The Seven Great Prophets.
The seven truly great prophets: Imhotep, Jesus, Mohammad, Luella Adzo (aka Frances Cress-Welsing), Nkrumah, Cheikh Anta Diop, and me. But let’s focus for a tiny bit on Luella Adzo and the Traditional African Idea of God.
To be precise, let’s consider the Vodun Theology on the nature of God. One way to grasp the concept of God quickly is to consider a common occurrence in African cultures. Rivers, lakes and forests, are though of or considered as Gods, and in some interpretations, these natural bodies are protected by certain Gods. Let’s set this latter interpretation aside for a moment.
The most elaborate example is in fact the idea that the Earth, and in fact, land, is God. And almost all the natural bodies that are involved in the nurturing of Human Survival are outright considered as Mother Gods (not female Gods, but specifically, Mother Gods). So for instance, the Earth is Mother. The seas, oceans, rivers lakes and some forests are Mothers!
Another way to put this is that Mother Gods are delicate, and often maintained (and maintain themselves) through very complex interactions. The Earth is delicate yet exceedingly complex. Yet, it is the exceeding complexity of these Gods that make them also vulnerable to abuse (pollution, deforestation, global warming and such).
Hence the ensuing imperative that Mother Gods need Human Protection from abuse! (All Gods, Mother/Father Gods, consequently, since they have to be birthed by a Mother God, need Human protection, else they cease to exist!)
In Vodun Theology, the exceeding complexity of Mother Gods are Irreplaceable and their abuse Irreversible. The one way to maintain this complexity and to keep invaders (devils) from abusing Mother is to protect Mother, while Mother nurtures us. Our nurturing by Mother is predicated on our sworn allegiance to protect her from abuse, else She ceases to exist.
For this reason, among Vodun People (Yoruba, Ewe-Fon, Ge-Ga-Dangbe people) all Man (Father) vs Woman (Mother) relations have to be scrutinized with a keen understanding of this Vodun philosophy in order to appreciate our worship of Mother (women) and yet our seeming quest to maintain control over Mother (women).
Like the Ntoaboma Vodun Priestess still insists, “You educate your Mothers well, you survive, you let some invaders do it for you, you cease to exist. You die, together with your Mothers.” No one is here to help your Mothers, they are here to invade her! Look around!
It seems that the Vodun Philosophy implies that a Mis-Educated Man cannot protect Mother (the rivers, the lakes, the forests, the seas/oceans and certainly not the Earth). Nor can a Mis-Educated Mother (an invaded/corrupted mother) nurture the same people She needs for Her own protection.