Animism, a deeply rooted belief
In Togo, animism is a very composite religious reality. Whether they are Christians, evangelists or Muslims, all are in fact deeply animist. Each ethnic group has its gods, its traditional beliefs, its ancestral rites or its taboos. The animist fundamentally believes in the existence of a supreme God. The deities are usually called "Vodou" among the Fon, or "Tron" among the Ewe. They can be classified into three main categories: the main deities, the secondary deities and finally the clan or local deities. Among the main deities, Mahou and Lissa are considered the founding couple. Mahou is the female principle, and Lissa the male principle. According to tradition, they created the sky and the earth. Alongside them are other deities, such as Héviéso or Revioso, who represent all the atmospheric phenomena perceptible to man, Sakpata, to whom Tchakpana (in ana) corresponds, is the earth in its relationship to man, Dan, symbol of fertility, and Broukou or Nana Bouroukou. The secondary deities are only venerated in certain centers or by certain corporations. This is the case of Ogoun, protector of blacksmiths and of those who go to war. Finally, each group has its own deities, linked to hills or rivers
For animists, human existence is placed under the dependence and influence of spirits: ancestors of the clan or family, founders or heroes. These spirits constantly intervene in daily life and protect but also punish those who behave badly. It is therefore necessary to conciliate their favors. The clans generally correspond to an elementary group, whose historical traditions are common. Most of them have a totem, an animal or a symbolic object linked to very old legends that attribute the origin of the clan or a beneficial intervention to it. These totems are at the origin of cultural and food taboos. In addition, the vital force plays a predominant role in animism, present in practically all the ethnic groups of Togo. The belief in reincarnation is general. Thus, in all southern Togo, it is believed that in each human being lives again an elder of the country. In almost all ethnic groups, the dead are buried with many objects that are supposed to be useful in the afterlife. Animist rites are still very present today: sacrifices, initiation rites and other expressions of ancestral beliefs
Initiation marks the passage of the adolescent into the adult world. During this period, which is often a period of seclusion, the adolescent is initiated into the history, religious rites, dances and initiation language of his or her clan. The initiation rites also include tests designed to increase the physical and moral strength of the initiate. Animists attribute a soul to everything that is part of nature (plant, mineral, animal). Four fundamental elements make up nature: water, earth, air and fire. These elements are under the control of a supreme being, but there are also intermediate gods, with more specific functions. Animism can thus be seen as a triangular relationship between nature, human beings and the sacred. The sacred is only accessible to certain people, intermediaries, who are responsible for making the link with human beings. The ancestors of the village, of the family, are privileged intermediaries. To correspond with these dead, animists call upon their marabouts or griots.
Animism remains strongly present in two regions: the far north (Kéran, Bassar, Tône) and the southeast (Yoto, Vo, Lacs). Ouatchi country has remained particularly faithful to these ancestral beliefs, as evidenced by the many voodoo cults still celebrated in the region. Conversely, animists are few in number in the southwest and central northeast where Islam has taken root. The presence of Islam in this region is linked to the massive conversion of the Kotokoli and Tchamba elements and to the dispersion of Muslim traders in the cities and regions where economic activity is strongest. Animism is predominant among the Konkomba, Ngamgamw, Gurma and Ouatchi, and is strongly present among the Kabyè, Ana and Ewe.
Christianity, the predominant religion
With more than 40% of the faithful, Togo is mainly Christian. The fervor of the Togolese is such that God accompanies them on a daily basis. In the city, you only have to look at the names of the shops: "Gift from heaven", "God alone is enough", "The hand of God" or the stickers in the cabs: "God alone knows", "God sees us". The implantation of Christianity in the country is the result of Protestant and Catholic missions. From the beginning of the 17th century, Protestant missions were present on the Slave Coast and, from the end of the 17th century, the Portuguese established themselves on the coast. From 1827, the Basel mission and then the Bremen mission were established in Togo. From the end of the 17th century, they were followed by Jesuit, Capuchin and Dominican missionaries. Today, Catholics are the most important community of Christian believers. Today, Catholics are the largest community of Christian believers, mostly in the south of the country, with a good third living in the capital, Lomé. Ethnically, conversion to Catholicism has been highest (over 45 percent) among the Mina, Akposso, and Akébou, and highest (between 25 and 30 percent) among the Ewe, Fon, Losso, and Ana.Protestants represent about 16 percent of the population, the majority of whom are Pentecostal and Presbyterian. There is also a minority of Evangelicals, Celestial Christians, Baptists and Catholic Charismatics
Dressed in their best clothes, many Togolese go to their respective churches to attend Sunday mass. Like most Christians, they celebrate Christmas, Easter, Ascension and Pentecost. In both rural and urban areas, the Church has added new forms of evangelization and socialization to its traditional pastoral activities and in the field of education and health: prayer groups, youth movements, training sessions. Today the Church is undergoing strong competition with the multiplication of religious sects.
Islam, a religion imported from the Sahara
With nearly 20 percent Muslims, Islam is the third largest religion in the country. Since 1997, Togo has been a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the second largest organization after the United Nations. This religion appeared in Togo in the 17th century with the Tchokossi, coming from the Ivory Coast, who settled in the Mango region. It then developed in the central region (Tem country) with the arrival of many Berber and Tuareg traders, who arrived on the salt and gold trade routes. When the Germans arrived, the Muslims formed an alliance with them by providing them with contingents of mercenaries. The regime of the mandate and then that of the French trusteeship were considered very favorable to Islam. Today, this religion is spreading more and more in the north of the country as shown by the numerous mosques in the cities and villages. Every day, muezzins call for prayers and Muslims celebrate, as any faithful, the feasts of Mouloud (the birth of the Prophet), Ramadan and Tabaski (Eid el-Kebir), the most important Muslim celebration. The most Islamized region of the country is Sokodé. There is also a high concentration of Muslims in Kara, Dapaong and the capital. Islam is widespread among the Hausa, Kotokoli, Tchamba, and Peul ethnic groups, where it is the main religion, and it is dominant among the Mossi and Yanga ethnic groups.
The proliferation of religious sects
Sects are veritable Towers of Babel in Black Africa. According to estimates, Africa, south of the Sahara, has more than two thousand new religions. In Togo, in 2005, four hundred were counted in Lomé alone! Embassy of Wonders, Go, multiply yourselves, Ministry of Active Faith, Champions of Christ, Plundering Hell, and God's Rapid Intervention Force are some of the churches and sects listed in the country. The phenomenon has developed because of the socio-economic stagnation resulting from the socio-political crisis that Togo has been going through since the early 1990s. To attract the largest number of followers, the leaders of these new religions promise social and financial success, as well as eternal salvation and peace of heart to the faithful. But most of the new recruits are dispossessed of their property and their fortune by the leaders of these sects who call themselves "pastors". Not to mention the many abuses that are kept silent, such as satanic practices, sexual debauchery and fraudulent maneuvers that extract millions of CFA francs from followers by taking advantage of their credulity. In Togo, women are more numerous than men to frequent these pseudo-religious sects and they are therefore the main victims. Churches and sects have become "commercial businesses that work well", it is not uncommon to see "pastors" driving around in big 4 x 4s or having sumptuous houses built for them. However, investigations are regularly carried out and it happens that some of them are condemned by the justice for swindling.
