THE RISE OF PROTEST AND RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT.
1. Protest is often a reaction against those or anything that against your will. Protest is often a reaction against those who humiliate others, indicating that their treatment cannot be taken any more.
Protest can be both through active Physical reaction such as fighting or striking and protest can be passive protest which could be done through boycotts and many others.
2. Religious Movements.
Religion was one of the colonial instruments of ideology that was used to oppress Africans culturally and politically.
It was used to condemn African culture, traditions, customs and forms such as circumcision, polygamy, traditional dances and ways of worshiping.
The independent church movements aimed at restoring African cultural needs and opposing church oppressions.
Examples of the independent church movements in Africa were such as:
1. Watu wa Mungu (the people of God) in Kenya.
2. Kimbanguism under Papaa Simon Kimbangu in Congo,
3. Anglican Church movement under Desmond Tutu in South Africa and others.
4. Mwari cult in Zimbabwe
5. Watu wa Mungu (The people of God). Established in Kenya in 1920’s. Their leaders were known as Arathi (seers) its member became associated with the Kikuyu central association.
6. Dini ya Musambwa (Religion of the spirit). Founded by Elijah Masinde, preached against colonial rule and sympathetic with the Maumau uprising.
7. The Abalamaki church movement. Founded by a teacher from Anglican church known as Malaki, he quoted the old testament verses supporting polygamy. The movement was supported by Buganda leader Semei Kakunguru.
8. The watch tower church movement, Africa n national church and the church of God. This movements emerged in Unyakyusa due to influence from Chilembe’s activities in Nyasa land (Malawi)
9. Province industrial mission church. Founded by john Chilembwe in favour of the slogan “Africa for the Africans”
10. The African Baptist church and the united native church in west Africa. These demanded Africa n independence in religious matters and political independence.
11. Fort hall formed in 1922 under leadership of Daudi Maina (Kenya)
12. The Kikuyu orthodox church in Kenya
13. Native Baptist church in Cameroon etc.
CAUSE OF THE RISE OF RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
The motivating factors for the formation of religious movements included: -
I. Despise of African culture
The white missionary churches were used to condemn Africa n culture, traditions, customs and ways of worshipping. Africans were therefore, forced to establish their own churches to restore their culture.
II. Mistreatment in the missionary church
The Africans who attended the missionary churches were discriminated and not given promotion to the rank of the high church leadership. They had no say in the missionary churches. Thus, they decided to separate from these churches to protest all forms of mistreatment.
III. Reaction against colonial exploitation and oppression
The religious movements were formed as a reaction against forced labour, taxation and racial discrimination Africa ns faced under colonialism. The Africa ns had realized that European missionaries, white traders and colonial government officials were all agent of imperialism.
IV. The emergence of African pastors and preachers
These were men of courage and talents who succeeded in establishing the theology which led to formation of independent churches. Example of such people include:
Willie J. Mokalapa the founder of the Ethiopian church of Barotseland in Zambia.
Eliot Kenan Kamwana who formed the watch tower independent church and obtained 10,000 followers in Malawi.
John Chilembwe who formed the province industrial mission which dominated the shire highlands areas in Malawi.
V. The existence of the Negro - churches in USA.
The Negros of USA were the same as Africans and they managed to establish churches like the Africa n Methodist Episcopal church and succeeded to send missionaries in south Africa n. These churches encouraged Africans to form their own churches. The negro churches promoted inspiration among African religion movement.
VI. The pride of Ethiopia.
The Africans were proud of Ethiopia as Christian African kingdom which had not be colonized. They though that Africans could establish and run their own religious institutions without foreign control and domination. They were also proud of the victory of Adowa against the Italians in 1896.
VII. To oppose white traders, colonial government officials who were agents of imperialism e.g. national church of Nigeria set prayers for Africans to free themselves from imperialism.
CONTRIBUTION OF INDEPENDENT CHURCH MOVEMENTS
i. They trained and groomed nationalistic leaders in their churches.
The independent church movements taught how to speak to the congregations E.g Jommo Kemyatta, Hasting Kamuzu Banda, Milton Obote and Sam Nujoma got experiences from independent church movements to lead their people to independence.
ii. Establishment of independent schools
In this independent schools, African children were taught their culture, they were taught about the evils of colonialism and later these African young men became political activists.
iii. They stimulated moral and courage toward fighting or national independence e.g. the national church of Nigeria and Cameroon set prayers of Africa ns to free themselves from imperialism.
iv. The independent churches taught reformism. They taught Africa ns that the missionaries were agents of colonialism and not fully evangelical as they preached and also the western churches practiced discrimination which was not assented by God.
v. They conveyed the message of freedom to people. These churches were the first manifestations of Africans resolve to regain their independence. Some preached openly the principle of “Africa for the Africans” in opposition to the authority of Europeans. They pointed out that, European missionaries, white traders and colonial government officials were all agents of imperialism.
vi. United all Africans to fight for their rights. They protested colonial government practices through active demonstrations, boycotts and strikes. All these led to an increase in consciousness particularly when the colonial government used force. For example, when the colonial government tried to use force against religious movement in Malawi under Chilembwe mad them popular.
vii. They gave moral and material support to the political fighter for freedom of Africans in central Africa.
