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Technological Change and Its Effect on Traditional Religious Beliefs: the Tiv Experience

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Technological Change and Its Effect on Traditional Religious Beliefs: the Tiv Experience TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE AND ITS EFFECT ON TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS BELIEFS: THE TIV EXPERIENCE BY MBAWAREN MAGDALYN ABOH B.A., M.A. Religious Studies (Jos) PGA/UJ/8728/95 A thesis in the Department of RELIGIOUS STUDIES, Faculty of Arts, Submitted to the School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Jos, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Award of the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY of UNIVERSITY OF JOS OCTOBER, 2005 ii DECLARATION I hereby declare that this work is the product of my own research efforts, undertaken under the supervision of Prof. Wendy Elgersma Helleman and has not been present elsewhere for the award of a degree or certificate. All sources have been duly distinguished and appropriately acknowledged. Mbawaren Maydalyn Aboh PGA/UJ/8728/95 iii CERTIFICATION This is to certify that the research work for this thesis and subsequent preparation of this thesis by Samson Elias Mijah (PGA/UJ/11332/00) were carried out under my supervision. _________________________ ________________________ Supervisor Head of Department Professor Cyril O. Imo (Ph.D) Rev. J.M. Kangdim (Ph.D) _________________________ ________________________ Dean, Faculty of Arts Internal Examiner _________________________ ________________________ External Examiner Dean, School of Post- Graduate Studies. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am gratefully indebted to my supervisor Prof. Wendy Elgersma Helleman who is very kind and gracious with her exceptional patience, painstaking in reading, giving through valuable criticisms and tireless supervision of this research. My profound gratitude goes to Rev. Dr. J.M. Kangdim Head of Department of Religious Studies for his understanding and continuous encouragement for the completion of this work. My special regards to Prof. C.O. Imo for his exceptional encouragement he gave me, Associate Prof. U.H. D. Danfulani for his encouragement to me, morally as well as financial support to me. In fact I really lack words to thank him enough. Dr. Musa Gaiya who fought tirelessly to make sure I graduate. Rev. Dr. Y.K. Yilpet who read the first part of my thesis and opted for upgrading, Prof. D.N. Wambutda, Rev. I Musa Ahmadu, Mr. J.D. Gwamna, Mr. Cosmos Wule, for their moral support to me. The last but not the least Tyover Addai for his fatherly advise to me. I appreciate also the special contributions of my colleagues Samson Mijah who was always encouraging me up to point of my Viva Voce and Rev. Dr. Mike Ushe for his words of encouragement to me. I thank members of staff of the Department of Religious studies University of Jos, namely; Mrs. Christiana C.C. Egwuka, Ibrahim A. Muhammad and Mrs. Victoria D. Bako, for their moral support to me. Thanks to Dorcas – Audu who works with Benue v Cement Company Plc Gboko for her contribution by giving the necessary information I needed along with books. To my family I shall ever be grateful to their understanding, endurance and words of encouragement in the course of this work. I am deeply grateful to all and to Mr. Bamidele Akamune, Mr. Livinus L. Latwal and Mrs. Priscilla E. Anaele for the