Africanisation of Numeral Concept in Christian Religious Worship among the Igbomina in Eastern Yorubaland
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Date
2018
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Faculty of Arts, Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State
Abstract
Human thoughts can be expressed both in words (letters of the alphabets-ABCDE…) and figures (symbols representing numbers – 12345…). Numbers are significant both in the secular (mathematical calculations or statistics) and the spiritual sense. This work reveals the biblical basis for the popular adoption of some frequently used numbers in both secular and religious programmes today. However, correlation of such numbers identified, reveals that some of such numbers had been sacred and prominent before the advent of Islam and Christianity. Methodology used include: oral interviews, observations, attendance at ceremonies and festivals for careful juxtapositions and scrutiny of printed materials. The study concludes that Christian worship today often appears to be ritualistic in nature due to the band-wagon effect of traditionalism. God must however, be worshipped in truth and holiness; His attributes does not customarily restrict Him to one-way traffic or formula in his deeds and actions. Neither His action nor attention can be won via repetitive or magical use of numbers.
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Keywords
Africanisation, Numbers/ Numeral concept, Coded numbers, Christian worship, Igbomina, Symbolic objects
Citation
MLA, pp. 401-416