What is the Oldest Religion in Nigeria/Africa ?

Nigeria is the biggest African dominated country on the planet, located in the western section of Africa with a population of over 170 million people. The nation Nigeria is comprised of over two hundred different tribes and languages which include Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Tiv, Fulani, Calabar and several others.

Types of Religion in Nigeria

There are three dominant religions in Nigeria: African traditional religion, Islam, and Christianity.

The oldest of these religions in is African Traditional religion (ATR), which is the indigenous religion of the Land and people. Islam entered Nigeria in 11th century, with the Christianity making its first attempt in the 15th century and finally succeeding in the 19th century.

In Nigeria, African Traditional religion, which”consists of a variety of localized religious practices and beliefs”, is united under the umbrella of the Organization for Traditional Religions of Africa (OTRA).

The Organization of Traditional Religions of Africa was formd by K.O.K, Onyioha Eze Ewelu Ochie !!, the king of Ukwa Ukwu, Nkporo, Nigeria in the mid-1970s, in conjunction with a group of well educated Igbos, and Oba Akenzua 2, the king of Benin. These people sought to rekindle interest in the traditional African forms of religion, rather than foreign religions of Christianity and Islam.