WI: Non-Pacifist Odinani

[Crying]

Odinani was the Monotheistic-esque religion of the safe haven, anti-slavery, theocratic Kingdom of Nri. The problem is that strict pacifism is one of it's core tenents, which is one of the major causes for the kingdom's end in the early 20th century after having endured for almost a millenia.

So my question is, what if pacifism wasn't a tenent of Odinani, or it was just one that was less strictly adhered to by its followers? How would the slave trade have been affected? How long could Nri have survived?

Bonus points if Odinani not only doesn't have pacifism as a tenent, but it does the opposite and starts waging holy wars against slavetraders.

 

[Balaur]

If that happens, you could end up with the Nri as an Anti-Draka.
The only problem would be that they would likely be ganged up on by others African kingdoms and European slave traders.

 

[Crying]

If that happens, you could end up with the Nri as an Anti-Draka.
The only problem would be that they would likely be ganged up on by others African kingdoms and European slave traders.

The Nri were around since 948 though, and their religion might have been around before they formed. While I agree that the other African kingdoms would probably gang up on them eventually if they were aggressive about their anti-slavery, by the time the Europeans showed up they'd have either severely damaged the slave trade or been destroyed, I'd reckon.

 

[Some Bloke]

Question is, when do they abandon pacifism and why?

 

[Crying]

Question is, when do they abandon pacifism and why?

Good question. I'd prefer to leave the POD to anyone who wants to theorise, but if nobody can or wants to...

1) Strict pacifism is either never part of the Odinani doctrine in it's founding (let's place it around the same time as the founding of the Kingdom of Nri for the sake of convenience) or simply isn't viewed as that important by the early followers and, as such, the later ones. This is the earliest POD and would have the biggest butterflies.
2) Nri comes into some serious conflict with a neighbour (Benin, maybe?) and at least some of the Odinani follower are forced to give up their pacifism to defend themselves. Maybe you have a young, passionate believer who reforms the belief system? Or perhaps a specific 'warrior saint' sect forms and is analagous to the holy orders of the Crusades? This POD could happen at just about any point, really.
3) Basically the same thing as number 2, but in response to the European colonizers instead of a neighbouring African kingdom.

 

[Some Bloke]

3) They'd probably be crushed in short order when they disrupt the slave trade.

2) Means they coud have an organised military force and disrupt the trade, prompting
European powerss to either conquer or contain, resulting in the creation of an early pariah
state. Maybe a thaw in relations following the abolition of the slave trade.

Maybe warriors are subject to social stigma in any case for going against the pacifist mainstream of the religion.