Christianity in Benin Republic

Republic of Benin, formerly Dahomey, is located in West Africa. It shares boundary with Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north- west and Niger to the northeast. The capital is Port-Novo while the largest city is Cotonou. The official language is French. There are several ethnic groups in the country, including Fon (38.4), Adja & Mina (15.1%), Yoruba (12%), Bariba (9.6%), Fula (8.6%), Ottamari (6.1%), Yoa-Lokpa (4.3%), Dendi (2.9%), others (2.8%). The religious composition by percentage is Christianity (48.5%), Islam *27.7%), Voodoo (11.6%), others (12.2%).

Modern History

The territory became a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on August 1, 1960. A succession of military governments ended in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu Kerekou and the establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles. A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later, free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore Soglo as President, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa from a dictatorship to a democracy. Kerekou was returned to power by elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were alleged.

God’s Canvass and Culture

The country comprises of four eco-regions, namely Eastern Guinean forests, Nigerian lowland forests, Guinean forest-savannah mosaic, and West Sudanian savannah. It also features low-lying, sandy, coastal plain dotted with lakes and lagoons emptying into the ocean. With the majority of the country living near the coast in lower-lying areas, a rise in sea level due to climate change could have effects on the economy and population. Benin also has a range of mountains extending along the northwest border and into Togo. The country equally has a rich variety of fauna and flora as presented below.

Fauna

The varied animal life in Benin Republic includes elephants, lions, antelopes, monkeys, wild pigs and buffalo. There are also many species of snakes, including pythons and puff adders. Birds include guinea fowl, wild duck, and partridge. Some of the animals are shown below.

Flora

The original rain forest, which covered most of the southern part of the country, has now largely been cleared, except near the rivers. Apart from the oil and ronier palms, trees include coconut palms, kapok, mahogany and ebony. The pictures below show some plants native to the country.

Beaches

Culture

Two things have influenced the culture of Benin people more than anything else – slavery and voodoo. About 60% of Beninoise identify with witchcraft, now christened ‘voodoo’, with many aspects of it spilling over into other areas of life. On the other hand, the legacy of the West African slave trade is still observed in the country, especially the slave forts. These are fornications where enslaved victims could be imprisoned. However, there is no cultural homogeneity among its various tribes. This is due to geographic factors and a history that has included waves of migration, competition between precolonial kingdoms, four centuries of commercial relations with Europe, and the impact of colonialism.

Traditional Attire

The folk costumes of Benin include the West African dashiki. This is a colourful men’s garment covering the top half of the body. It has both formal and informal versions and varies from simple draped clothing to fully tailored suits. Beninoise also wear ‘bomba’, designed as tunics and trousers for men, loincloth, and a top for women. Embroidered boubou is also popular with both men and women. The fabric mostly comprises of traditional cloth for making the shirts, pants and even other types of outer-garments. Some of the traditional wears are presented below.

Cuisines

Beninese cuisine involves many fresh meals served with a variety of sauces. Meat is usually quite expensive; hence, most meals are generally light on meat and generous on vegetables. Some of the popular meals in the country are shown below.

Status of Christianity in Benin Republic

Many people in Benin Republic fearfully worship several gods and ancestral spirits. They appease these entities with offerings and animal sacrifices through rituals and ceremonies. Along with its neighbour, Togo, Benin is known as the birthplace of voodoo. While Roman Catholicism and Islam are the most widely professed religions among the country’s 11 million people, members of the same family could practice Christianity, Islam, animism, or a combination of them all. In essence, there is serious demonic pollution in the country. Our responsibility as believers is to lead others to Yeshua and to pray for the salvation of those held in demonic captivity. Therefore, let us intercede for the people of Benin using the prayer points presented below.

Prayer Points

1. Ask the Father to pour out His Spirit on the people of Benin using its President, Patrice Talon as point of contact.
2. Pray that God would remove the blindfold of false religions from their hearts and minds.
3. Ask the Father to judge and uproot all demonic principalities and powers from the geographical space known as Benin Republic; reminding Him that He gave the earth to humanity and not satan and his demons.
4. Pray that the LORD would destroy the influence of these demonic entities in the lives of the people.
5. Ask the Father to open the eyes of their understanding through the instrumentality of the Holy Spirit, to enable them repent of their sins and accept His mercy in Yeshua.
6. Pray that the Father would send labourers to His vineyard in Benin Republic.
7. Ask Him to destroy faulty spiritual foundations laid in the lives of those who identify as Christians.
8. Pray that He would deliver them from the influence of false religions and sanctify them by His word.
9. Pray that He would empower genuine believers with the Holy Spirit to preach the true and genuine gospel of Jesus Christ.
10.  Ask the Father to protect His children against every arrow from demonic and human agents of satan.

Intercession Checklist

1. Pick a town, city or region of the country for focused prayer.
2. Present the chosen geographical space to the Father and tell Him that you are claiming it for Yeshua as His ambassador, in line with God’s pronouncement in Psalm 2:8, “Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession”.

        *** Materials sourced from Republic of Benin – Country Profile, https://www.nationscentre.org; Countries and their Culture- Benin, https://www.everyculture.com; Benin Republic, https://en.m.wikipedia.org.