Have a cultural & historical look at ancient legends, myths and stories to explore facts bout gods & goddesses of African region are associated with creation, nature, beauty, love, death, war, and destruction.

Traditional African belief is overwhelmingly monotheistic. There could be spirits and ancestors floating around, but there’s only one God. Early missionaries produced a complete pig’s ear of their research in this way and seem to have delighted in cataloging as much ‘heathen’ Gods because they could possibly get away with. Most African cultures, if not completely, believe in a Supreme Creator in one form or another. A God behind the Gods, a Supreme God who created everything.

The Creator is believed to have once lived on Earth, but left it for His Kingdom in the Sky because of human infractions. Because he was no more in direct connection with the people, Lesser Gods were created directly from His power to do certain jobs that were provided to them. These Lesser Gods are the Gods of Earth, The Rains, Water, The Winds, Fire, etc. The Deities are designed for answering human prayers by use of their very own power and can intercede on man’s behalf with the Creator Himself. Although The Supreme Creator is usually referred to by him etc. it really is beyond sex, being both male and female. It offers no form and is also thought of in an abstract way. It is accessible to any human, irrespective of their position. A breath of Its Divine Being is within all animate and inanimate things.

Abassi – African God

Goddesses can be found in the historical beliefs or current day observances of most cultures and religions. In certain cultures Goddesses represent nature and the earth, motherhood and love. However, in some cultures Goddesses are related to death, war, and destruction.The word goddess is a combination of the Germanic word god and the Latinate suffix -ess. The word became a part of Middle English language around 1350 and is utilized to describe a female deity. The word goddess can describe a female deity of the monotheistic belief system with a single creator deity or a polytheistic belief system with lots of deities.

War Gods and Goddesses

While it may seem the war god is a single purpose deity, war gods and goddesses are varied in their functions. Some war gods, like Ares, are associated with battle rage; others with victory. Still other war gods or goddesses, most famously Athena, are connected with strategy. Some war gods and goddesses, are multi-purpose gods. Even more counter-intuitively, some war gods, like Mars, may also be fertility gods. Below you will learn a list of the war gods and goddesses from Agasaya to Zroya.

Most Popular Gods & Goddesses of Africa

Abassi

Creator god from the Efik individuals Nigeria. Following his wife Atais instructions he made the first man and woman and placed them on the planet with the order not to work or have children. When, eventually, they broke an order Atai killed the man and woman and created strife and fighting between their kids.

Erzulie

Erzulie is the Haitian Goddess of affection whose roots go back to the Yoruba West African Goddess of Love, Oshun. She is beauty, sweetness, love and sensuality personified and is also renowned on her generosity. The arts, especially dance, are her domain. Rivers, streams, lakes and waterfalls are hers and she can cure womb-related issues with her cool waters. The fan she is holding is from Osogbo, Nigeria and belongs to a priestess of Oshun that is the mediator between the divine or natural world and the world of people, the cross in the circle indicating the meeting of these two worlds.

Abuk

According to Dinka mythology, Abuk is the first woman. She is the patron of women and gardens, and her symbol is a small snake.

Adroa

God from the Lugbara people. Adroa has two aspects: one good and something evil. The creator of Heaven and Earth. He seems to those going to die. Adroa is depicted being a tall, white man with only half a body – one eye, one arm, one leg, one ear.

Akua’ba – African

The Akua’ba is really a Goddess symbol used for best of luck in many areas of Africa, and is also especially worn by ladies and children being a charm to lend protection, fertility and good fortune. It is primarily from the Ashanti tribe in Nigeria.

Adroanzi

The children of Lugbara god Adroa . They dwell near large trees, rocks and streams. The Adroanzi are keen on following people at night. When the person will not look back, they are safe. When the person does look back, the Adroanzi will kill them.

Agé

Dahomey god of the wilderness and animals. Often worshipped by hunters.

EVE

Eve’s title, “Mother of All Living”, was a translation of “Jaganmata”, Kali Ma’s (Goddess of decay, death and rejuvenation) title in India. Originally it was believed that Eve created all beings out of clay, some believing that she had the help of her serpent. The flying malachite kingfisher symbolizes the halcyon days of the Goddess before patriarchy. Bird-headed snake Goddess from pre-dynastic Egypt, 4000 BCE.

Agwe

The mother of the sea. Affectionate and nurturing to humans who honor her.

Aha Njoku

Goddess of yams and the women who care for them. Worshipped by the Ibo tribe of Nigeria.

Danh

Danh also Dan Ayido Hwedo Snake god. The Haitians know him as Dan Petro. The Rainbow Snake who encircles the world, Danh is often portrayed with his tail in his mouth as a symbol of unity and wholeness.

Aja

Forest Goddess of the Yoruba people. Teaches the use of medicinal herbs. Ajok God of the Lotuko tribe of Sudan. Has the power to raise the dead, but due to a bad experience vowed never to do so again.

Anansi

Trickster god from the Ashanti people. Created the sun and moon, and instituted the succession of night and day. He is the intermediary for your god from the sky Nyame. He brings rain to avoid the forest fires and is also in charge of the extent of floods. He taught man to sow grain and till the fields. His mother is Asase Ya.

ESHU

ESHU (Yoruba) A trickster. A shape-shifter, Eshu can change his form anytime, and can even seem to be both huge and small simultaneously. Eshu confuses men and drives these to madness. But Eshu also knows all human tongues and works as a go-between for mortals as well as the gods.

Arebati

Sky and moon god from the Pygmies of Zaire. He come up with first man from clay and brought him alive. He is called afa or father. Asa God from the Akamba people of Kenya. A powerful yet merciful lord and god of sustenance and consolation. He helps when humans can’t. Asa is also referred to as Mwatuangi, “distributor”, Mulungu, “creator”, and Mumbi, “fashioner”.

NZAME

Nzame a vague and shadowy god whose likeness can’t be captured in wood, stone or metal. Nzame lived on the planet with his three sons, Whiteman, Blackman and Gorilla. Blackman, Gorilla and all of their kinfolk sinned against Nzame, and thus Nzame took all his wealth and went to deal with his son Whiteman within the west. Gorilla and his kin went to reside in the jungle. Without he wealth, power and knowledge of Nzame, Blackman and his kin live a tough life of poverty and ignorance, ever dreaming about the western land where dwells Nzame and his favored son, Whiteman.

by African Culture X Tourism