We are all victims of love

Are far as love is concerned

We are all victims.

In love’s presence we are 

All powerless – subdued.

I want to be a victim of love.

In fact, I kind of demand it.

African Culture and Philosophy: A Look at Libation

At almost every ceremony especially marking the different stages of the journey of life (i.e. birth, puberty, marriage, funeral etc.) a drink is offered in Africa, to the invisible forces – Gods and spirits. This is called libation. Libation was usually carried out by a chief’s linguist, a priest or in their absence any elderly person knowledgeable in the customs of the community. The liquid poured could be alcohol, palm wine or even common water dependending on what is available and it was poured with calabash. The people gather in a semi circle behind the linguist, looking on. The linguist then proceeds by addressing the prayer hierarchically to:

1. The Supreme God as creater of life, followed by several appellations by which the supreme God is known such as Mawu, Sogbo-lisa, Mawuga etc.

2. Mother Earth for supporting life. In the language of the Ewe, sky god and earth god were called Sogbo and Lîsa. Together they ensured rain and bountiful harvest.

3. Ancestors for their protection, blessings and guidance.

4. Deities etc.

Sometimes names of specific ancestors or deities are mentioned in the libation but it is generally a prayer of thanksgiving. The person pouring the libation may follow the thanksgiving with further requests for protection, peace, good harvest, many children etc. In this way one can get what “purpose” means to the indigenous African or what the African aspires to and those aspirations were no doubt humanistic. For instance wealth meant a large family size.

After libation the remaining drink was poured for everyone present to drink. A word of advice here: if the ceremony was an important ritual (concerning outdooring, apprenticeship agreement or some kind of contract) one’s partaking in the drinking means an approval or witnessing of the occasion. You drink means you approve of or agree to whatever happened. It’s not heavy drinking – just a sip. So the best sign you will see of those who diasapprove of the ceremony is a refusal of the drink without any excuse or worst still failure to show up. Assuming a problem occurs later after the ceremony, you could be called as a witness. If you claim ignorance of the problem, the elders would ask: “Were you not there, did you not partake in the drinking?”

Perhaps the most important observation of African traditions is that godism was a way of life. One does not wait for saturday or sunday before going to the shrine or pouring libation. Religion was fused with practical life. 

But for colonialism, African culture and philosophy would have evolved and flourished in a unique way benefiting its people. Africans would still have been influenced by the outside world but in a positive way. They would have learned to improve their own indigenous inventions, philosophies, customs, economies and way of life. In a subsequent post I shall demonstrate that there was authentic spirituality and moral laws in Africa long before any missionary entered Africa with the Bible. Because the implied hypothesis (even among some Africans) was that had the missionaries not come to Africa Africans will know nothing about morals or God.

To be continued….

What love is not

Love is not finding 

Someone who is perfect 

But someone who makes 

You feel perfect.