This paper probes the intricate connection of conversion, proselytization, and the state of Ghana... more This paper probes the intricate connection of conversion, proselytization, and the state of Ghana to achieve three overarching goals. First, it unravels how colonialism, Christianity, and Islam have historically and collectively marginalised African indigenous religions. Second, it demonstrates a clever state maneuver to continue the historic joint colonial and missionary projection of Christianity and Islam at the expense of other traditions. Third, it interrogates how the state of Ghana is mindful of the political implications of frustrating the principle of separation. Against these positions, the paper argues that despite tacit attempts to privilege Christianity and Islam over indigenous religion, the state of Ghana maintains a moderate secularist stance that enhances free and equal participation of its religiously diverse populations in the public space.
Why cannot the term development just be dropped altogether? Some reflections on the concept of ma... more Why cannot the term development just be dropped altogether? Some reflections on the concept of maturation as alternative to development discourse, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 72(4), a3415.
Focusing on Ghana as a case study, this paper discusses aspects of conflicts that beset modern Af... more Focusing on Ghana as a case study, this paper discusses aspects of conflicts that beset modern African nation-states in their attempts to build democratic and human rights regimes. However, these nation-states encompass ‘traditional states’ in which traditional practices and indigenous customary laws survive and are applied in many cases. Yet some Christian and other groups of such societies neglect to participate in certain traditional communal practices because they believe such practices are incompatible with the norms of their faith. This often provokes a conflict of claims. While the custodians of the traditional states invoke their right to cultural identity and expression, the other parties who belong to religious traditions of exclusive tendencies invoke their right to freedom of religion. As the study finds out, resolving such conflicts comes with challenges. Authorities of the nation-state have been quick to set up bodies of arbitration; and though the statutory body responsible for human rights, the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), sometimes expresses opinions, these conflicts have not been considered in the law courts. The conflicts are therefore settled on the basis of traditional values and aspirations rather than through adversarial legal processes. Dialogue and arbitration, facilitated by the executive arm of the government, appears more in keeping with the culture of the people than litigation.
This study explores how local religious and cultural values may contribute, or are already contri... more This study explores how local religious and cultural values may contribute, or are already contributing, to the embedding of human rights in contemporary Ghana. It attempts to establish a convergence between local Ghanaian religious and cultural values and international human rights. This is in keeping with the growing recognition of the fact that the international human rights regime needs to be grounded in the value systems of the various cultures of the world in order for it to thrive. The need for this research is due to the fact that human rights violations in Ghana at the grassroots level are mostly linked to religious belief and customary practices such as witchcraft accusations, widowhood rites and citizens’ relations with traditional political authority.
... Like Casely Hayford, Amu had wondered why traditional dances and musical forms could not be u... more ... Like Casely Hayford, Amu had wondered why traditional dances and musical forms could not be usedin Christian worship. ... Highlife musicians involved were the legendary 'Professor' Kofi Abraham, 55 Love Nortey, Wofa Ofori, Bob Pinodo and TDB Agyekum. ...
Incorporating international human rights provisions into domestic legislation and implementing th... more Incorporating international human rights provisions into domestic legislation and implementing them have always been a challenge for several African countries. This is especially so where religious and customary values are involved. The limitations of conventional approaches employing legislation, litigation and protests alone often become radically exposed in such contexts. This was illustrated by a long public debate that preceded the passage of Ghana’s Domestic Violence Act (Act 723), 2007. A national debate, facilitated by the proliferation of FM radio stations that employ both English and the leading mother-tongues, enabled citizens at the grassroots to also participate in the discussions. Using the debate mentioned above as a case-study, this article discusses constraints imposed on the growth of human rights culture in situations where religious and customary values are widely held. Since such values inspire behaviours and attitudes rooted in religious belief and custom, they...
A revolutionary development that resulted from Africa's experience of colonialism was the eme... more A revolutionary development that resulted from Africa's experience of colonialism was the emergence of the nation-state made up of previously separate ethnic states. By the end of the colonial period the rulers of these ethnic states — the chiefs — had lost most of their real political and judicial powers to the political leaders of the new nation-states. But in spite of the loss of effective political power the chiefs continued to wield moral influence over members of their ethnic groups. The limited reach of the nation-state in the post-colonial era has also meant a dependence on the chiefs, in many cases, for aspects of local governance. This, for example, is the case of Ghana. However, in the modern context of religious pluralism the intimate bond between the chiefs and the traditional religion exacerbates tension in situations of conflict between people's loyalty to the traditional state and their religious commitment. In some cases, chiefs invoke customary laws in attempt to enforce sanctions against individuals who refuse to observe certain customary practices for religious reasons. But this has implications for the human rights of citizens. This article discusses the implications of this situation for the future of chieftaincy as well as prospects for the protection of the human rights of citizens who for religious reasons choose to stay away from certain communal customary practices.
