A Professor of New Testament at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Olu Alana, has affirmed that if Africa is to overcome the present predicaments of colonisation and neo-colonialism in all fields of human endeavour – education, social, politics, economics, and religion – it must decolonise much of the New Testament’s portraits and narratives.
Prof. Alana asserted this on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, while delivering the 36th Inaugural Lecture of the University, titled “Decolonising the New Testament’s Portraits and Narratives in Africa”.
He said, “Africa and Africans must decolonise much of the New Testament’s portraits and narratives if we wish to escape the present predicaments of colonisation and neo-colonialism in all fields of human endeavour – education, social, political, economic, and religious. I strongly believe that Christianity is a civilising agent. It is the perfect advocate of love and peace. It is a catalyst for all-around development. We, however, owe it a duty to review the way it is practised on our continent if we must maximise its benefits – first, for our freedom from the clutches of Western powers and, finally, for our development.
“We must not shy away from decolonisation due to apparent challenges. Challenges exist in every human endeavour; only those who confront them succeed. If decolonised, Christianity will not only become Africa’s religion but also usher in love, peace, freedom from neo-colonial forces, and widespread development.”
He emphasised replacing Anglo-American cultural frameworks with African traditions in Christian practices, clarifying: “This is not a call for uncritical embrace of African culture. Only its virtuous aspects -of which there are many – should enrich the Gospel. Scripture itself offers examples. Dismissing our culture as incompatible with faith is both servile and absurd. A cultureless person lacks identity and humanity.”
Prof. Alana posited that Africans should critically review their allegiance to the colonial missionaries’ portrayal of Jesus, saying, “This is the right thing to do now, as the colonial presentation of Jesus was a fluke. The Jesus they presented does not possess what it takes to deliver us from the hands of Western imperialists and their modern neo-colonialists. How long shall we continue to hold on to the Bible after prayers while the white men continue to grab our land and our future?”
The Inaugural Lecturer noted that contrary to the teaching by colonial missionaries that Jesus was cool, gentle, and peaceful, “There was a clear misrepresentation in the way the colonial missionaries portrayed Jesus during their missionary enterprise in Africa. Jesus is an activist who always stands with the voiceless. He is a revolutionary who does not dine with every government in power but is focused on reversing the self-serving status quo ante. That Jesus, who was hidden from Africans, is the true biblical Jesus. He is the Jesus that can free Africa and Africans from all vestiges of colonial and neo-colonial ancestries.”
He advised churches to prioritise social responsibility over grandiosity: “Churches must abandon vanity projects like 500,000-seat auditoriums or irrelevant universities. Such white elephants lie vacant and unsold in the West. Instead, invest in congregants – feed the hungry, as Jesus did for the 5,000.”
On polygamous marriage, the don argued that colonial missionaries did not base their rejection of polygamous marriage on the Bible as such.
“They merely highlighted its shortcomings, like envy and rivalries among co-wives and their children, incessant nastiness and fighting, and above all, marriage failures. The colonial missionaries presented monogamous marriage as if it were a Christian requirement for the kingdom of God, whereas it was not. It is no more than cultural baggage. If it were, it would have been painstakingly stated like other essential issues, such as speaking the truth at all times (Matt. 5:37) and the theme of love, which is given a whole chapter in 1 Corinthians 13. The colonial missionaries over-prioritised monogamy and placed it out of context in their bid to run down Africa while glorifying their own culture – a clear case of ethnocentrism,” he noted.
On tithes payment, Prof. Alana noted that colonial missionaries did not leave any blueprint for the payment of tithes in the church. He said, “By their policies, they did not expect that a class of the wealthy could ever emerge. Since they believed that Africans did not have the common sense by which they could make money or develop themselves economically, their expectation was for Africans to forever remain hewers of wood and drawers of water for the development of their countries.
“At any rate, tithes are not recommended in the New Testament, as Jesus did not pay to any nor receive from anyone, and he nowhere directed his followers to pay to anybody, as he did in the case of the two-drachma temple tax (Matt. 17:24-27). This has, however, become the goldmine of several churches in Nigeria today. If the time and energy deployed to driving home the necessity of tithes in churches were spent on loving-kindness among Nigerians, there would be more peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.”
Introducing the lecturer, Vice Chancellor Prof. Olugbenga Ige praised Prof. Alana as “a bold scholar with global influence, sought after for conferences and recipient of prestigious grants.”
The VC commended his indelible impact, noting his role as “a globally recognized speaker and award-winning researcher.”
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