typing and correction of this work. Your patience is highly appreciated. Finally, may God’s name be praised and glorified forever who made it possible for me to see the light of each day from the time of the commencement of this work until the completion of it. vi DEDICATION This work is dedicated to my husband Mr. Titus Tyav Aboh who has given me the gold mine, and my children: Terverr Terencez Tyav Ter-er Theophilus Tyav Doo Marvelous Tyav Dooyum Dora Tyav vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE TITLE PAGE … … … … … … … … … i DECLARATION … … … … … … … … ii CERTIFICATION … … … … … … … … iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS … … … … … … … iv DEDICATION … … … … … … … … vi TABLE OF CONTENTS … … … … … … … vi LIST OF TABLES … … … … … … … … xiv LIST OF FIGURES … … … … … … … … xv ABBREVIATIONS … … … … … … … … xxi ABSTRACT … … … … … … … … … xxii CHAPTER ONE - GENERAL INTRODUCTION … … … 1 1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY … … … … … 1 1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM … … … … … 2 1.3 OBJECTIVES … … … … … … … … 9 1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY … … … … … … 10 1.5 SCOPE … … … … … … … …. 12 1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY … … … … … 13 1.7 LIMITATIONS … … … … … … … 16 1.8 DATA COLLECTION … … … … … … … 18 1.9 ORGANIZATION OF STUDY … … … … … 18 1.10 DEFINITION OF TERMS … … … … … … 20 1.10.1 Materialism … … … … … … … … 20 1.10.2 Religion … … … … … … … … 22 viii Religious Change … … … … … … … 23 Religious Worldview … … … … … … 24 1.10.3 Science … … … … … … … … 25 1.10.4 The Concept of Technology … … … … … 25 1.10.5 Philosophical Approach of this Thesis … … … … 29 Positive Approaches to Technology … … … … 30 Critique of Technological Achievement … … … … 31 NOTES … … … … … … … … 34 CHAPTER TWO - REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE … … 36 2.1 INTRODUCTION … … … … … … … 36 2.2 TECHNOLOGY AS A MAJOR FACTOR OF CHANGE IN THE BELIEF IN GOD … … … … … … … 36 2.3 CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON TIV HISTORY … … … … 39 2.4 MAJOR FACTORS ERODING TIV TRADITIONAL WORLDVIEW … … … … … … … … 40 2.4.1 Colonialism … … … … … … … … 41 2.4.2 Christianity … … … … … … … … 42 2.4.3 Education … … … … … … … … 42 2.4.4 Second World War and Independence … … … … 43 2.4.5 Urbanization and Industrialization … … … … 43 2.4.6 Technology … … … … … … … … 43 History of Technology … … … … … … 44 The Advent of Technology in African and Nigeria … … 44 The Advent of Technology in Tiv Land … … … … 47 2.5 TIV’S REACTION TO CHANGE … … … … … 48 2.6 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION … … … … … 49 ix CHAPTER THREE - THE TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW OF THE TIV … … … 51 3.1 INTRODUCTION … … … … … … … 51 3.2 TIV PEOPLE’S ORIGIN … … … … … … 51 3.3 TIV RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW … … … … … 56 3.3.1 Aondo – Supreme Being … … … … … … 56 3.3.2 Tsav - Witchcraft … … … … … … … 60 3.3.3 Akombo – Divinities … … … … … … 70 3.3.4 Azov – Fairies or Spirits … … … … … … 75 3.4 THE TIV PEOPLE IN TIV LAND … … … … … 82 3.4.1 Political Sphere … … … … … … … 82 3.4.2 Economic Sphere … … … … … … … 82 3.4.3 Agricultural Sector … … … … … … … 86 3.4.4 Transport Sector … … … … … … … 87 3.4.5 Communication Sector … … … … … … 87 3.4.6 Social Sphere … … … … … … … 87 3.4.7 Family and Marriage … … … … … … … 92 3.4.8 Health Sector … … … … … … … 93 3.4.9 Industry Sector … … … … … … … 96 3.5 THE TIV