EMBRACING TRADITIONAL OATHS FOR NATIONAL INTEGRITY: A CALL TO SWEAR GHANAIAN LEADERS INTO OFFICE THROUGH INDIGENOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

 EMBRACING TRADITIONAL OATHS FOR NATIONAL INTEGRITY: A CALL TO SWEAR GHANAIAN LEADERS INTO OFFICE THROUGH INDIGENOUS BELIEFS AND PRACTICES 

By: Honeybrowne Okaakyire, B.Ed.

Corruption in Ghana has long plagued our developmental progress. From embezzlement of public funds, favoritism, nepotism, among others to the widespread culture of "whom you know" instead of "what you can do," the Ghanaian public service has increasingly lost the trust of the citizenry. Despite swearing oaths with the Bible or Quran, many politicians and public officials disregard these pledges with impunity. It is therefore time to ask a bold question: What if we swore our presidents, ministers, parliamentarians, and key public officials into office using Ghanaian traditional oaths and deities?

This is not to undermine religious freedom, but rather to contextualize the act of oath-taking within the moral framework that our forebears lived by one where truth, justice, and accountability were enforced by the invisible hand of the gods. Introducing traditional beliefs and practices into our swearing-in ceremonies could be a game-changer in curbing corruption and restoring national dignity.

The Power of Traditional Oaths in Ghanaian Culture

Ghana’s traditional systems, especially in the Akan, Ewe, Dagomba, Ga, and other ethnic groups, had highly revered deities, stools, and sacred grounds where truth was sacred. Chiefs, elders, and even commoners dared not lie or steal after swearing by the gods such as Antoa Nyamaa, Tigare, Ayelala, or Nogokpo. The fear of supernatural punishment; not just for themselves but also for their lineage; kept people morally upright.

In the past, community leaders, palace officials, and even hunters or warriors swore oaths at shrines before assuming roles. They knew that misdeeds would attract misfortune, death, or public disgrace. Contrast this with today’s leaders, who feel untouchable even after stealing millions from state coffers.

Case Study 1: The Woyome Scandal

One of the most infamous examples of corruption in Ghana is the Alfred Agbesi Woyome judgment debt scandal. Woyome received over GHS 51 million in a fraudulent judgment debt under the pretext of financial engineering services he allegedly provided during the CAN 2008 stadium construction—services that the Supreme Court later ruled he did not render. Yet, after multiple court cases, he remains a free man with much of the money yet to be retrieved.

Had Mr. Woyome and the officials who facilitated that payment sworn by the gods of his hometown shrine or through a traditional priest, would the story have unfolded the same way? Very unlikely. The fear of being spiritually exposed or struck by mysterious illnesses or death would have deterred them. Traditional oaths carry psychological and cultural consequences that even the most hardened criminals fear.

Case Study 2: The Cecilia Dapaah Cash Scandal

Former Sanitation Minister Cecilia Abena Dapaah was thrust into national headlines after it emerged that her domestic staff had stolen large sums of foreign currency from her home; over $1 million, €300,000, and millions in cedis. While investigations are ongoing, this case raises serious questions about wealth accumulation, accountability, and the integrity of public servants.

Again, had she been sworn into office using traditional rites invoking deities from her ancestral land, there would have been a sacred moral force constantly reminding her of the spiritual consequences of unexplained wealth or betrayal of public trust. Traditional beliefs impose accountability that transcends legal technicalities.

Case Study 3: The Ken Ofori‑Atta – Former Finance Minister (2017–2024)

Accused of misusing approximately $58 million in public funds intended for the National Cathedral project, which was never completed.  

Declared a fugitive by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in February 2025, now the subject of an Interpol red notice for alleged corruption during his tenure.  

His case is emblematic of alleged systemic corruption under the prior administration and is central to Operation "Recover All Loot", which aims to recover over $20 billion in probed public funds.  

Case Study 4 : The Stephen Kwabena Opuni -former CEO, COCOBOD

As the head of the Cocoa Board under President Mahama, Opuni faces 27 charges of causing financial loss to the state, including money laundering, procurement violations, and conspiracy involving the misuse of over GHS 118 million with a supplier.  

