sees that I drops the Bible, stops serving Jesus Christ for whatever reason, stops preaching, or turns to the pagan religion, he would feel so disappointed in me. He knew that the Gospel is light, and He knew that there is tremendous Power in Jesus Christ. 

IDOLATRY: The scriptures condemns all forms of idolatry. Pagans are not serving the true God, if they do, my grandfather would have known and encouraged me to go that path. The old and the new testament condemns pagan religion or the religion of our ancestors.

IN CHRIST ALONE: In the new testament, Jesus Christ is the only Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). He died and resurrected on the third day to prove that He is God. To a Jewish rabbi, Son of God means God. Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Godhead (the Holy Trinity). If you are not serving Jesus Christ, you are not serving the only true God. Chukwu Okike Abiama (the Creator of the Universe) was the unknown God at Athens (Acts 17:22-26), But Jesus Christ is the only way to this supreme Being. 

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Also in Christ Jesus, you are a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17) and have been brought into a new lineage, you are now the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:29), and you should serve only the God of Abraham your father.

ORIGIN OF CHRISTIANITY: Christianity didn't start in America, Europe, etc. It started from Jerusalem, and the 12 Apostles, including St. Paul & St. Barnabas, the Apostles to the Gentiles were Jews. Even the skin colour of Jesus Christ was not white, neither was it black, He was from the Jewish race. The white men received the gospel, it blessed them, and they brought it to us here in Africa, we received it, and it is blessing us. Woe unto anyone who tries to convince people to return to the dark pagan religion (see Galatians 1:8-9).

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in JERUSALEM, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

FINALLY: Exodus 20:1 And God spake all these words, saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Philippians 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

~ Seed of Abraham

Evangelist Christian Uzoechi