Despite the considerable volume of material produced by scholars in recent times on the political... more Despite the considerable volume of material produced by scholars in recent times on the political and social relevance of Africa’s religious revival, policy makers and development workers continue to pay only scanty attention to religion in their work. In cases, where some attention is paid to religion, the focus has been on institutions and public-spirited religious personalities. Most policy makers and development workers seem more comfortable to deal with these than the core religious elements such as rituals. Based on discussion of data drawn from a study of the Corinthian Church of South Africa (CCSA), this paper argues that aspects of religion such as beliefs and rituals, which are often ignored in development work constitute an important “spiritual capital” that can enrich social capital; and that if these are taken account of in social policy crafting, they will provide a new vista to some of the developmental challenges of Africa.
This paper examines the phenomenon of the ‘African Hindu’ in the context of the discussions on ‘t... more This paper examines the phenomenon of the ‘African Hindu’ in the context of the discussions on ‘transnational Hinduism’. I also report on how these African Hindus resort to a reinterpretation of the history of their Ghanaian indigenous (traditional) religion and culture in their attempt to find religious space in the almost-choked religious environment of Ghana, and also how they attempt to negotiate their new religious identity in relation to their identity as Africans (Ghanaians). I conclude with a prognosis of the form that Hinduism is likely to assume in the near future on Ghanaian soil as its African converts try to live their faith in the context of their local culture.
Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology
The generation of waste and how to manage it pose challenges to municipal and district authoritie... more The generation of waste and how to manage it pose challenges to municipal and district authorities in many parts of the world. In the African context, poverty, bad management practices, and increasing consumerist culture have conspired to render the situation even more complex. Complicating the situation further is the addition of synthetic and electronic waste, non-biodegradable and, in several cases, hazardous. Drawing on personal first hand experiences in Ghana from the perspective of a pastor and a scholar of religious studies, the author reflects on contemporary waste and its (mis)management in Africa and how these affect the dignity and security of present and future generations. He draws on relevant theological motifs from Christianity and indigenous African religious beliefs and practices as well as insights from sociology and eco-theological ethics to analyse the challenge and explore ways in which African Christian public opinion may be mobilized to help address the challe...
This paper probes the intricate connection of conversion, proselytization, and the state of Ghana... more This paper probes the intricate connection of conversion, proselytization, and the state of Ghana to achieve three overarching goals. First, it unravels how colonialism, Christianity, and Islam have historically and collectively marginalised African indigenous religions. Second, it demonstrates a clever state maneuver to continue the historic joint colonial and missionary projection of Christianity and Islam at the expense of other traditions. Third, it interrogates how the state of Ghana is mindful of the political implications of frustrating the principle of separation. Against these positions, the paper argues that despite tacit attempts to privilege Christianity and Islam over indigenous religion, the state of Ghana maintains a moderate secularist stance that enhances free and equal participation of its religiously diverse populations in the public space.
Why cannot the term development just be dropped altogether? Some reflections on the concept of ma... more Why cannot the term development just be dropped altogether? Some reflections on the concept of maturation as alternative to development discourse, HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies 72(4), a3415.
Focusing on Ghana as a case study, this paper discusses aspects of conflicts that beset modern Af... more Focusing on Ghana as a case study, this paper discusses aspects of conflicts that beset modern African nation-states in their attempts to build democratic and human rights regimes. However, these nation-states encompass ‘traditional states’ in which traditional practices and indigenous customary laws survive and are applied in many cases. Yet some Christian and other groups of such societies neglect to participate in certain traditional communal practices because they believe such practices are incompatible with the norms of their faith. This often provokes a conflict of claims. While the custodians of the traditional states invoke their right to cultural identity and expression, the other parties who belong to religious traditions of exclusive tendencies invoke their right to freedom of religion. As the study finds out, resolving such conflicts comes with challenges. Authorities of the nation-state have been quick to set up bodies of arbitration; and though the statutory body responsible for human rights, the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), sometimes expresses opinions, these conflicts have not been considered in the law courts. The conflicts are therefore settled on the basis of traditional values and aspirations rather than through adversarial legal processes. Dialogue and arbitration, facilitated by the executive arm of the government, appears more in keeping with the culture of the people than litigation.
