Seven Paramount Chiefs from Nzema and Ahanta areas in the Western Region have given Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a seven-day ultimatum to appear before the Regional House of Chiefs to retract and apologise for her homosexuality comment on Nzema culture.
Prof Gadzekpo, Board Chair of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD Ghana), and also the Dean at the Faculty of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, on March 02, 2024, made allegations on Joy News File that “certain aspects of Nzema culture support homosexuality.”
Reacting to the matter, the Paramount chiefs said the scathing attacks and unsavoury comment by the CDD Ghana Board Chair, had the potential to denigrate the culture, history, tradition, and image of the Nzema people.
Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli III, Paramount Chief of Eastern Nzema Traditional Area, was addressing a news conference, at Sekondi, to register their displeasure over the comment.
He was flanked by the Vice President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Gwira Traditional Area, Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan II, Paramount Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Area, Awulae Attibrukusu III, and Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief of Essikado Traditional Area.
The rest were Awulae Annor Adjaye III, Paramount Chief of Western Nzema Traditional Area, Awulae Agyevi Kwame II, Paramount Chief of Nsein Traditional Area and Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove Traditional Area.
According to Awulae Kpanyinli III, as chiefs and custodians of Nzema customs and traditions, they were ready to vehemently debunk false and damaging allegations that sought to stain the history of their ethnic group.
He said: “We expected an academic Professor of Prof Audrey Gadzekpo's calibre to exhibit a modicum of fair-mindedness and objectivity as well as an absence of a rash motivation of an insatiable desire to join other forces to impose a Western norm on Ghana.”
He continued: “With particular reference to Nzema marriage, customs and practice, the work is too trivial to be used to rationalise Prof Audrey Gadzekpo's continued advocacy for Ghanaians to accept LGBT+ through the unfortunate and ill-informed suggestion that homosexuality and same sex marriage is a norm and part of Nzema culture.”
The Paramount Chief stated that the Nzema of both Ghana and La Côte D'Ivoire did not condone and practice homosexuality since it was as a social aberration.
“There is and has never been a place for homosexuality and same sex marriage in Nzema culture,” Awulae Kpanyinli III noted.
He said the outlandish claim by Prof Gadzekpo was, therefore, baseless, troubling and damaging to the Nzema people and their ancestors, saying; “marriage has always been and still remains a union of male and female, and never a union between same sex.”
He commended Ghana’s Parliament for passing the anti-LGBTQ+ bill and prayed for the President to assent it into law.
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