The Gods and Goddesses of Africa

 



Adroa
Other Names: "God in the sky", God on Earth", Creator God, River God.
Location: The Lugbara of Zaire and Uganda.
Description:  He is pictured as tall and white with only half of his body visible.
Rules Over:  Social order, law, death.

Akuj
Location:  The Turkana of Kenya.
Rules Over: Divination.

Ala
Other Names: Ale, Ane.
Location: The Ibo of Nigeria.
Description:  Extremely popular Goddess and Earth Mother. She is a Creator Goddess and Queen of the Dead.
Rules Over:  Community laws, morality, oaths, harvest.

Anayaroli
Location: The Temne.
Description: River demon.
Rules Over: Wealth.

Asa
Other Names:  Father God, "the strong lord."
Location: Akamba of Kenya.
Rules Over:  Mercy, help, surviving the impossible.

Asase
Other Names: Yaa, Aberewa, Efua, "Old Woman Earth."
Location:  The Ashanti of West Africa.
Description:  Goddess of creation of humans and receiver of them at death.
Rules Over:  Cultivation, harvest.

Behanzin
Location:  West Africa.
Description: Fish God.

Cagn
Location:  South Central Africa among the Bushman.
Description:  Creator God.
Rules Over: Sorcery and Shape-Shifting.

Chiuta
Other Names:  Mulengi, Mwenco, Wamtatakuya Tumbuka.
Description:  Creator God, Rain God.  Is self-created and omniscient.
Rules Over:  Rain, help, plant growth, food.

Chuku
Other Names:  Chineke.
Location:  The Ibo of East Nigeria.
Description:  "The first great cause", "Creator", Father of Ale, The Earth Goddess.  Offerings and sacrifices were done for him in groves.
Rules Over:  Help, goodness.

Danh
Location:  Dahomey.
Description:  Snake God.  Rainbow Snake shown with tail in his mouth.
Rules Over: Wholeness, unity.

En-Kai
Other Names:  Parsai, Emayian.
Location:  Masai.
Description:  Sky God.  Grass is used in rituals for him.
Rules Over:  Rain, vegetation, blessings.

Fa
Location:  Dahomey.
Rules Over: Destiny.

Famian
Location: Guinea.
Rules Over:  Protection, health, fertility.

Gauna
Other Names:  Gawa, Gawama.
Location: Among the Bushmen.
Description:  Leads the spirits of the deceased.
Rules Over:  Disruption, harassment, death.

Ge
Location: Dahomey.
Description:  Moon God.

Gu
Location:  The Fon of West Africa.
Rules Over:  War, smiths.

Guruhi
Location:  Gambia.
Description:  Evil God.  Meteors are his sign.
Rules Over:  Power and death over enemies.

Heitsi-Eibib
Location:  The Hottentots.
Description:  Sorcerer God.
Rules Over:  Shape-shifting, magick.

Imana
Other Names:  Hategekimana, Hashakimana, Habyarimana, Ndagijimana, Bigirimana, "Almighty God."
Location:  The Banyarwands.
Rules Over:  Power, goodness, children, planning.

Ison
Other Names: Eka Obasi, Obasi Nsi, Ibibio, Ekoi.
Location:  West Africa.
Description:  Tortoise-shelled Goddess.
Rules Over: Fertility of the Earth.

Jok
Other Names:  Jok Odudu, Alur.
Location:  Uganda and Zaire.
Description:  Black goats were to be sacrificed to him when rain was needed.
Rules Over:  Rain.

Juok
Other Names:  Shilluk, Supreme God.
Location:  White Nile.
Description:  Created all men on Earth.

Kaka-Guia
Other Names:  Nyami.
Location:  The Volta areas.
Description:  He brought souls to the Supreme God.

Katonda
Other Names:  Lissoddene, Kagingo, Ssewannaku, Lugaba, Ssebintu, Nnyiniggulu, Namuginga, Ssewaunaku, Gguluddene, Namugereka.
Location:  The Ganda of East Africa.
Descriptiojn:  Creator God.
Rules Over:  Help, Judgment, aid when the odds are against you, control over spirits, divination, oracles.

Kwoth
Location:  The Nuer of South Sudan.
Description:  Great Spirit God.
Rules Over:  Nature, help, compassion, judgement.

Leza
Location:  Dahomey.
Description:  Chameleon God/dess.
Rules Over:  Protection, divination.

Mbaba Mwana Waresa
Location:  The Zulu of Natal.
Description:  Goddess of what she rules over.
Rules Over:  Rainbows, rain, crops, cultivation, beer.

Mawu
Location:  Dahomey.
Description: Supreme Goddess, creator of all things.  Mawu is worshipped by The Fon of Benin in West Africa as a Moon Goddess and creatrix of everything.