His assets were frozen and the trial was initially launched in 2017. In 2023, a new judge ordered the trial to restart from scratch amid concerns over fairness.  

These cases underscore systemic governance vulnerabilities in Ghana and thus, ranging from executive level corruption and unexplained personal wealth to institutional oversight failures. Dapaah’s scandal illustrated how massive sums can accumulate in private hands without clear accountability. Ofori‑Atta’s charges illustrate alleged state capture at the highest level, while Opuni’s case exposes procurement fraud within a major parastatal.

WHY TRADITIONAL SWEARING-IN CAN DETER CORRUPTION 

1. Fear of Supernatural Retribution

Traditional oaths are taken seriously because their consequences are believed to be immediate and generational. Unlike the Bible or Quran, which some swear on without belief, traditional swearing evokes real fear. This fear can act as a strong deterrent to corrupt behavior, bribery, and nepotism.

2. Cultural Relevance and Internalization

Many Ghanaian leaders are culturally embedded in traditional beliefs. They may attend church or mosque for political image, but deep within, they fear curses from shrines in their hometowns. Aligning the oath-taking process with what they internally believe holds them more accountable.

3. Reconnection with African Values

For too long, Ghana has borrowed foreign systems and neglected African wisdom. By restoring traditional practices in our governance processes, we reconnect with indigenous systems that maintained discipline long before colonialism. Swearing by the gods is a return to cultural authenticity.

4. Psychological Pressure and Public Shame

Imagine a politician who has sworn by the Antoa Nyamaa shrine, later caught in a bribery scandal. Beyond court cases, the shame and spiritual consequences would haunt them, deterring others from following suit.

5. Public Trust and Confidence

Citizens are increasingly skeptical of leaders who take Christian or Islamic oaths yet engage in corruption. Traditional oaths; done publicly and with cultural ceremony—can boost public trust, signaling that the official is willing to be judged by higher, mystical moral standards.

A Multi-Faith and Cultural Blend is Possible

Some may argue that swearing by traditional deities infringes on religious rights. However, as a culturalist, this proposal does not suggest scrapping Christian or Islamic oaths entirely. Rather, we can allow a hybrid approach where officials voluntarily undergo traditional oath-taking in addition to their religious preference. We already do this culturally in chieftaincy. Chiefs go through traditional rites, then may also attend church services. So why not extend this to state governance?

Precedents Already Exist

In some rural communities and traditional councils, public servants and chiefs still swear by deities. Cases of land disputes or thefts resolved through traditional oaths often result in confessions or mysteriously halted misconduct. These cases are common in parts of the Ashanti, Volta, some parts of Eastern (Kwahu, where I proudly hail from) and Northern regions.

In some political settings, even politicians visit shrines privately before elections to invoke spiritual protection. If they believe in that realm enough to seek power, why not also be held accountable by it?

Conclusion: Time for a Bold Cultural Shift

It is clear that corruption, embezzlement, and favoritism are eating away at Ghana's national soul. Our modern institutions have failed to instill accountability. Therefore, integrating traditional beliefs into our political oath-taking system is a bold yet necessary solution.

We must acknowledge that real change will not come solely from laws, auditor reports, or parliamentary hearings. It must also come from within—from the spiritual and moral conscience of our leaders. If that conscience is better activated by traditional beliefs, then we must embrace it.

As a writer, a culturalist and a blogger, I strongly opine that future presidents, MPs, ministers, MMDCEs, auditors, and judges swear not only on holy books and holy literatures alone, but also on the gods of their forefathers. We should not let them face not only public scrutiny, but also ancestral judgment. Only then can we begin to rebuild a Ghana where truth reigns, and leaders serve with genuine fear of accountability-both temporal and eternal.

To conclude, I strongly believe in traditional justice and fairness. I advocate for the equitable distribution of taxpayers’ money to benefit all citizens. Through my writings, I challenge corruption, promote accountability, and call for a return to values that ensure transparency, honesty, and justice for every member of the Ghanaian society. 

By: Honeybrowne Okaakyire, B.Ed.  (WorldHoneybrowne's blog) 

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