By Kwasi Boadu Ntiamoah
God was too swift to answer prayers and pass judgment in the Old Testament days, do you know why? Have you ever asked how the ancient biblical prophets and patriarchs invoked God (Yahweh)? J.B. Danquah and many anthropological writers have superimposed most African tribal practices and ancient Egyptian and Akkadian practices and concluded, modern Africans are the remnants of great civilisations in antiquity; and the biblical Israelites were Blacks. Kindly permit me to illumine an ancient tradition which was instituted by God but has been greatly demonised due to ignorance. The Christians tend to avoid the truth as told by the Bible due to excessive theological lies.
Libation is explained by most dictionaries as the act of pouring a liquid offering (especially wine) as a religious ceremony. Before Christianity invasion, libation was the commonest and most potent form of prayer among Africans/Akans. Libation was offered using palm wine, akpeteshie, and sometimes water depending on the occasion. Libation was practiced by the Israelites in the Old Testament days and was referred to as ‘drink offering’ – it is still practiced by Africans but has been branded evil by foreign religions.
Libation is so ancient that it preceded Moses. Genesis 35:14 (KJV)*: And Jacob set up a pillar of stone in a place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon. Jacob, grandson of Abraham, after wrestling with an angel/native spirit took a stone and poured libation on it. The chronological order of his words when pouring libation (drink offering) were not written in the Bible. If Jacob poured libation as an act of prayer, then, this was a tradition that was definitely handed to Isaac by Abraham. Jacob didn’t worship the stone pillar by pouring libation on it. The stone was consecrated to mark the place a sacred place to commune with God. *In Akan/African tradition, holy places are marked using consecrated inanimate objects like stones, stools, etc. and libations are poured on such objects.* Was the act of Jacob different from what Akans/Africans do? If we condemn Akans/Africans as Satanists by pouring libation on inanimate objects, then, Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, was also a Satanist!
After the Biblical migration of the Israelites from Egypt, Moses was then instructed by God to reiterate the true ancient ways of invoking them and one of such traditions was libation. Why do we use wine (alcoholic beverage) mostly in pouring libation? In Akan, the famous portion used in libation offering is quart (quarter). Is this a mere coincidence? Leviticus 23:13(KJV): And the meat offering therefore shall be two tenth deals of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the lord for a sweet savour: and the drink offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of an hin. Numbers 28:7: And the drink offering therefore shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shall thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.
*Don’t demonise your chiefs and kings or anyone who offers ram as animal sacrifice and pour libation to God. In antiquity, priests and kings would enter holy places barefooted; this was the reason why God (I Am That I Am) instructed Moses to remove his footwear at the holy ground.* Have you now understood why footwear are removed before libation is poured? King Ahaz, David and Solomon all poured libation but the chronology of their invocations were not written in the Bible.
Kindly permit me to use the Chronology of Akan libation invocation as illustration…
*Supreme Yahweh (Compulsory)*
Tweaduampon Kwame, nsa
Osoro ne Asaase Yaa/ Asaase afua, nsa,
*Native Spirits/Angels (Optional)*
Offin Kwabena, nsa
Bosomburu, nsa
*Ancestors (Optional)*
Gyamadua, Agona abusua s3manhyia, nsa;
Aberewa Mmusu, Aduana baapanin, nsa;
Okofo Boakari, woa woko pae asuo Flao mu, nsa;
Aseibu Amanfi, woa woko gye Aseibuman, nsa;
Okomfo Anokye, wo a woboa Asanteman, nsa;
Ghana abusua nsamanfo) nyinaa mbegye nsa nom.
*Supreme God (Compulsory)*: In Akan, God is regarded as Saturday/Saturn just like the ‘Biblical Isrealites’. He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscience and He is regarded as the ultimate source of power. In libation chronology, He is the only supreme deity that is worshipped. All other spirits are just venerated.
*Native Spirits/Angels (Optional)*: These are the next in line forces that are invoked in Akan libation. In ancient, some of these forces were not invoked. How come they are now invoked? These spirits are not worshipped but are just venerated. Acknowledging someone for good done is not same as worshipping the person. When migration became necessary, our ancestors moved and occupied new lands. What do you do when you move to a new room? You obviously ask the landlord (first occupant of the land/builder of the house) the dos and don’ts. When you bless the
landlord during prayers for giving you a place, are you worshipping the landlord? When our ancestors occupied new lands, people (native spirits) had already occupied some of these places. Just because spirits don’t vibrate within this visible white light spectrum for the normal eyes to see them doesn’t mean they don’t exist. . Some of these spirits occasionally manifested in physical forms to give the dos and don’ts at their territories; through this, taboos and sacred days came into existence. These spirits are just acknowledged but not worshipped during libation. They are regarded as neighbours (allies) of higher intellects who would come to our aid in times of trouble when called upon. ! *In the Book of Enoch (8:1-4), Azazel, Amezarak, and other fallen angels taught mankind astronomy, astrology, magic, art of healing, etc. Without technology, can you and your family survive in a place like Kakum or Amazon Forest without knowledge in herbology and magic?* It is not compulsory to invoke nature spirits in libation if you don’t owe gratitude to any of them.
*Ancestors (Optional)*: These are the last spirits that are invoked during libation. Not everyone qualifies to be an ancestor. To qualify as an ancestor, one must have lived a long life and died natural death, morally upright and have served humanity, married and had children. The ancestors are similar to the Catholic saints but living people can’t be ancestors in Africa unlike the Catholics who can have saints. Our ancestors were philosophers and social engineers. They knew man would be patriotic and live an upright life only when such people are honored even after their death. This portion of libation was involved to venerate our ancestors who sacrificed themselves for greater good of societies. It is same as when Christians say, God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, etc. Do they worship these patriarchs by invoking them in prayers? Or do Muslims worship Mohammed (SAW) when they revere him? What makes it satanic if ancestors are invoked during libation? Samuel (priestly ancestor) was invoked to foretell an outcome of war between Israel and Philistines (1 Samuel 28:1-25). Was that act satanic? It is not compulsory to invoke ancestors but I think showing appreciation for their sacrifices would be a kind gesture. *You are because your ancestors were – you are their living DNA! If Europeans call their ancestors founding fathers and revere them during great occasions, why should we allow ourselves to chained mentally to overlook our ancestors?
Moses after warning the Israelites about the dos, don’ts and awaiting dooms on the Promised Land, he invoked God in a typical African tribal style to seal his prophecies, “… I call heaven and earth…” which is translated, “…me fr3 osoro ne asaase…” (Deut 30:19). Libation is not demonic, but a very potent means of invoking God to answer prayers swiftly. Comparative analyses proves that invocations through libation, works quicker than normal oratory prayers. A great deal on this subject has been discussed in my yet to be published book, “Before Hail Mary, God Taught Us How to Invoke them: the Physics and Metaphysics behind Libation”.
Kwasi Boadu Ntiamoah
E-mail: kboadu105@gmail.com
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Ancestral Voices.
Further information on African Spiritual ritual practices can be found in our Home Study Course.