Pannacha Lertlarpnont

English 12
4​th ​December, 2018

Changes in Igbo Religion by Christians Influence in ​Things Fall Apart

Influence is an action that is capable of affecting others thoughts, beliefs, characters, and

behaviors. The influencers usually are people who strongly believe in their own ideas and want

to spread their ideas to other people and society. In “​Things Fall Apart​”, written by Chinua

Achebe, there contains a story about the expansion of Christianity to Igbo people who live in

Nigeria, Africa. Around nineteenth century, Africa became a place where Christians were

interested in and wanted to spread Christianity throughout the continent. Therefore, they sent

their missionaries, people who promote Christianity in foreign countries, to Africa. The

Christians have been using many strategies to convert and influence Igbo people, and as a result,

some Igbo people turned their back on Igbo traditions and customs, and came to praise the new

faith. In this novel, Achebe conveys how Christians alter Igbo beliefs through public forums of

debate, acceptance of outcasts, and direct confrontation.

Firstly, Achebe shows that Christians use public forums of debate as a way to change

Igbo beliefs. Christians, also known as the white men, have come to the villages and build their

own territory on Igbo lands. Their purpose is to alter Igbo religion and traditional customs. The

first thing that is done by the white men when they arrived at Igbo village is that they gathered

many villagers around and spoke out their wills. The missionaries evangelize Igbo people

through the declaration of the advantages being a Christians which directly attack Igbo core

value of belief. The missionary says, “We have been sent by this great God to ask you to leave

your wicked ways and false gods and turn to Him so that you may be saved when you die,” (p.

145). In addition, the declaration of ideology is also a great way to shape people’s thoughts: “

‘Be a man,’ ‘suck it up,’ and ‘don’t cry’ are only a few phrases handpicked from a plentiful
basket of ego-damaging constructions built into today’s society” (Olson, 2015).​ Accordingly, the

declaration about Christianity, with confidence to criticize others’ belief, stimulates some of the

villagers who, at first place, are doubting about their own belief to speak out. The use of the

word ‘wicked’ and ‘false god’ will provoke some of the Igbo people while some might agree to

the statements. The similar and repeatedly-told speech about Christianity will create hesitation

and questions among of the Igbo people toward their own religion which will last until they find

out the answer to their questions, even though some might find it amusing. Consequently, there

will be arguments between Igbo and Christianity. While Igbo religion believes in things such as

wood and stone, and control people with fear, Christianity uses a concept of ‘father’ and

‘family’. If these two religions is the topic to argue about, it is obvious that people will be

attracted by the more peaceful one. Therefore, people will hardly find a reasonable explanation

for Igbo customs while Christianity has plenty of evidence to contrast Igbo religion. As a result,

Igbo people will turn their back to their traditional customs and seek for a new justifiable faith.

Secondly, Achebe demonstrates how Christians change Igbo belief by accepting the

outcasts who also known as the osu. For Igbo society, social structure, classes, and titles are very

essential which have a huge impact on Igbo culture. In Igbo religion, the lowest class people are

the outcasts who are not allowed to be or mix with free-born Igbo people. Osu are made to

dedicate themselves to god and can never marry to normal Igbo people: “Their only resemblance

lies in their misfortunes. Both of them occupy an equally inferior position in the country they

inhabit; both suffer from tyranny” (Tocqueville, 1835, para. 6). Moreover, the outcasts are not

accepted and welcomed by the people in the village. The villagers do not even want to be near

them and show disgust toward the osu. However, Mr. Kiaga, a Christian teacher, brought those
mean action to a halt and said, “Before God, there is no slave or free. We are all children of God

and we must receive these our brothers” (p.156). He accepts the outcasts and introduces them to

a new faith, Christianity. This strategy, manipulating the osu, might seem unimportant, but it

actually causes a huge impact on the society. Since Igbo culture bans all the outcast, who do not

even have a chance to be normal Igbo people and do not even know why they have to be banned,

they will easily change their belief in order to seek for a better living. The osu mind can easily be

manipulated because their feelings and minds are fragmented due to the refusal from people who

believe in the same doctrine as them. Thus, Christians accept the osu and consider them as

family members from being sons of the same God which means they offer the osu a sense of

belonging. According to Igbo social system, many Igbo people are suffering from suppression by

the titled men. As a result, not only the osu, but also people who are treated unreasonably will

convert to Christianity where they will finally feel that they belong. Eventually, there will be

more and more converts and Christianity will become stronger. The Igbo religion will slowly

change and gone since there are less and less believers.

Lastly, Achebe conveys how Christians change Igbo belief by directly confronting their

traditional religion customs. Generally, Igbo people strongly believe without a shadow of doubt

in their own customs which were carried on from generation to generation. Igbo long-established

customs are said to be what their gods and goddesses desire which link with their way of living.

However, if Igbo people fail to follow their gods and goddesses, they will, in return, face some

severe punishments. Meanwhile, when Christians come, they slowly introduce Christianity and

their customs to Igbo people. By starting from settling down among the Igbo people, the

Christians asked for a land in the village. They are given an area in the Evil Forest which is full
of sinister forces and powers of darkness. According to Igbo belief, the Christians will die in a

few days. Achebe writes: “But they were still alive… That week they won a handful more

convert” (p.151). After the church is built in the Evil Forest, Mr. Kiaga, a Christian teacher,

shaved off the outcasts’ hair and said, “You fear that you will die. Why should that be?” (p.157).

The outcasts were alive, therefore, the situation drew more attention from other villagers. The

Christians have disproved Igbo beliefs which surely will affect the villagers’ thoughts about their

own doctrine. Typically, some religious beliefs cannot be proved scientifically, but it can be

confirmed by evidence. Christianity has substantiated their belief with evidence while Igbo

religion has no proof. The Igbo people who witness the testimonial, that Christians have

accomplished, will be skeptical about their culture. Since the Igbo people who unconditionally

believe in their culture have the feeling of betrayal by their own beliefs due to the fact that what

they have trusted all their lifetime are unreal. As Christians continually confront Igbo beliefs

with valid evidence, Christianity would obtain more strength by having more believer who felt

that they are abandoned by their gods and goddesses.

In conclusion, Christianity uses both direct and indirect strategies to alter Igbo traditional

religious practice which is absurd. The bewilderment and indecision of Igbo people are

developed along the processes of introducing Christianity through argumentation, the encounter

with Igbo belief, and recognition of the outsiders - resulted in the change of Igbo cultures.

Sooner or later, Igbo culture might come to an end as long as Christianity continue to disprove

Igbo religion.
 References

Achebe, C. (1959). ​Things Fall Apart​. New York: Penguin Books.

Olson, S. (2015, March 22). What It Means To ‘Be A Man’: How Male Stereotypes Try To

Fit Growing Boys Into A Mold, And Fail. Retrieved:

https://www.medicaldaily.com/what-it-means-be-man-how-male-gender-stereotypes-t

Ry-fit-growing-boys-mold-and-fail-326450

Tocqueville, A. D. (1835). ​Democracy in America​ [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://e.edim.co/77762013/The_Present_Probable_Future...of_the_Three_Races_-_Alexi

s_de_Tocqueville.pdf?response-content-disposition=filename%3D%22The_Present___Pr

obable_Future...of_the_Three_Races___Alexis_de_Tocqueville.pdf%22%3B%20filenam

e%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27The%2520Present%2520%2526%2520Probable%2520Future

...of%2520the%2520Three%2520Races%2520-%2520Alexis%2520de%2520Tocquevill

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