The Democracy In Being Religious In Ghana: Is Being Part Of Traditional Religion An Abomination?

Ghana is a democratic country which means that as part of religious rights of individuals, everyone has inalienable right to be associated with a belief system or to practice what faith that he/she loves. So what happens when a pretty school lady experiences energies in her behavior which points to the fact that she is being called by the deities of a particular religion and the society frowns at her calling her names and making her lose her self-esteem because to some people in a particular religious group, she was to be used by the devil? Really devilish? Who has the authority on this earth to judge people when it comes to questions of faith? This is an experience of a never-give up lady by name Nana Akua Nframa who is currently receiving spiritual and enthnopharmacology training at the famous Nana Kudi Bawasaba's shrine in Kumasi the capital of Ashanti region of Ghana.

Born Matilda Akua Pokuaa at a village called Adwumakese to hard working farming parents, Matilda completed JHS and enrolled in a Home Economics and Community Development Institute in Kumasi to pursue education in Domestic Science, Home Economics, Health Education and Social Work.

In 2006, Matilda fell ill and was brought home for the parents to take care of her. She was taken to a number of hospitals in the metropolis but tried as they did, none of the medical officials who attended to her could diagnosed what was wrong with her. After many visits to those hospitals which was depleting the financial resources of the family, it was suggested that they seek spiritual help. So started the families associations with many churches in Kumasi and the neighbouring communities, and none of them could help.

According to Nana Akua Nframa, one day she had a horrible dream and when she woke up she saw many things that scared her so she started screaming which attracted many people and they suggested to her mom to take her to see a traditional priest. The mother took her to a traditional priest who after giving her medicine to calm her abnormal behavior down, suggested the mom take her to another spiritual place to find out what was wrong with her, because from her consultation, she found out that Matilda didn't believe in traditional African religion. A week later, her mom took her to Nana Gyinay3, another traditional priest at Edwenase, where the priest confirmed that she was being visited by divine spirits that want to use her to help the community. On hearing this, she wailed uncontrollably, this prompting her mom to ask Nana Gyinay3 if something could be done to reverse her plight. In anger, she dismissed him as good for nothing traditional priest who was lying. Interestingly, Nana Gyinay3 calmly asked them to return to the shrine for an update in the following week, on that note, she, Matilda told the mom, she would rather die than become a traditional priest. They therefore left the shrine place and went home. On reaching home, the worst took over Matilda, she got naked and started screaming, her sister sensing danger offered to train her as a priest but she declined the offer.

When she started school again, the ordeal came back, she was beaten mercilessly for days: According to her, she would see a cane whipping her but would not see who was holding the end of it to do the beatings. She therefore,decided to ask her sister to train her and miraculously all the beatings and sickness stopped. However, there was another huddle she had to battle, taunts from friends and other people who thought that as a nice lady she was not supposed to become Okomfo and that she was going to work for the devil. According to her, advice, taunts and name callings from people made her confused so she threw away every shrine related paraphernalia she had. Well, the beatings came back....and in her own words, she said," come and see beatings". Then one day, she was there with her mom and she felt like undertaking the training again, but there was the issue of how to secure the financing even though the beatings had stopped, they still had fiscal headache. Around this time, Matilda knew she was dealing with Nkwatia Nkwatia people and she asked them how she was to finance her training, they told her, "Worry not, we would bring somebody to come and help and that the person will be your earthly husband if you like him". So she started school again skipping Wednesdays and Fridays sometimes for shrine related works. She still managed to graduate from the catering school.

Yes, the promised came to pass and according to her in her own words:

" UNTIL THE DAY I MEET NANA K, THIS GUY HELP ME IN ALL MY THINGS AND HE TOOK ME TO A FETISH PRIEST CALLED NANA KUDI BAWASAABA IN ABIREM TO TRAIN ME. "

Matilda Akua Pokuaa is now a trainee Okomfo also known in Akom terminology as Okomfowaa. She is due to graduate in 2013. Updates will be posted about her graduation dates and venue. We at PREKESE GhanaMedia will like to say Thanks to Matilda Akua Pokuaa currently using her shrine name NANA AKUA NFRAMA and to wish her good luck in her training to keep the tradition alive.

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