Mukuru
Location:  Macouas of Zambesi, Banayis.
Description:  Supreme God, creator of everything.
Rules Over:  Agriculture, architecture, the harvest.

Mungo
Location:  Giryama of Kenya.
Description: Rain God.
Rules Over: Rain.

`Nenaunir
Other Names:  The Rainbow Snake.
Location:  Masai of Kenya.
Description:  An Evil Storm God who was linked to the rainbow.  Resided in the clouds and was a dreaded spirit.
Rules Over:  Storms.

`Ngai
Location:  Masai.
Description:  Creator God.
Rules Over:  Life and Death.

Ngami
Description:  Moon Goddess.

Njambi
Location:  Lele.
Description:  Creator God.
Rules Over:  Protection, justice, help, forests, fertility.

Nyambe
Location:  Koko of Nigeria.
Description:  God.
Rules Over:  Restoring Life.

Nyambi
Other Names:  Nyambe.
Location:  The Barotse of Upper Zambesi.
Description: Great God.  Creator of everything.

Nyame
Location:  The Twi of West Africa.
Description:  Great God who prepared the soul to be reborn on the physical plane and gave out its fate.
Rules Over:  Fate.

Nyamia Ama
Location:  Senegal.
Description:  God of storms, rain and lightning.  A sky god.
Rules Over: Storms, rain, lightning.

Nzambi
Location:  The Bankongo of the Congo.
Description:  Great Goddess who created everything.  She played the role of Justice and rewarded and punished according to the deeds of man.
Rules Over:  Justice.

Oba
Description:  Santeria river goddess.

Ochumare
Location:  Yoruba.
Description:  Santeria Goddess of the rainbow.

Oddudua
Location:  Yoruba.
Description:  Primary Mother Goddess.

Ogun
Other Names:  Ogoun.
Location:  The Nago and Yoruba of West Africa.
Description:  God of iron and warfare.
Rules Over:  Iron, warfare, removing difficulties, smoothing the path to a desired result, Justice, Smiths, Hunters, Barbers, Goldsmiths, Steel.

Olorun
Other Names:  Olofin-Orun, Olodumare.
Location:  Yoruba.
Description:  Sky God.
Rules Over:  Truth, control of the Elements, Forsight, Victory when the odds are against you, Destiny.

Pan
Location: Agni.
Description:  Son of the Earth.
Rules Over:  Cultivation.

Rock-Sens
Location:  The Serer of Gambia.
Description:  Sky god, controlled the weather.
Rules Over:  Rain, Thunder, Lightning.

Rugaba
Other Names:  Ruhanga, Kazooba, Mukameiguru.
Location:  Ankore of Uganda.
Description:  Creator God, Sun God, Sky God.
Rules Over:  Life, healing, death, sickness, judgement.

Ruhanga
Location:  Banyoro.
Description:  Great God.
Rules Over:  Fertility, abundance, children, animals, harvest, health, sickness, death, judgement, rebirth.

Sakarabru
Location:  Agni of Guinea.
Description:  God who is strongest during the main phases of the Moon.  Swift to punish wrongful deeds.
Rules Over:  Medicine, justice, retribution.

Shango
Other Names: Schango.
Location:  Yoruba of Nigeria.
Description:  Carries a double-headed axe much like the nordic Thorr.
Rules Over:  Thunder, Storm, War, Magick.

Soko
Location:  Nupe of north Nigeria.
Description:  Creator God.
Rules Over:  Control of the Elements, Witchcraft, Communication with the Deceased.

Tilo
Location:  Mozambique.
Description:  Sky God.
Rules Over: Sky, Thunder, Rain.

Unkulunkulu
Other Names:  Nkulnkulu.
Location:  The Amazulu and Ndebele of Zimbabwe.
Description:  Great God, Earth God.
Rules Over:  Fertility, organization, order.

Utixo
Location:  The Hottentots.
Description:  Sky God who speaks with a voice of thunder.
Rules Over:  Rain, Storms, Thunder, Harvest, Rebirth.

Wele
Other Names:  Khakaba, Isaywa.
Location:  Abaluyia, Bantu.
Description:  "The High One".  Sky God, Creator God.
Rules Over:  Rain, storms, lightning, creation, prosperity, harvest, celestial phenomena.

Were
Location:  Luo of Kenya.
Description:  Great God, Father God, Creator God.
Rules Over:  Birth, Death, Nature, Judgement.

White Lady
Location:  Tassali of the Sahara.
Description:  Agricultural Goddess.
Rules Over:  Agriculture, fertility.

Xevioso
Location:  West Africa.
Description:  He used a thunder axe.
Rules Over:  Thunder, rain, fertility.

Ymoja
Location:  Yoruba.
Description:  River Goddess.
Rules Over:  Women, children.
 
  1