Contemporary Ghana Research Articles

Consented Abuses? Analyzing Perspectives of Christian Young Adults Regarding Human Rights Concerns in Neo-Pentecostal Deliverance Practices in Ghana

Deliverance practices have become central features of Ghanaian Pentecostalism. However, there have been human rights concerns and abuse of power regarding some of these practices. Consequently, using the theory of consumer religion, this article sought to analyze perspectives of some Christian young adults regarding some of these concerns. Findings suggest that deliverance is considered as a solution to existential problems and human rights concerns are not priorities that deliverance seekers, who are in search of solutions, are concerned about once their needs are met. The article concludes that, with popular knowledge of abuses in some of these deliverance practices and with no guarantee that one would not be abused, deliverance seekers vesting unfettered trust in pastor-prophets in these practices renders them as consenting by default to some of the abuses they are subjected to. The article contributes to the discourse on neo-Pentecostal deliverance practices in contemporary Ghana.

The potential of indigenous religious ecologies for environmental conservation in contemporary Ghana: the Akan as a study case

ABSTRACT With ethnographic data from the Dormaa-Akan, this article examines the conservation features of Akan indigenous religious ecology and discusses how they have oriented indigenous Akan communities towards living by the resources of the nonhuman world while conserving it. Considering the degradation of the nonhuman world in contemporary Ghana, particularly the land and its resources, the article argues that irrespective of the modern secularity of contemporary Ghana, indigenous religious ecologies hold the potential for environmental conservation efforts, when properly integrated into secular environmental policies. The article also explored some potential ways in which indigenous religious ecologies can contribute to conservation efforts in Ghana.

Theological appraisal of the satisfaction theory of atonement

The doctrine of atonement is central to the logic of the Christian faith. As a core part of Christian theology, the subject of atonement has received much scholarly attention since the emergence of the Christian church. Different scholars have interpreted Christ’s atoning sacrifice in different ways based on their socio-political milieu. One of such interpretations is Anselm’s satisfaction theory which considers the atonement as a supererogatory act that provided satisfaction for humankind’s disobedience of God. Like any other model of atonement, Anselm’s model has its strengths and limitations. The lack of literature on the contextual application of Anselm’s satisfaction theory to the Ghanaian context has prompted this study which appraises the theory and then discusses how it might address selected challenges facing the contemporary Ghanaian society. The methodology used for the first task comprised a synchronic historical review and conceptual analysis of existing literature on the satisfaction theory. Among other things, the study found that the satisfaction theory rightly considers God as the receiver of the atonement but fails to address pertinent issues regarding God’s redemptive and covenantal nature. This was followed by a comparative study between Anselm’s socioeconomic and political contexts and those of contemporary Ghana. Based on this, contextual applications of the theory were deduced for contemporary Ghana. The article contributes to the contemporary Christian discourse on the doctrine of soteriology and its relevance for the human society.

Profit as a predictor variable for environmental sustainability practices (ESPs) of manufacturing companies for achieving green manufacturing in contemporary Ghana

Profit as a predictor variable for environmental sustainability practices (ESPs) of manufacturing companies for achieving green manufacturing in contemporary Ghana

A new model of distilling religion: culturalization as marginality

ABSTRACT The culturalization of religion has received considerable scholarly attention in recent years as a compelling restatement of religion in the secular public sphere. Existing research has focused primarily on Western contexts where Christianity, as the dominant religion, is relabelled as culture in order to sanction its continued presence in the secular and multi-religious public sphere. Building on the treatment of non-majority religions in postcolonial contexts, particularly in contemporary Ghana, the article proposes a second model of culturalization in which non-dominant religions undergo culturalization as a sign of marginalisation, restriction, and exclusion. The model of culturalization adopted, the article argues, is determined by the presumed compatibility of the given religious tradition with a specific understanding of ‘modernity’. Looking at culturalization as a form of marginality adds much-needed regional and thematic breadth to the ongoing discussion, as it allows for moving beyond the mostly Western Christian framework to include post-colonial and post-imperial contexts.

