Nigerians are no outsiders to the conventional type of worship.
Decades before they got to be Christians or Muslims, they initially
worshiped divine beings whom they knew by names and served in different
ways. While worshiping in the traditional way is largely frowned upon or
viewed as idolatrous these days, See some the gods Nigerians have
worshiped in the past and some still worship at present:
The Yoruba god of smallpox is known as Sopona (or Shapona).
Adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion believed that smallpox was a
disease foisted upon humans who offended Sopona. The formal worship of
the god of smallpox was controlled by specific priests in charge of
shrines to the god. People even believed that if the priests of Sopona
were angered they were capable of causing smallpox outbreaks.
Esu is a fundamental Orisa and of great importance in Yoruba land.
There is no shrine you will get to in Yoruba land where you will not see
the image or a representation of Esu. In fact, well-established towns
also have their ESU at a spot, some in the entrance of the town. Esu in
Yoruba tradition is sometimes viewed as the executioner.
In Yoruba religion, Ogun is a primordial Orisha who first appeared
as a hunter named Tobe Ode. He was the husband of Oya. He is said to be
the first Orisha to descend to the realm of Ile Aiye or Earth, Ogun is a
warrior and a powerful spirit of metal work. He is also known as the
god of iron.
Ayelala is known to be an effective deity that punishes crime of
various types. Ayelala is part of the pantheon of the Yoruba
deities. She is a powerful and widely respected deity because of her
capacity and witches caught up in the clutches of Ayelala are known to
confess their sins in the open. It could be invoked to unravel the cause
of diabolical cause of mysteries.
Amadioha is the Alusi god of thunder and lightning of the Igbo
people. He is among the most popular of Igbo deities and in some parts
of Igboland, he is referred to as Amadiora, Kamalu, Kamanu, or Ofufe. It
is believed that he punishes people who offend him by striking them
down with thunder.
6. Agwu Nsi
The Igbo god named Agwu Nsi is described as the god of divination.
Chinua Achebe in 1988 described him as a god of poets, healing, and
divine madness and the patron of schizophrenia.