Igbo Religion

In the novel “Things Fall Apart,” written by Chinua Achebe, the Ibo cultural aspect of their religion is highly significant in their lifestyle, as in their community. It is seen in the way they communicate, or don't communicate, with one another. Religion is a strong holding point in their tribes. However, the perspective of religious tradition changes throughout the novel once colonialism, and Christianity, are introduced by the white missionaries. Differences in religious beliefs would be a reasoning for a tribe’s falling out, and religious discrimination throughout the novel.
In the Ibo community, they believe in ‘chi,’ or a personal god. One can see this mentioned in chapter four. In the chapter mentioned, it is said “One could say that (Okonkwo’s) chi, or personal god, was good. But the Ibo people have a proverb that when a man says yes, his chi says yes also.” (Achebe, 27) This quote demonstrates an Ibo person's connection with their belief in their chi; a religious aspect people in the Ibo community have.
In precolonial Umuofia, the tribe is polytheistic because of their worshiping of many gods. For instance, in
These missionaries would present to them the world of Christianity; a new-found, monotheistic religion. Missionaries speak of this new God, in chapter 16, in addition to falsifying the Igbo peoples current religion.. He tells the Mbanta people that “they worshiped false gods.”(145) This statement creates a stir in the very traditional, polytheistic community. A similarity, however, is found in the two religions when there is talk of a supreme God. The Igbo and Christians both have an ultimate god. For the Igbo, the god is to be named Chukwu, who is feared heavily by worshipers. In comparison, in the Christian faith, their God is gentle and to not be feared whatsoever. While the missionaries and Igbo community have their differences, they both agree on having a singular supreme