Is Africa Cursed?

Recently, one of my microcommunity leaders asked a thought-provoking question: When it comes to African spirituality, why is it considered demonic compared to other polytheistic and animistic spiritualities? Is it actually demonic? This opened the door to deeper questions about the origins of Christianity and the intersection between African spirituality and the Christian faith.

I am not an expert on this matter, but her question immediately took me back to my Ghana Immersion class at Bakke Graduate University. In preparation for that trip, I read several books to better understand the spiritual, cultural, and historical context of Africa. One of those books left a lasting impression on me—Is Africa Cursed? by Tokunboh Adeyemo. I had written a book report on it at the time, and revisiting it now feels like the perfect way to share both what I learned and how it shaped my perspective.

Below is that reflection, which I hope will help us think more deeply, listen more openly, and approach African spirituality with greater humility and understanding.

Is Africa Cursed?

In Is Africa Cursed? A Vision for the Radical Transformation of an Ailing Continent (2022), Tokunboh Adeyemo dismantles the myth that Africa is under some inherent curse. Instead, he asserts that Africa is richly blessed by God and invites Africans to move forward from a place of hope rather than resignation. He acknowledges the continent’s spiritual and socio-economic challenges but critiques African Christian leaders who present spiritual piety as the sole answer to economic hardship. Adeyemo’s prophetic vision calls for a holistic transformation that integrates faith with practical, systemic change.

Adeyemo reminds readers that Africa’s challenges are layered and complex. The wounds of racism and slavery—inflicted from outside—have shaped not only how the world perceives Africa but also how Africans have been taught to perceive themselves. The distortion of the Imago Dei in the African mind has left lingering stereotypes that have undermined dignity and self-worth. Too often, the West has failed to see Africa as it truly is: a home to over 2,000 distinct ethnic groups, each with its own languages, traditions, and contributions to the human story.

My immersion experience in Ghana deepened my conviction that Africa’s blessings far outweigh its burdens. The continent’s natural resources are abundant, its wildlife and biodiversity unmatched, and its ancient civilizations awe-inspiring. Africa’s artistic expressions—its music, dance, oral traditions, agricultural innovations, and theological insights—are not only beautiful but also deeply formative for the world. These are not fragments of a distant past; they are living legacies that continue to shape humanity’s future.

One of the most striking cultural treasures I encountered is Ubuntu—the deep conviction that “I am because we are.” This ethic of interconnectedness fosters compassion, mutual support, and a sense of belonging that permeates community life. In contrast, my Western context often prizes individualism, consumerism, and self-definition in ways that fragment unity and distort the Gospel into a personalized, privatized belief system. Ubuntu offers a vision of the kind of oneness Jesus prayed for, a reminder that our flourishing is bound together.

Adeyemo’s recommendations—ranging from improved education and ethical leadership to transparent governance, healthcare reform, and rejection of harmful superstitions—are both practical and visionary. For me, the challenge is to take these insights and apply them within my own sphere. In my context, that means teaching my community about Ubuntu and encouraging my Black brothers and sisters to reconnect with African heritage. While I recognize that not all Black Americans can trace their lineage directly to Africa, Africa is still humanity’s cradle. Reconnecting to this truth can help reclaim pride, dignity, and rootedness in a fragmented world.

In many ways, Adeyemo’s vision mirrors my own longing for leadership that heals rather than divides, that calls people into deeper communion rather than into personal empires. His challenge to think holistically—addressing both spiritual and material needs—aligns with my belief that transformation happens when faith takes root in real-life systems, relationships, and choices. As I guide others in spiritual formation, I see my role not just as a teacher of practices but as a cultivator of identity and belonging. To embrace Ubuntu is to embrace the truth that my flourishing is tied to the flourishing of others, and that the church’s witness depends on embodying this reality. Africa’s story, then, is not just Africa’s; it is humanity’s. And in telling it truthfully, we uncover a deeper story about God, about ourselves, and about the hope we hold in common.