This study explores how local religious and cultural values may contribute, or are already contri... more This study explores how local religious and cultural values may contribute, or are already contributing, to the embedding of human rights in contemporary Ghana. It attempts to establish a convergence between local Ghanaian religious and cultural values and international human rights. This is in keeping with the growing recognition of the fact that the international human rights regime needs to be grounded in the value systems of the various cultures of the world in order for it to thrive. The need for this research is due to the fact that human rights violations in Ghana at the grassroots level are mostly linked to religious belief and customary practices such as witchcraft accusations, widowhood rites and citizens’ relations with traditional political authority.
... Like Casely Hayford, Amu had wondered why traditional dances and musical forms could not be u... more ... Like Casely Hayford, Amu had wondered why traditional dances and musical forms could not be usedin Christian worship. ... Highlife musicians involved were the legendary 'Professor' Kofi Abraham, 55 Love Nortey, Wofa Ofori, Bob Pinodo and TDB Agyekum. ...
Incorporating international human rights provisions into domestic legislation and implementing th... more Incorporating international human rights provisions into domestic legislation and implementing them have always been a challenge for several African countries. This is especially so where religious and customary values are involved. The limitations of conventional approaches employing legislation, litigation and protests alone often become radically exposed in such contexts. This was illustrated by a long public debate that preceded the passage of Ghana’s Domestic Violence Act (Act 723), 2007. A national debate, facilitated by the proliferation of FM radio stations that employ both English and the leading mother-tongues, enabled citizens at the grassroots to also participate in the discussions. Using the debate mentioned above as a case-study, this article discusses constraints imposed on the growth of human rights culture in situations where religious and customary values are widely held. Since such values inspire behaviours and attitudes rooted in religious belief and custom, they...
A revolutionary development that resulted from Africa's experience of colonialism was the eme... more A revolutionary development that resulted from Africa's experience of colonialism was the emergence of the nation-state made up of previously separate ethnic states. By the end of the colonial period the rulers of these ethnic states — the chiefs — had lost most of their real political and judicial powers to the political leaders of the new nation-states. But in spite of the loss of effective political power the chiefs continued to wield moral influence over members of their ethnic groups. The limited reach of the nation-state in the post-colonial era has also meant a dependence on the chiefs, in many cases, for aspects of local governance. This, for example, is the case of Ghana. However, in the modern context of religious pluralism the intimate bond between the chiefs and the traditional religion exacerbates tension in situations of conflict between people's loyalty to the traditional state and their religious commitment. In some cases, chiefs invoke customary laws in attempt to enforce sanctions against individuals who refuse to observe certain customary practices for religious reasons. But this has implications for the human rights of citizens. This article discusses the implications of this situation for the future of chieftaincy as well as prospects for the protection of the human rights of citizens who for religious reasons choose to stay away from certain communal customary practices.
Despite the considerable volume of material produced by scholars in recent times on the political... more Despite the considerable volume of material produced by scholars in recent times on the political and social relevance of Africa’s religious revival, policy makers and development workers continue to pay only scanty attention to religion in their work. In cases, where some attention is paid to religion, the focus has been on institutions and public-spirited religious personalities. Most policy makers and development workers seem more comfortable to deal with these than the core religious elements such as rituals. Based on discussion of data drawn from a study of the Corinthian Church of South Africa (CCSA), this paper argues that aspects of religion such as beliefs and rituals, which are often ignored in development work constitute an important “spiritual capital” that can enrich social capital; and that if these are taken account of in social policy crafting, they will provide a new vista to some of the developmental challenges of Africa.
This paper examines the phenomenon of the ‘African Hindu’ in the context of the discussions on ‘t... more This paper examines the phenomenon of the ‘African Hindu’ in the context of the discussions on ‘transnational Hinduism’. I also report on how these African Hindus resort to a reinterpretation of the history of their Ghanaian indigenous (traditional) religion and culture in their attempt to find religious space in the almost-choked religious environment of Ghana, and also how they attempt to negotiate their new religious identity in relation to their identity as Africans (Ghanaians). I conclude with a prognosis of the form that Hinduism is likely to assume in the near future on Ghanaian soil as its African converts try to live their faith in the context of their local culture.
Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology
The generation of waste and how to manage it pose challenges to municipal and district authoritie... more The generation of waste and how to manage it pose challenges to municipal and district authorities in many parts of the world. In the African context, poverty, bad management practices, and increasing consumerist culture have conspired to render the situation even more complex. Complicating the situation further is the addition of synthetic and electronic waste, non-biodegradable and, in several cases, hazardous. Drawing on personal first hand experiences in Ghana from the perspective of a pastor and a scholar of religious studies, the author reflects on contemporary waste and its (mis)management in Africa and how these affect the dignity and security of present and future generations. He draws on relevant theological motifs from Christianity and indigenous African religious beliefs and practices as well as insights from sociology and eco-theological ethics to analyse the challenge and explore ways in which African Christian public opinion may be mobilized to help address the challe...
In this presentation I would argue that the values represented by the concept of modern human rig... more In this presentation I would argue that the values represented by the concept of modern human rights present common grounds for a dialogue among cultures since they are universal ‘dream-values’ envisioned by sophisticated thinkers and nation builders− sages, prophets and ancient lawgivers− of various eras and societies around the world. These ‘dream-values’ have over generations helped define the human species as unique and deserving of the highest dignified treatment at all times and in all places. Identifying and analyzing such ideas will reveal surprising commonalities of humanity that can serve as grounds for dialogue and collaboration between and among cultures − secular or religious, Western or non-Western.
What is development? Who defines that one community/ country is "developed", while another commun... more What is development? Who defines that one community/ country is "developed", while another community/ country is "under-developed"? What is the relationship between religion and development? Does religion contribute to development or underdevelopment in Africa? These and related questions elicit quite charged reactions in African studies, development studies, political science and related fields. Africa's own history, including the memory of marginalisation, slavery and exploitation by global powers ensures that virtually every discussion on development is characterised by a lot of emotions and conflicting views. In this volume scholars from various African countries and many different religions and denominations contribute to this debate.
The editors and authors :
E. CHITANDO (Zimbabwe), M. R. GUNDA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), L. TOGARASEI (Botswana), J. KÜGLER (Germany), A. O. ATIEMO (Ghana), S. AWUAH-NYAMEKYE (Ghana), S. K. BERMAN (Botswana), T. A. CHIMUKA (Lesotho), C. J. CHITA (Zambia), M. W. DUBE (Botswana), J. GATHOGO (Kenya), I. S. GUSHA (Zimbabwe), M. HARON (Botswana/ South Africa), S. F. JOHN (South Africa), C. J. KAUNDA (Zambia), M. M. KAUNDA (South Africa), S. M. KILONZO (Kenya), U. M. KIRIAGHE (Uganda), F. MACHINGURA (Zimbabwe), L. P. MASEKO (South Africa), L. MASENO (Kenya), P. MUNHENZVA (Zimbabwe), E. P. MOTSWAPONG (Botswana), N. MWALE (Zambia), C. MWANDAYI (Zimbabwe), H. J. NDZOVU (Kenya), B. NYAHUMA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), S. NYAWO (Swaziland), A. D. OMONA (Uganda), L. C. SIWILA (South Africa), B. TARINGA (Zimbabwe), N. T. TARINGA (Zimbabwe).
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Papers by Abamfo Atiemo
The editors and authors :
E. CHITANDO (Zimbabwe), M. R. GUNDA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), L. TOGARASEI (Botswana), J. KÜGLER (Germany), A. O. ATIEMO (Ghana), S. AWUAH-NYAMEKYE (Ghana), S. K. BERMAN (Botswana), T. A. CHIMUKA (Lesotho), C. J. CHITA (Zambia), M. W. DUBE (Botswana), J. GATHOGO (Kenya), I. S. GUSHA (Zimbabwe), M. HARON (Botswana/ South Africa), S. F. JOHN (South Africa), C. J. KAUNDA (Zambia), M. M. KAUNDA (South Africa), S. M. KILONZO (Kenya), U. M. KIRIAGHE (Uganda), F. MACHINGURA (Zimbabwe), L. P. MASEKO (South Africa), L. MASENO (Kenya), P. MUNHENZVA (Zimbabwe), E. P. MOTSWAPONG (Botswana), N. MWALE (Zambia), C. MWANDAYI (Zimbabwe), H. J. NDZOVU (Kenya), B. NYAHUMA (Zimbabwe/ Germany), S. NYAWO (Swaziland), A. D. OMONA (Uganda), L. C. SIWILA (South Africa), B. TARINGA (Zimbabwe), N. T. TARINGA (Zimbabwe).