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ABSTRACT
Inarguably, the all-valued African Indigenous Religion has long existed before the advent of Christianity. Christianity, the introduction of which created in many Africans the ideology of it being against the indigenous religion, has constantly fought, modeled and patterned the mindset of an average African to believe that African indigenous religion is heathen and must be done away with for one to be a Christian. This ideology or belief has over the years till contemporary times fought against so many aspects of the African religion which is according to John Mbiti identified in various aspects of culture which include beliefs, practices, ceremonies and festivals, religious objects and places, values and morals, and religious officials and leaders.1 In Nigeria, the very rich cultural and religious practices of the Benins are now forgotten and abandoned as involvements in traditional religious practices have been militated against by the force of Christianity which found its way into the land of Benin in the 15th to 16th century through the Portuguese catholic priests, who are now unanimously credited by historical authorities for the advent of Christian missionaries to Benin. Although much successes were not recorded during this period in the move to Chistianise the Benins, notable imprints were however made and these were evident in the establishment of the aruosa shrines identified by Dr. Aisien as Aruosa n’Erhie, Aruosa n’Ogbelaka, Aruosa n’Akpakpava and Aruosa n’Ugbague.
