History of LBO Religous Factors: Things Fall Apart

Since early history, religious institutions that encompass gods, worship centers, and oracles have helped shaped political power in many communities because of the worldview and societal hierarchies they imply. In Chinua Achebe’s book, Things Fall Apart, this is exemplified through its story of the Ibo African village and its encounter with European Christian missionaries. Moreover, Achebe demonstrates how Ibo religious institutions structure Ibo political power through their respected hierarchies that are established by their abilities to affirm their authority, uphold and declare Ibo law, and punish community members who go against their jurisdiction.

The legitimization of political power in a community, on behalf of religious institutions, often requires authority to be clearly affirmed and declared in order for citizens to realize they are inferior to them. Achebe illustrates this through written descriptions of Ibo religious institutions, particularly of the gods and their representatives. For example, Evil Forest, leader of the representative ancestral spirits, egwugwus, proclaims, “I am Evil Forest, I am Dry-meat-that fills the mouth, I am Fire that-burns without faggots” (93). This remark is a declaration of his power in society. Further, the fact that a common citizen immediately responds back to Evil Forest by saying they can never know him and his power shows how such descriptions additionally imply that citizens are inferior to such religious representatives - thus elucidating to the hierarchies religious structure insinuate in Ibo community (93).

Descriptions of Ibo religious structures like shrines also allow community members to feel inferior to the authority of religious institutions. The shrine of the Ora...

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...and therefore when violated against, punishment must occur.

Religious institutions may have enormous influence in many societies, including their ability to structure political power. Achebe clearly portrays this, and more specifically shows how religious institutions create hierarchies within the political power of the Ibo community. Specifically he does this by showing how these institutions establish their authority and superiority in society, which essentially permits them to practice important political processes like upholding the law and punishing those who go against it. Furthermore, Achebe exemplifies how ordinary citizens in Ibo, accept the hierarchies found in religious institutions and that its impact in structuring the society’s political power is implicit for Ibo life.

References

Achebe, C. (1994). Things fall apart. New York: Anchor Books.