Gov't Must Reintroduce The Pouring Of Libation

My Reasons!!
I think the NPP Gov't must consider to reintroduce the pouring of libation at all national ceremonial events or celebrative situations in Ghana, else I would suggest that the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs must be dissolved since its purpose has been defeated. This is because, the practice of Libation Pouring at National gatherings is a unique part of our culture in Ghana and we cannot just throw it away like that.

We know that the Ministry for Chieftaincy and Traditional Affairs is the official Ghanaian agency responsible for the creation of linkages between the Government of Ghana and the traditional authorities in the country.

If readers can recall, it was during the time of President John Atta Mills when he imposed his Religious Beliefs on Ghanaians to ban the pouring of libation at the National Functions. This decision, I believe the late old Professor took based on his individual belief, flouted the natural law of God when the traditional prayers were stopped during his administration and it appears to have been upheld till date.

In my respectful estimation, it is highly regrettable that we (Ghanaians) have been deceived to believe that the pouring of libation at our national gatherings was the cause of all our underdevelopement and for that reason, we departed from the practice of this rich culture that our forefathers left for us.

We must, by all means, seek to preserve this tractional practice and prayers together with the foreign ones which we have adopted, such as the Muslim and Christian prayers at the National gatherings and celebrative events.

What good sense does it actually make that we abandon our traditional prayer and keep the foreign ones in Ghana, instead? We are definitely missing something as a nation, and we must correct this with alacrity. Am pretty sure the majority of Ghanaians agree with me.

Now, coming up to the decision by President Mills to disban the pouring of libation at our national events in 2011, some known Christian figures were heard lamenting and lambasting the practice in Ghana. They argued and called upon the President, Prof Mills' gov't to abandon the practice of Libation Pouring at National events. The same argued vehemently that the practice is the reason why the economy of Ghana was not getting better and that, it is the almost reason why Ghana has been underdeveloped since independence. This, in my view, was a shallow-minded argument, yet the President of Ghana, Prof Mills listened to them and acted in favour accordingly.

The Law Professor, President Mills who claimed to be the representative of Christ, unfortunately succumbed to this pressure and abandoned the pouring of libation at our national functions.

In fact, the President, John Evans Atta Mills in one of his speeches declared that "Christ was the President of Ghana and that he owed no one any apologies for the statement". President Mills said this in a speech he delivered at the 39th General Council Meeting of the Church Of Pentecost, which was on the theme ‘Being Led by the Spirit of God’.

Upon the stoppage of this practice of libation pouring at Ghana national events, the economy still couldn't get better, it rather got worst under his purview upon all his sanctimonious piosity as President.

As a matter of fact, the economy under NDC/Mills/Mahama got extremely bad that, some government spokespersons explained it and "blamed the steep depreciation of the Ghana cedi against the US dollar and other major trading currencies to black magic, Juju and other dwarfs.

The Ghana economic situation became so embarrassing that, the General Overseer of the Action Chapel International Ministry, Duncan Williams, one of the main advocates for Prof Mills govt and admirer of the NDC party, out of frustration, proclaimed a 72-hr fasting and prayer over 'economic crisis' to arrest the Cedi from falling flat.

Meanwhile, these are the same people who were all over the map in Ghana arguing and lamenting that the pouring of libation was the cause of all Ghana's problems.

Recently, as the Ghana Cedis strength surged against the US dollar, another prominent pastor in Ghana, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah, General Overseer of the Glorious Word Power Ministry, who is also an affiliate of the governing NPP govt, also strangely announced that, "some Evil spirits have besieged the economy." Rev. Bempah alleged that a known political person has unleashed demons to manipulate the economy of Ghana hence the prevailing economic hardship in the country." Ebeiii, Ghanafuo!!

All rational Ghanaians would agree that, comparing the NDC and NPP governments, one can easily decipher that without excellent knowledge in economic policies which are the essential force in economic development, there can never be any sustainable growth.

Today, Ghanaians can appreciate or would soon appreciate that the ongoing knowledge-based economic policies being introduced by the Vice President, Dr Bawumia and his economic team, is exactly what was needed to build a nation, not those prayers to arrest the falling Cedi, neither it was by the stoppage of the pouring of libation at national gatherings.

Reading around other countries economic policies, it is evidently clear that more and more countries are now embracing knowledge and innovation-related policies to spur growth and competitive-ness, just like what the NPP govt is introducing in Ghana today.

I believe that, it is the responsibility of our gov't to make sure that our institutions are strengthened, corruption is reduced drastically, and people with good skills and understanding are employed to occupy positions to produce the relevant impartible knowledge, and transform the economy into wealth for Ghanaians, as well as to adapt and disseminate existing knowledge for our national development, just as some of the new social intervention policies the NPP govt has introduced.

Undoubtedly, it is only advanced strategies for development at all levels in Ghana by serious govt is what needed to embark on a knowledge - and innovation-based development process; not the abandonment of important cultural practice the libation pouring at the National events. We are definitely missing something important.

Today more than ever before, the grey matter in most serious countries is about main sustainable knowledge-based economy and renewable resource; not the attempt to stop pouring of libation at our national events.

The stoppage of the pouring of libation at national functions has changed nothing and has not improved anything significantly as vehemently argued by them.

What we must understand is that, the respect for rich cultures in any country preserves the unique history of that country.

Think about it!!
Peter Antwi Boasiako
London.