A political theology for the Ghanaian context from Christ’s perspective

One of the key challenges facing contemporary Ghana is ineffective political structures and leadership. Leadership failure is the main reason why Ghana continues to experience socio-economic challenges such as poverty, hunger, poor education system, poor road networks, injustice, high unemployment rate, human right abuse, and local currency depreciation despite the country’s vast natural resources. Ghana’s socio-economic problems continue to attract scholarly attention and yet, the problems persist. As a predominantly Christian nation, the church has a major responsibility to engage the country’s political space by analysing and scrutinising political structures with the effect of chatting a new path of socio-economic and political developments. This research was, therefore, conducted to contribute to the ongoing discussion by exploring how a contextual application of political and leadership lessons embedded in Jesus’s teaching in Mark 10:35–45 might address the Ghana’s political needs. The article is a qualitative research that analysed data collected from books, Bible commentaries, journal articles, and dissertations.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This research involves systematic and/or political theology, New Testament studies, and leadership and/or governance. It argues that for Ghana to overcome her political challenges, leadership must be seen as a position of service rather than an opportunity to amass wealth at the expense of others. The article contributes to the field of political theology in the Ghanaian setting.

Hybrid masculinity in early childcare: a qualitative study of a Ghanaian municipality

ABSTRACT Men’s identity and daily survival appear to be restricted and stereotyped in society. Men and boys are socialized to be excluded from breastfeeding, complementary feeding, child bathing, cleaning, care for umbilical, and sleeping arrangement childcare activities and identified as providers for the family in Ghana. This paper seeks to explore how hybrid masculinity is being created by first-time fathers in Oforikrom Municipality, Ghana. Using a case study design, thirty-five (35) first-time fathers participated in semi-structured interviews, and eight (8) first-time fathers drawn from the semi-structured interviews participated in the photovoice. The interviews were audio recorded, and manually analysed thematically. Photovoice data were obtained from participants and analysed through adapted ‘thematic-photovoice analyses. The study found that masculinity is being reconstructed among first-time fathers in Oforikrom Municipality, Ghana as a result of the blend in childcare activities like caring fathering role and traditional fathering role. Consequently, the study calls on Policymakers and Practitioners to recognize the hybrid masculinity in contemporary Ghana among first-time fathers and develop appropriate policies and programmes response.

A Critique of Prosperity Theology in the Context of Ghanaian Christianity

The economic situation in contemporary Ghana makes everyone yearn for economic progress. In Ghana, like many other parts of Africa, religion is responsible for providing the economic, spiritual, and health needs of its adherents. The predominantly Christian population in Ghana makes many people look up to Christianity to provide the road map to the country’s success. In this regard, the prosperity theology/gospel is the most dominant approach to seeking health and wealth among Ghanaian Christians. Though very persuasive, prosperity theology prompts so much debate about its influence on the religious and socio-economic life of Christians and the society at large. On the one hand, it is considered as promoting unethical behaviour and failing to yield qualitative growth for the church. On the other hand, it is considered as attracting a large following to the Christian faith. The need to evaluate the impact of this type of teaching is an urgent theological and pastoral concern because it is the most appealing Christian approach to socio-economic breakthrough for contemporary Ghanaian Christians. This paper, therefore, sought to address the problem of the lack of a balanced assessment of the prosperity gospel and how its weaknesses can be addressed. The study is a literature-based research that gathered data from publications on the subject matter. Through a critical analysis and evaluation of the information gathered, the authors evaluated the overall impact of the prosperity theology on the holistic life (social, spiritual, economic and political) of its adherents and having noted some pitfalls, recommended how this popular theology can be refined. Apart from providing guidelines for addressing the challenges associated with the prosperity theology, the paper also has the potential of yielding ethical renewal for people to live responsibly as they work toward improving their socio-economic and spiritual lives. Keywords: Prosperity, Christianity, Ghana, Salvation

