Dr. ashimuneze heanacho reflects on the career of the Pope
Gracias, Anthony. African tradition demands solemnity
and disallows me to utter much at this juncture, in
view of the gravity of the moment, regarding the
suffering of our fellow human, John Paul II. A later
time will avail us to critique his subjugative role as
chief executive of RCC, an institution for the global
assertion of European cosmology and suppression of
divergent liturgical traditions, including
authoctonous, African varieties. At that time, we
should examine the cultural apostasy represented by
the choice you and other Africans make for Roman
rather than African religious accent.
Though presumptively catholic, i.e. global in its
hegemonic claims and ambitions for power over the
conscience and minds of Africans and others outside
Europe, the RCC is not different from General Motors,
Unilever, Guinness International, or Microsoft, etc.,
nor is John Paul different from the CEOs of these and
other neocolonialists. Like them, the Roman Pope and
the RCC deign to appoint a few culturally subservient,
exocontinental managers, such as Arinze, Okogie, et
al, on the strength of their cultural abnegation and
to punish others, such as the bishop of the Congo and
Uganda, dor attempting to inseminate RC sacrament with
authentic Afro-mysticism.
However, concistent with African humanism, I feel
sorrow at the painful condition of John Paul II, a
seemingly benevolent European but nevertheless, a
racial hegemon, who was dedicated to the imperial
religion of his native culture and the suppression of
non-European religions, except those, which accepted
to be subordinated to roman catholicism. Like former
British colonial Kings and Queens, John Paul II worked
hard to extrend the reach and power of the empire.
If souls exist, if there is a common place of final
rest (heaven of hell), and if there are gods, who
nominate or evaluate who goes where, I suppose that,
igbo gods (otamiri, uziamuma, etc.), Yoruba esu
elegba, ifa, osayin, ogun, obaluaiye, oshoosi, and
other deities of African cosmology: Akongo - Supreme
god of the Ngombe of the Congo, Akovodoun - Cult of
the dead in Dahomey, Akuj - Supreme god of the Turkana
peoples of Kenya, Amma - Supreme god of the Dogon
tribe of Mali, Anansi - creation god,
Ataokoloinona - Son of the Supreme god of Madagascar,
Balubaale - the presidium gods of earth, death,
rainbow, lightning, and plague in Bagandan (Uganda),
Bumba - Creator god of the Bushongo people of the
Congo, Cagn (I Kaggen) - creator god of South Central
Africans, Chewzi - Hero gods of the Nyoro of North
Uganda, Danh and Dan Ayido Hwedo of Dahomey, Dugbo -
Chief god of the earth in Sierra Leone, Dxui - Creator
god south Central Africa, Fa - God of destiny in
Dahomey, Famien - Guinea god of fertility, Ge (Gou) -
Moon god of Dahomey, Gu - God of war and smithering
among the Fon, Gunab and Heitsi-Eibib South Africa,
Guruhi or god of Evil in Gambia,
Heviosso (Xevioso) - Thunder god of Dahomey and
asociat of Legba, Huveane - Basuto creator god in
Lesotho, Juok - Creator god of the Shilluk all over
East Africa, Kaka-Guia - Bringer of dead souls to the
supreme god on the Vola, Kalumba - Creator god of the
Luba of Zaire, Kho-dumo-dumo - Demon of the Basuto
people of Lesotho, Kokola - Guardian god of Lake
Victoria, Kwammang-a - God of the Bushmen of South
Central Africa, Kyala - Creator god of the Nyakyusa of
South West Tanzinia, Legba - Evil genius of Dahomey,
Libanza - Supreme god of the Upotos of the Congo, Lisa
- Chameleon deity of Dahomey, Macardit - Demon spirit
of the Dink peoples of the Sudan, Massim-Biambe -
Omnipotent creator god of the Mundang people of the
Congo, Mawu - Chief god of Dahomey, Muluku - Supreme
god of the Macouas of Zambesi, Mulungu - Creator god
of the Yao of Malawi, Mungo (Mungu) - God of the
Giryama of Kenya, Nanan-Bouclou and numerous other
gods of diasporic Africans, 'Ndriananahary - Supreme
god of Malagasy/Madagascar, 'Nenaunir - Storm god of
the Masai of Kenya, 'Ngai - Creator god of the Masai
in Kenya, Ngewo-wa - Creator god of the Mende of
Sierra Leone, Ngworekara - Demon king of the Fan of
the Congo, Nummo - Spirit couple of the Dogon tribe of
Mali, Nyambe - God of the Koko of Niagra
Nyambi (Nyambe) - High god of the Barotse of Upper
Zambesi, Nyame - High god of the Twi of Ghana, Nyamia
Ama - God of storms, rain and lightning of Senegal
Nyankopon (Nyankopon Kweku, Onyankopon) - Sky god of
the Ashanti of Ghana, Nyasaye - God of the Maragoli
people of Kenya, Nzambi - Great goddess of the Bakongo
people of the Congo, Nzame - High god of the Fan
people of the Congo, Obassi Osaw - High god of the
Hausa of the Niger, Ogun (Ogoun) - God of Iron and
Warfare of the Nago and Yoruba, Omumbo-Rombonga - of
Namibia, Rock-Sene of the Serer people, Gambia,
Ruwa - High god of the Djaga of Kilimanjaro, Sagabata
- God of smallpox in Dahomey, Sakurabru - God of
medicine, justice and retribution of the Agni people
of Guinea, Unkulunkulu - High god of the Amazulu known
as Nkulnkulu to the Ndevele of Zimbabwe, Waka - Galla
rain god in Ethiopia, We - Supreme god of the Kasena
of Upper Volta, Wulbari - Supreme god of the Krachi of
West Africa, Wuni - Supreme god of the Dagamba people
of Ghana, will join the convocation to judge John Paul
II and his work. What do you suppose that African gods
will say about his and his church's success at
seducing some of their children and penalizing those,
who declined to comply?
--