The Conflict between traditional Cultural Praxis and Christian Faith: A Discourse of Oshiri Community in Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State

Abstract

Oshiri community is one of the five communities that make up Onicha Local Government in Ebonyi State. Oshiri community inherited her traditional practices from her great grand founders. Christianity came into the Oshiri community after the settlement of the first people that arrived Oshiri. In Oshiri, they started developing cultures and other traditions which forms the culture of Oshiri people this day. In the later time, Christianity came-in with its own culture contradicting Oshiri cultures, and on several occasions, Christians in Oshiri abhor the tradition of the land intentionally Vis-versa. It is on this that this research focuses on the conflict between traditional praxis and Christian faith in Oshiri community. Specifically, does cultural praxis of Oshiri community actually conflicts with Christian faith in the area? This is the research problem which this research has been able to discuss. This research has been able to investigate the culture of Oshiri people, their marriage life, their economy and business life, their socio-political organization and lots more. Also, the research discusses various traditional practices of Oshiri people and how such praxis conflict with the faith of Christians. The research paper anchored on the religious pluralism and social learning theory, on the application this research adopted a descriptive phenomenological method with respect to the history and tradition of Oshiri people. The research concluded that some of the cultural practices of Oshiri people like marriage system, Aju and new yam festivals, age grade system conflict with the faith of the Christians in the area. Meanwhile, if both Christians and traditional adherents will come to understand the differences in the belief system, practices and the way each group understand its own religion, it will help the people to work together without having any misconception. Also, enlightenment and good understanding among the people will help in the unity of traditional adherents and Christians in Oshiri community.