AKWA IBOM STATE UNIVERSITY JOUNAL OF ARTS

European colonialism had enormous negative effects on African culture. It contributed to eroding or de-emphasising many African cultural values. The cherished tradition of having native names for persons and places was corrupted as Africans were forcibly made to replace their native names or take on English names at the point of admittance into formal schools. The influence of colonialism was also in vogue through the work of Western missionaries who often behaved like their colonial counterparts. The Western missionaries frequently saw no good in African native names and could not comprehend their meanings. Many of them condemn Africa as a dark continent, a pagan land, a fetish place, and a land filled with demons. Working from this mental framework, many of them enforced the replacement of African names, without which you cannot be a Christian even when the traditional names were filled with positive meanings. This paper argues using hermeneutics and critical analytic methods that Urhobo native names should be fostered in families, society, Christian life, and in Christian baptism. An African by free choice may decide to bear an English name or even a Christian/biblical name but it should never be imposed upon him/her. The paper finds that names are important in Urhobo culture. It also reveals that the usage of Urhobo names has been weakened by Western forces and the insistence by some Christians that to be a Christian you must bear an English name. The paper is not against persons bearing names they desire (whether English or Christian) if need be, but it should not be at the detriment or relegation of native names. The paper concludes that there is a need to foster the usage of Urhobo native names in Christian baptism, Christian life, and family.

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