‘I am the daughter of a man’

The purpose of this article is to discuss the cultural creativity that Nana Kofi Abuna V, the Chief of Essipun Traditional Area in the Western Region of Ghana, is investing in transgressing gender boundaries as a woman chief. Deploying an ethnographic research approach and biographical narrative, feminism as a methodological framework, I argue that Nana is breaking the boundaries of gender to chart new pathways as a woman chief. Nana is one of the few women chiefs in contemporary Ghana. Nana’s ascent to the stool as a chief diverges from the ‘conventional’ practice of male political rule in Akan traditional societies. Since Nana is a woman who bears a male name (Kofi), she acts as a male chief of her Traditional Area. But as a deaconess (church officer) of the Church of Pentecost (CoP), Ghana’s largest Protestant denomination, Nana did not submit to the performance of the rituals of chieftaincy during her installation. Similarly, Nana’s Pentecostal leaning does not permit her to perform ‘chiefship’ rituals. This goes contrary to the centrality of Akan chieftaincy as an ancestral cult and its attendant rituals. Nana, as a Pentecostal woman chief, therefore, breaks through culturally-induced gender boundaries to perform chiefship roles.

Same-sex relationships and recriminalisation of homosexuality in Ghana

Most Ghanaians conveniently ignore or vehemently deny the existence of homosexual relationships in precolonial Ghanaian cultures. The denial of these relationships in precolonial Ghanaian cultures has gained attention due to section 104 of the Criminal Offences Act of Ghana which criminalises ‘unnatural carnal knowledge’ and the ‘promotion of proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values bill, 2021’ (anti-LGBTQI+ bill), currently being debated in Ghana’s Parliament. Historical evidence suggests, however, that Western European researchers who first visited Africa and Ghana suppressed evidence of homosexuality, while indigenous people unwittingly concealed homosexual relationships because of a ‘culture of silence’ surrounding sex and sexuality in precolonial Ghana. From a decolonial theoretical perspective, this article argues that the non-appreciation of precolonial Ghanaian (homo)sexual history partly accounts for the criminalisation of same-sex sexual relationships, homophobia, violence, and violations of the rights of sexual minorities in contemporary Ghana. The paper connects the presence of same-sex sexual intimacies in the Gold Coast (now Ghana), and the absence of criminal sanctions as a basis for rethinking current attempts in Parliament to recriminalise homosexual relationships, in order to chart a path of the equal legal protection of every person, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Krobo Dipo Dress Fashion Trends and Culture in Contemporary Ghana from 1950 to 2019

The study investigated the major fashion trends that have characterised Dipo rite from 1950 to 2019. The narrative and descriptive research designs, under the qualitative approach, were used to investigate the major Dipo dress fashion trends. The sample for the study comprised of four (4) respondents consisting of two (2) traditional rulers knowledgeable in Dipo traditions and customs and have experienced the Dipo rite for at least two decades; one (1) opinion leader, and one (1) photographer who has been a paparazzi during Dipo rites for more than a decade. Interview and non-participant observation constituted the data collection instruments while thematic and descriptive analysis were the analytical tools used. The suboe (red fabric), Kraala (white fabric), wax print and kente Fabrics are some of such materials that signal the major Krobo Dipo dress fashion trends. The dominant presence of the Euro-Christian and Islamic ideological infiltration and stereotyping of the Dipo rite of passage in Ghana has been unsuccessful in depleting Dipo dress cultural practice. Four major stages of Dipo rites were identified with each displaying an array of Dipo dress fashions in observance of the rite. They are the tying of string (sɔni), cleansing initiation (wearing of red loincloth), victory initiation (wearing of white loincloth), and dress-ups (Newuom and kawɔ). The wearing of variations of red and white loincloth, and dress-ups (Newuom and kawɔ) that characterised the last three stages of Dipo rite, revealed interesting stylistic Dipo fashion trends that serve as Dipo rite, Dipo dress culture, Krobo, fashion trend, cultural sustainability, wax print DOI: https://doi.org/10.59739/jaae.v3i1.062304 82 Journal of African Art Education Volume 3, Issue 1, May 2023 sources of inspiration for fashion designing. These fashion trends are predominately wraparound with accessories to match. Wax print fabrics were dominant fabrics used by initiates during the first dress-up called Newuom while Kente dominated in use for Kawↄ. The flamboyant public display of Dipo contemporary fashion is undoubtedly a unique advertising platform that textile manufacturing companies in Ghana should take advantage of to market their products.

