The Hypocrisy of Ghana’s Religious Holidays: Sanctifying the Foreign and Erasing the Native

In Ghana, a nation celebrated for its rich cultural heritage and diverse religious practices, a glaring inconsistency persists in the recognition of religious holidays. While Christianity and Islam are accorded multiple public holidays annually, traditional African religions—integral to Ghana's heritage—receive no such acknowledgment. This disparity not only undermines the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom but also reflects a broader marginalization of indigenous beliefs—a spiritual and religious apartheid.

A Discrepancy in Recognition
The Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act 986), outlines the statutory public holidays in Ghana, including Christian observances like Good Friday and Christmas and Islamic festivals such as Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. However, there is a conspicuous absence of any holiday recognizing traditional African religious practices. This omission persists despite the constitutional provision in Article 21(1)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees all persons the right to practice any religion.

We have Neglected the Calls for Inclusion

Calls for the recognition of a public holiday to honour African Traditional values, Spirituality, and Ancestral veneration have grown stronger across various sectors of Ghanaian society. Civil society groups, scholars, religious leaders, and traditionalist associations have consistently advocated for this inclusion, arguing that it is long overdue and a matter of justice, equity, and cultural affirmation.

One of the leading voices in this advocacy is the National Association of Traditionalists and Ancestral Venerators (NATAV). The association, with support from ABIBI TUMI and the Centre for Indigenous Intelligence and Shamanic Studies, has organized conferences, educational campaigns, and public engagements under themes such as “Sankofa: Awakening to the Power of Our Roots, Honouring the Ancestors as Our Vital Force.” In its official communiqués and public statements, NATAV emphasizes that traditional worship is not just a religion but a holistic way of life that binds the spiritual, moral, social, economic, and ecological fabric of Ghanaian society. The group argues that continued exclusion from public holiday recognition amounts to systemic cultural erasure (NATAV, 2023).

Prominent African cultural organizations like the Afrikania Mission, founded by the late Osɔfo Okomfo Damuah, have also made repeated calls over the years for the institutionalization of a public holiday dedicated to traditional African spirituality. Their argument centres on equity, national reconciliation, and restoring dignity to Ghana’s indigenous spiritual heritage (Afrikania Mission, 2020).

Traditional leaders have also made formal appeals. During the Afortorku Gbodzi Shrine’s annual festival in the Akatsi South District, traditional rulers appealed to the government to set aside a public holiday to commemorate their beliefs and relevance in the country. They emphasized that granting their request would help boost their confidence as traditionalists and encourage them to contribute more to the development of the country (Setordjie, 2024).

Other traditional leaders and practitioners have repeatedly called for the institution of a public holiday to honour traditional African religions and ancestral veneration. For instance, Hunor Amidu Agide, Head of the Agide Shrine in the Volta Region, has appealed to the government to recognize traditional religious practices with a national holiday, emphasizing the deep cultural significance and historical roots of these beliefs (Makafui Attipoe, 2024).

The Ga Mantse, His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has called for the inclusion of traditional religious practices in the celebration of the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving. He believes that a comprehensive thanksgiving should reflect Ghana's diverse spiritual identity, including traditional rites and practices. This call comes as the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving approached (GNA, 2025).

Scholar and African Spiritual science advocate Nana Yaw Wi Asamoah Boadi, in his groundbreaking article "A Case for a Public Holiday for Traditional Worship and Ancestral Veneration in Ghana," makes a compelling case for the state’s role in healing historical injustices. He argues that the Ghanaian government has institutionalized a colonial mindset by canonizing foreign religions through state holidays while marginalizing native spirituality. According to Asamoah Boadi, such an approach not only betrays the nation's founding cultural roots but reinforces internalized inferiority among the custodians of Ghana’s heritage (Asamoah Boadi, 2024).

In light of these voices, the evidence is overwhelming: the demand for a national holiday to honor traditional worship, our cultural values, and the history of our heroes and Ancestors is not a fringe appeal but a nationwide movement rooted in justice, cultural survival, and constitutional integrity. The blowing awakening spirit in Africa should signal posterity judgment sooner rather than later.

International Precedents
Across the world, countries have instituted days to honour their ancestors and heritage as a way to reinforce national unity and identity.

Japan's Obon holiday: Celebrated yearly, this holiday honours the spirits of ancestors, fosters familial bonds, and encourages spiritual reflection. It draws millions of participants, boosting local economies through tourism and cultural activities (Fukuda, 2018).

China's Qingming Festival: also known as Tomb-Sweeping Day, allows families to honour ancestors by cleaning graves and making gifts. It emphasises the cultural importance of ancestral veneration, contributing significantly to cultural tourism. (Lin, 2019)

Vietnam's Hung Kings' Temple Festival: Recognised as a national holiday, this event honours the country's founding ancestors. It represents unity and pride in Vietnam's rich cultural heritage while attracting local and foreign visitors (Nguyen, 2021).

Benin's Voodoo Festival: Held yearly in Ouidah, this event celebrates the spirits and ancestors central to Benin's cultural and spiritual identity. It also serves as a major tourist attraction, adding to the economy (Hountondji, 2020).

Burkina Faso’s African Spirituality, Tradition, and Ancestors' Day: This day focuses on remembering and honouring ancestors through rituals, prayers, and communal activities—reinforcing national pride and unity (Ouédraogo, 2022).

Ghana, which has a lot of different traditions, could learn from these models and set up a national day to honour ancestors and traditions.

Our duty towards posterity and now
President Mahama’s early-morning visit to his father’s graveyard to seek ancestral blessings before casting his vote on the election day resonates deeply with the cultural and spiritual ethos of Ghana and Africa at large. We plead with the President to share with Ghanaians, through a public day for our Ancestors, this strong belief that gave him results.

Recognising traditional African religions with a public holiday would not only rectify a longstanding inequity but also reinforce Ghana's commitment to cultural diversity and religious freedom. It would serve as a powerful affirmation of the nation's rich heritage and the enduring relevance of indigenous beliefs in contemporary society.

As Ghana continues to navigate its post-colonial identity, embracing and honouring its indigenous spiritual traditions is essential. Instituting a public holiday for traditional religions would be a meaningful step toward inclusivity, respect, and national unity.

Our Ancestors are with heavy hearts !!!

Nana Yaw Wi Asamoah Boadi (Traditionalist)

[email protected]

National Association of Traditionalists and Ancestral Venerators (NATAV);

Research Associate, Institute of Indigenous Intelligence