WITHIN SEASONS … … … … … 97 3.5.1 Farming … … … … … … … … 97 3.5.2 Recreational Activities … … … … … … 98 3.5.3 Tiv Link of the Earth and Sky … … … … … 101 NOTES … … … … … … … … 105 CHAPTER FOUR - MAJOR FACTORS THAT REMOULDED THE TIV RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW … … 112 4.1 INTRODUCTION … … … … … … … 112 4.2 COLONIALISM … … … … … … … 112 4.3 CHRISTIANITY AS A FACTOR … … … … … 119 x 4.4 EDUCATION … … … … … … … … 122 4.5 THE SECOND WORLD WAR … … … … … 134 4.6 INDEPENDENCE … … … … … … … 137 4.7 URBANIZATION … … … … … … … 142 NOTES … … … … … … … … 144 CHAPTER FIVE - THE ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY … 147 5.1 INTRODUCTION … … … … … … … 147 5.2 TECHNOLOGY: SURVEY OF ITS HISTORY … … … 147 5.2.1 Ancient Civilization … … … … … … … 148 5.2.2 Middle Ages … … … … … … … … 148 5.2.3 Renaissance … … … … … … … … 149 5.2.4 The 1700’s … … … … … … … … 149 5.2.5 The 1800’s … … … … … … … … 150 5.2.6 1900-1950 … … … … … … … … 151 5.2.7 1950 To 2005 … … … … … … … 152 5.3 TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT FOR NIGERIA … … 154 5.3.1 Agriculture … … … … … … … … 156 5.3.2 Transportation and Housing … … … … … 157 5.3.3 Health … … … … … … … … 158 5.3.4 Industry … … … … … … … … 159 5.4 ACHIEVEMENTS OF TECHNOLOGY AMONG THE TIV … … 160 5.4.1 Agriculture … … … … … … … … 160 5.4.2 Transport and Communication … … … … … 165 5.4.3 Health … … … … … … … … 166 5.4.4 Industry … … … … … … … … 167 NOTES … … … … … … … … 174 CHAPTER SIX - FACTORS THAT INFLUENCED TIV RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW … … … … … … … 176 6.1 INTRODUCTION … … … … … … … 176 6.2 TIV RELIGIOUS WORLDVIEW … … … … … 176 xi 6.2.1 Sacred World View … … … … … … … 178 6.2.2 Communal Dimensions of Life … … … … … 179 6.2.3 Holistic Approach to Life … … … … … … 179 6.2.4 Life Enhancement … … … … … … … 179 6.3 EFFECTS OF COLONIALISM ON TIV TRADITIONAL RELIGION … … … … … … … … 181 6.3.1 Anti-Witchcraft Movements … … … … … 182 Namakaa … … … … … … … 182 InyamL Buan … … … … … … 184 6.3.1 Social and Economic Aspects … … … … … 186 6.4 CHRISTIANITY … … … … … … … 190 6.4.1 Effects of Christianity on Tiv Traditional Religion … … 190 6.4.2 Effects on Tiv Social Life … … … … … … 191 6.4.3 Health Care … … … … … … … … 194 6.4.4 Economy … … … … … … … … 196 6.5 THE EDUCATION … … … … … … … 199 6.5.1 The Effects of Education on Tiv Religious Worldview … … 199 6.5.2 Effects of Education on the Social Life of the Tiv people … 201 6.5.3 Effects of Education on Tiv Economy … … … … 203 6.6 SECOND WORLD WAR … … … … … … 205 6.6.1 Effects of Second World War on Tiv Religious Worldview … 205 6.6.2 Second World War Effects on Tiv Society … … … 206 6.6.3 The Economic Effects of the Second World War on the Tiv People … … … … … … … … 206 6.7 INDEPENDENCE … … … … … … … 207 6.7.1 The Effects of Independence on Tiv Religious Life … … 207 6.7.2 Effect of Independence on Tiv Social and Economic Life … 207 6.8 URBANIZATION … … … … … … … 208 6.8.1 The Effect of Urbanization on Tiv People’s Religious Worldview … … … … … … … … 208 xii 6.9 TECHNOLOGY – POSITIVE EFFECTS … … … … 211 6.9.1 The Effects of Technological Changes in Health Care … … 211 6.9.2 Technology and Agriculture … … … … … 214 6.9.3 Technology and Transportation … … … … … 215 6.9.4 Media … … … … … … … … … 215 6.9.5 Modern Appliances … … … … … … … 217 6.9.6 Industry … … … … … … … … 218 6.10 NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGES … … 218
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