WHEN THE GODS ARE DRUNK

BEFORE THE ADVENT OF THE WHITEMAN  IN AFRICA, THE  PREDOMINANT RELIGION WAS PEGANISM.  AMONG THEIR MANY TRADITIONS, THE MOST PROMINENT ONE WAS TO POUR LIBATIONS TO THE GODS AND THEIR DEAD ANCESTORS.  THIS WAS AN ACT OF REVERENCE, HONOUR AND GRATITUDE TO THE DEAD AND THE GODS.  IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THE DEAD IN THE SPIRIT WORLD   PLEADED WITH THE GODS ON BEHALF OF THE LIVING FOR HAPPY LIFE AND PROTECTION FROM THEIR ENEMIES.  IN RETURN, THE  LIVING SHOWED THEIR APPRECIATION BY HONOURING THEM.   THE DEAD  WERE PROUD OF THEIR POSTERITY FOR THEIR BEING GRATEFUL TO THE GODS. THIS WAS  A SIGN THAT THEY, THE DEAD DID BRING UP THEIR CHILDREN WELL INDEED.  THE TRADITION WAS THAT FOR EVERY BOTTLE OF DRINK, OR KALABASH OF DRINK, THE FIRST CUP BELONGED TO THE DIETY BEFORE THE LIVING WILL TEST THEEROF.  THIS HONOUR PLEASED BOTH THE GODS AND THE DEAD  ANCESTORS.

ONCE EVERY YEAR, DURING THE HARVEST TIME WHICH  IN NIGERIA, GENERALLY TAKES PLACE SOME TIMES IN  THE MONTH OF AUGUST, THERE WAS THE ”JUJU” FESTIVAL, THAT IS THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF ALL THE GODS.  IN THIS FESTIVAL, ALL THE GODS MUST BE  REPRESENTED BOTH BIG AND SMALL.  ANY OMISSION OF ANY GOD WOULD  RESULT IN A VERY SERIOUS CALAMITY AMONG THE PRIESTS OF THIS GOD.  ALL THE GODS HAVE NAMES AND SPECIAL CARVINGS SYMBOLIZING THEIR WORKS AND NATURE. THE FESTIVAL LASTS FOR ONE WEEK OF EIGHT DAYS.  FOUR DAYS BEFORE THIS, THE CHIEF PRIEST  OF ALL THE GODS IN THE VILLAGE ,ASSEMBLED ALL THE STATUES OF ALL THE DIFFERENT  GODS IN  HIS   CENTRAL HALL CALLED ”OBI”,   CLEAND THEM, DECORATED THEM WITH THE SPECIAL RED COATING OF ”UHE”, THIS IS A GROUNDED SEED FROM A LOCAL PLANT PURPOSELY  FOR THE GODS.  HE WOULD THEN ALLIGN THEM IN ORDER OF THEIR SENIORITY IN THE SPIRIT WORLD.  THIS ORDER IS VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THE LOWER GODS TAKE ORDERS  FROM THE HIGHER GODS.  WHEN  ALL THE GODS WERE WELL DECORATED IN THEIR RED  ORNAMENT AND ALLIGNED ACCORDING TO THEIR RANK IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM, THEN THEY WERE READY FOR THE GREAT FESTIVAL.  THE GOD OF DEFENCE WHO WAS THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE  ARMED  FORCES AND SECURITY AFFAIRS,  CALLED ”AMADIOHA”, WAS TAKEN AWAY BY THE SPIRIT OF THE FESTIVAL  AND HE FORGOT TO TAKE NECESSARY MEASURES TO PROTECT THE LIVING DURING THE PERIOD OF THE FESTIVAL.   THIS WAS A BIG MISS INDEED.  

FROM THE FIRST DAY OF THIS CELEBRATION TO THE LAST DAY, DRINKS OF DIFFERENT TYPES WERE IN GREAT SUPPLY.  EVEN THE THEN ARAB TRADERS BROUGHT MANY ASSORTED TYPES OF DRINKS  FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD BOTH FOR SALE AND FOR PRESENT TO THE CHIEF PRIESTS  OF THE GODS.  THERE WERE FOOD OF DIFFERENT TYPES ALSO, AND THE GODS HAD THE FIRST CUPS OF THE DRINKS AND THE FIRST PORTION OF EVERY SORT OF FOOD THAT WAS AVAILABLE.  BOTH THE LIVING AND THE DEAD AND THE GODS DRANK AND  BECAME DRUNK.

UNDER THIS STATE OF DRUNKENESS THE WHITEMEN STRUK WITH THEIR SOLDIERS AND GUNS AND CAPTURED THE LIVING AS THE FISHERMAN  CATCHED THE FISHES IN HIS NET.  THEY CAPTURED SOME AND SOLD THEM TO THE UNITED STATES AS SLAVES. THE REST WERE  SUBJECTED TO PERPETUAL SERVITUDE EVEN IN THEIR OWN LAND OF INHERITANCE. THE GODS HAD TAKEN THE LAST CUP OF THEIR DRINK. THE FREEDOM HAD GONE TO THE WIND. EVEN THE GODS AND THE DEAD  WERE IN THE  SPIRITUAL  PRISON.  THERE WAS NO ONE TO PLEAD WITH ANY  BODY  ON BEHALF OF THE LIVING CAPTIVE  AND SO WHEN  THE GODS WERE DRUNK  THE LIVING WERE COLONISED AND  SUBJECTED TO ETERNAL SERVITUDE.

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