Dr. KB Mahama writes: Maybe we should be preaching Humanity not religion

The past few weeks have been turbulent. From Achimota School to Wesley Girls, the media space has been inundated with views of what constitutes wrong and right in the Ghanaian society.

In what appears to be a pursuit of morality anchored on religious beliefs, the emotional nature of Ghanaians when it comes to issues of religion is scary. When left unchecked, the emotion of people will develop into hate and extreme doctrines of faith. It is for this reason that I feel a sense of duty to share my opinion on what should be the passion of Ghanaian rather than region.

As a country, we are reeling over the effect of tribalism on national development. There is unanimity that tribalism is not good for a nation’s building and that it hinders our development in a significant way. Our problems will be compounded if we add religious intolerance and faith-based marginalisation to the already existing ills.

I am not in any way suggesting that people should abandon their religious faith. I am only suggesting that people should be searching for the connection between their religious faith and humanity. As a matter of fact, religion is supposed to promote humanity.

This is the standard measure of the goodness of religious practices. It is for this reason that a humanitarian, Abdul Sitar, once remarked, “[t]here’s no religion in the world higher than humanity.”

Recent development makes me wonder if the faith in Ghana is for the promotion of humanity or a tool for suppression of a certain group of people at a point in time. Characteristically, victims of religious discrimination feel the brunt. The perpetrator may not know how it feels until they also fall victims.

Surging faith, fading of humanity

Globally, there are over a dozen major religions but three of which are dominant in Africa- Christianity, Islam and Traditional Religion. While there seem to be a decline in faith, particularly Christianity, in Europe and America, Africa is projected to have more religious people than any region of the world. Roughly, nine in ten people say religion is very important in their lives in Africa according to a research by the Pew Forum.

Thus, religion has become part of our lives and a typical day of a Ghanaian starts with religion and ends with religion. We wake up from beds and say our prayers and when we retire to our beds we say prayers. This demonstrates our belief in the existence of a supernatural being who ordinately controls the universe.

The problem however is that the surge in religion is paradoxically associated with fading humanity. As a people, we are experiencing abrasive corrosion of humanity. It is not enough to be praying to God without building in our hearts citadel of love, respect, tolerance, integration and harmony. Without inter-faith harmony, religion is disconnected from humanity. This is a hill we do not want to climb.

Leadership of the country over the past years have made significant progress in deescalating the tension among the main religions in the country. We have consciously made provision for Christian, Muslim and Indigenous prayers at our national events. Some leaders of the Christian faith have reached out to the Muslim communities in Ghana with love and affection. Ghana’s Chief Imam has also demonstrated leadership by reaching out to the Christian community. Ghana’s inter-faith harmony soared when the National Chief Imam attended the Catholic Church services as part of his 100th birthday celebration.

The country’s relative peace and stability in the sub region is associated with religious tolerance we have had as a country. But this height seems to be threatened by recent development. The reaction by some Christians and some Muslims to the Wesley Girls High School saga was particularly worrying. It has made some people question the several years of coexistence between the two main religions in Ghana. We do not want to get to the point whereby Ghanaians will view one another through the prism of religion. Losing out our humanity to religion will be antithetical to the very essence of religion.

Oppressive practices: recipe for religious conflict

It is important to refresh our minds that Ghana is not a holy grail when it comes to religion violence. Neither Islam nor Christianity can escape blame when it comes to religion intolerance. This intolerance is not only inter-religious but also intra-religious. So, we must watch against certain policies, practices and decision, which have the potential of derailing the relative peace and co-existence of Ghanaians.

Just when we were recovering and celebrating our progress as a nation with respect of wearing of Hijab by Muslim ladies, particularly the opportunity for female soccer players to wear hijab on the pitch, we are hit with another controversy, in the Wesley Girls High School.

It is important for cool heads to prevail and the issue discussed dispassionately through the prism of humanity. School rules must deprive students of the right to worship. The right to worship must not deprive students the right to education.

I do not see how a student deciding to fast in the period of Ramadan affronts the regulation of school in a secular country like ours. Conversely, I cannot appreciate why a school would compel a Christian student to attend Muslim congregational prayers because the school is a Muslim mission school.

At a minimum, we must, as a people, accept that Ghana is a secular country comprising of majority Christians followed by Muslims and then Traditionalists. The appreciation of the secular status of the country will erase any sense of entitlement and attempts at Christinisation or islamisation of the country. It will facilitate the convergence of faiths. The interest of the state of Ghana will thus reign supreme to any other interests.

Also, we have to do away with oppressive practices. Practices that violate the rights to association, freedom of speech, freedom of faith and right to education must not find expression in our country, Ghana. We recall about two years ago, a Muslim Nurse was refused attachment at the Ridge Hospital because of her refusal to take off the veil. This incident sparked widespread agitations. But for the timely intervention of the Ghana Health Service this issue could have degenerated into some form of religious instability in Ghana.

Lastly, we should encourage inter-faith engagement. Currently we hold a lot of misconception about one another’s religion and that blocks the opportunity to learn more about people. A 2010 research showed that some 43 percent of Christians across the Africa see Muslims as violent, while 20 percent of Muslims see Christians as violent. The pattern will be similar for Ghana. After almost a decade, one expects more favourable statistic on the perception we hold against each other as people. The effect of this perception is systematic marginalisation of one another. It also delays integration.

So let’s focus on humanity

The spate of ritual murders, the very recent that shocked the nation being the Kasoa ritual killing, counterproductive and morale dampening prophesies, armed robberies, rape and sexual abuses, raging lies, citizenry dishonest in dealings, violence against women are few examples that call to question the relevance of the increasing religionisation of Ghana. Clearly, religion is not serving its purpose. Religion should go beyond praying to God.

A popular Musician, Kofi Kinaata, captures the disconnect between religion and humanity in his song entitled “things fall apart”. We have developed a hypocritical society where we preach virtues but practices vice. It is only when we connect religion to humanity that we may experience the elimination of the above vices. Humanity is the thing capable of uniting the three main religions in Ghana.

Fortunately, we have examples in Ghana to emulate. The life of the National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Osman Sharabutu and that of the Catholic Priest, Reverend Father Andrew Campbell in the religious circles are role models to learn from.

In the political circles, we have the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who has almost become the symbol of religious tolerance and inter-faith harmony in Ghana.

Ghana will become a shining example of religious tolerance and inter-faith harmony if we could preach humanity than religion. We must all play a role to deescalate the religious tension created by recent development. Next time you are provoked, just remember the parable of the wheat and tares!

Written By:

Mahama Tiah Abdul-Kabiru, Ch.E, Ph.D

[email protected]

About Author: The Writer is Research, Policy Analyst and a Social Commentator.