Documentary film practice at the Institute of Film and Television, Ghana: truth claims, oral histories and documentary strategies

This article explores a case study of how documentary film practice is taught at the Institute of Film and Television, Ghana. Drawing on the practices of its authors – themselves documentary film-makers and former students of the institute – we explore some of the contemporary challenges facing how we approach the theory and practice of documentary film-making in contemporary Ghana, including how our students might best approach contested conceptions of the truth, and how such notions of the truth may be articulated within Ghana’s living oral traditions.

Shema as Paradigm (Dt. 6:4–9). The Bible, Education, and the Quest for Development in Contemporary Ghana

It has been sixty-five years since Ghana, the first black African country south of the Sahara, gained independence from colonial rule. Since then, Ghana can boast of an educational system, which has churned out hundreds of thousands of graduates over the years. Despite these achievements, the country remains poor, raising questions about whether its educational system is fit for purpose. Meanwhile, the moral fibre of society seems to be crumbling with corruption, threatening to thwart any gains made since independence. Given the fact that over 70% of Ghanaians profess Christianity, and the Church’s active involvement in education, a resolution of the problem cannot exclude a religious and hence a biblical dimension. This paper, using the distinct interest approach of African Biblical Hermeneutics, argues that Deuteronomy 6:4–9 contains a paradigm for transformative education applicable to the challenges Ghana faces. It demonstrates that the instructions to love YHWH with the whole heart, the whole soul, and the whole might, relate to an education that creatively engages the intellectual faculty, one that is holistic and oriented towards the common good. These are necessary ingredients for the transformation and development of society and equally underscore the role of biblical discourse in building a future for Africa. Keywords: Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4–9, African Biblical Hermeneutics, Education, Development, Ghana

On Dankwa's Gift

On Dankwa's Gift

A discourse on aging in contemporary Ghana

A discourse on aging in contemporary Ghana

Changing Metaphors in African Theologies: Influences from Digital Cultures

The incursion of globalisation presents both opportunities and challenges for mission in Africa. This is especially visible among the younger generation whose cultural perspectives have been influenced by global digital cultures. Although the youth in Africa are very much aware of their indigenous identities, they also participate actively with their peers elsewhere around the globe. As a result of these global interactions, many of the pre-colonial theological metaphors which have been accepted as authentic grassroots African theologies seem to have become less meaningful to emerging generations. Analysing contemporary oral sources such as music, prayers, poetry and everyday conversation among young Africans, this paper argues that there is a seismic shift in theological metaphors that speak meaningfully to the contexts of emerging Africans. The paper argues that many young people in contemporary Ghana, for example, do not see mmoatia (dwarfs) and sasabonsam (forest monster) as symbols of threat: they have new threats. A theology that describes Jesus as a hunter could be so impotent in the face of contemporary realities of some young people in Ghana, as Western theologies made a corresponding adjustment in Majority World countries a few decades ago. The paper concludes that these changing metaphors have implications for local theologies in Africa and must be engaged by theologians, missionaries and all who are interested in African theologies for the purpose of meaningful contextualisation in contemporary African Christianity.

