Evolution of Nigerian Communities' Religious Beliefs and Practices

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to trace the evolution and development of religious beliefs and practices of Nigerian communities as occasioned by decades of encounter and interaction with Christianity. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low-cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive's time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Results: The results revealed that there exist conceptual and contextual gaps relating to the evolution and development of religious beliefs and practices of Nigerian communities. Preliminary empirical review reveals that indigenous communities had developed social, economic and political organization in the pre-colonial period. They had well-established religious beliefs and practices based on ancestor veneration and the belief in the Supreme Being. The interaction between the communities and Christianity caused resistance from these communities who later accepted and blended Christian values with their indigenous culture and formed a new hybrid religion. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The theory of symbolic interactionism may be used to anchor the evolution and development of religious beliefs and practices of Nigerian communities. This study is important because it may provide a source of information for scholars who may wish to conduct research on similar fields as well as general readers who may be interested in reading about the culture of the indigenous communities in Nigeria.