The Superstition that Dismembers the African Child: An Exploration of the Scale and Features of Juju-Driven Paedicide in Ghana

AbstractJuju-related child homicide or ritual paedicide (i.e. killing children for ritual or occult purposes) has been the subject of many media reports in Africa. The present study explores the evolution, magnitude, motivations and primary features of ritual paedicide, and identifies the socio-cultural, religious and economic contexts of this crime in contemporary Ghana. An in-depth analysis of ritual homicide cases/reports publicized in three local Ghanaian media outlets between 2013 and 2020 was carried out to realize this aim. Semi-structured interviews involving 20 participants were then conducted to gain additional insights into key aspects of the results of the media content analysis. The data demonstrate that juju-involved murders are widespread in Ghana, and the worst victims are children of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural communities. Poor parental supervision is a significant risk factor for ritual paedicide. Perpetrators and prime suspects are predominantly young adult males, aged between 20 and 39 years, unemployed or on a low income. Most perpetrators are motivated by financial gain. The study highlights the need for economic improvement and promoting formal and public education. It also stresses the need to bring juju practitioners under closer scrutiny and criminalize some of their activities.

Reflections on Higher Education in Ghana and Peter Ekeh’s Two Publics

<h3>ABSTRACT:</h3> Peter Ekeh (1975) theorizes in “Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement” that, primarily, two publics emerged out of European colonialism in Africa—the primordial public (akin to the ethnic groupings) and the civic public (the state and its bureaucracies). Contrasting dispositions and moral etiquettes are exhibited toward these publics; positing that, while the primordial is seen as vulnerable, and thus nurtured, the civic is an item for exploitation. The dynamics of these publics and the associated interplay of values have become fluid and complex in contemporary Ghana. However, attempting to interrogate these attitudinal dispositions requires an examination of the nature of socialization that occurs in Ghana’s higher education (university) system. The article, therefore, reflects on the colonial antecedents of Ghana’s university education, arguing that it was molded predominantly by the economic aspirations of the colonial enterprise. It is geared toward the production of people who use it to bolster their own economic position, usually through the perpetuation of amoral arrangements. However, the motivation for pursuing higher education is not the desire to confront or alter these established exploitative values and schemes, but the idea of it as an avenue to be co-opted into its bureaucracies. Going forward, I contend that universities must remain cognizant of the colonial foundations and corresponding value systems, and how they consciously or unconsciously sustain them. Universities should engage in critical rethinking in order to nurture a critical mass interested in the development of an equitable society.

There is Nothing New Under the Sun: A Comparative Study of the Politics at the Time of Jesus to the Ghanaian Politics

Generally, it is often said that change is the only constant thing in the world. In other words, as time changes, people’s ways of doing things equally changes. This paper seeks to compare the political culture of first century Palestine (in which Jesus lived and ministered) to the political culture of contemporary Ghana. To this end, the study compares and contrasts the reign of Herod in the first century Jerusalem with Political actors in Ghana’s Fourth Republic. It is a literature-based research that draws from both primary and secondary sources. The study found that, there is not much difference between the politics of today and that of Jesus’ day. It, therefore, makes Solomon`s statement there is nothing new under the sun still relevant today.

“The Fake is News”: On Popular Visual Media, Fakery and Legitimacy Contestations in Charismatic Christianity in Contemporary Ghana

ABSTRACT Three key questions guide this investigation into specific accusations of fakery related to some Christian religious leaders’ acts in contemporary Ghana. The first question is: what do moving images and other popular visual forms (such as cartoons) contribute to assessments and accusations of fakery? The second question is: what can we learn from a close examination of religious leaders and their actions that citizens consider fake? The last question is: who gets to make public accusations of fakery on Ghanaian religious matters? I argue that the various analyzed cartoons and memes contribute to ongoing public discussions of the religious leaders as fake. I show how some of these religious leaders seem motivated by the need to be recognized as possessing superior supernatural powers which they exchange for material wealth. I draw attention to specific categories of Ghanaians, such as certain politicians with clout, to level accusations that these religious pastors are fakes.