Reconstructing Sacred Space: the Place and Relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in Contemporary Ghanaian Christianity

University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh RECONSTRUCTING SACRED SPACE: THE PLACE AND RELEVANCE OF ABASUA PRAYER MOUNTAIN IN CONTEMPORARY GHANAIAN CHRISTIANITY BY PHILIP KWADWO OKYERE (REV.) THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MPHIL STUDY OF RELIGIONS DEGREE JULY, 2012. University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON DEPARTMENT FOR THE STUDY OF RELIGIONS RECONSTRUCTING SACRED SPACE: THE PLACE AND RELEVANCE OF ABASUA PRAYER MOUNTAIN IN CONTEMPORARY GHANAIAN CHRISTIANITY BY PHILIP KWADWO OKYERE (REV.) (10020275) THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MPHIL STUDY OF RELIGIONS DEGREE JULY, 2012 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis is in no way a reproduction, in part or in whole, of any work ever submitted for the award of a degree. It is my own original research undertaken under supervision. .......................................... .................................................................. Philip Kwadwo Okyere (Rev.) Date (student) ..................................................... .................................................................. Rev. Prof. Cephas N. Omenyo Date (Principal Supervisor) ..................................................... .................................................................. Dr. Rose Mary Amenga-Etego Date (Co-Supervisor) i University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEDICATION This Thesis is dedicated to my dear wife, Asafo Maame Martha Okyere, and my sons, Cyril Akwasi Ampofo-Okyere, John Osei-Kwaku Okyere and Philip Kwadwo-Badu Okyere. ii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ABSTRACT Sacred spaces and their attendant pilgrimage attractions are prevalent in almost all religious traditions in the world. People‘s belief in the presence of the luminous or transcendent reality at places and the possibility of their interaction with the luminous through prayer rituals, do not only define those places as sacred, but are also some of the major reasons for pilgrimage to such places. Thus, the traditional notion of sacred places as spaces for prayer, worship and divine revelation is virtually ubiquitous in all discourses on sacred spaces. In addition to the spiritual significance of sacred places is their potential in bringing about human development. This however has not attracted much scholarly attention. In this work, therefore, the researcher uses the Abasua Prayer Mountain in Ghana as a contextual example to argue that the relevance of sacred spaces should not be limited only to their traditional functions as places for pilgrims‘ encounter with a transcendent reality. Rather, owing largely to the massive pilgrimage attractions to those places, they are also relevant in promoting development in four thematic areas: spiritual, mental, physical and social. An eclectic methodology including historical, phenomenological and theological models were used to guide the data collected. On the research field, the researcher employed interviews and participant observation to gather the needed field data. The researcher has used Clifford Geertz‘s social-anthropological approach to ground the discussion. It was found out, among others, that even though the Prayer Mountain promotes human development in the above - mentioned four thematic areas, it directly and sometimes indirectly stifles development. In this sense, the Abasua Prayer Mountain phenomenon in contemporary Ghanaian Christianity has been described as a paradox in this study. iii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am very grateful to the Lord Jesus Christ for his protection and guidance throughout my Postgraduate study at the University of Ghana. But for you, O Lord, I wouldn‘t have come this far. May your dear Name be praised. I also acknowledge my immense indebtedness and heartfelt appreciation to my dedicated and hardworking supervisors; Dr. Rose Mary Amenga-Etego and Rev. Prof. Cephas N. Omenyo, for having the time, in spite of their tight schedules, to meticulously supervise this work. In addition to his demanding responsibilities as the Dean of the Arts Faculty of the University of Ghana, Rev. Prof. Omenyo still had the time to read the work and offer meaningful suggestions. Dr. Rose Mary‘s good sense of humour, encouragement and critical reading of the work cannot go unnoticed. Mesrε Otwieduampↄn Nyankopↄn nhyira ma mo ne mo asefoↄ nyinaa. I also owe tons of gratitude and appreciation to all the lecturers in the Department for the study of Religions, especially those who taught me during the course work. They include Rev. Prof. Elom Dovlo, Prof. Elizabeth Amoah (Grandma), Rev. Dr. Abamfo Atiemo and Dr. Willie Golo. Special thanks go to Dr. Afe Adogame for helping to shape my research topic. To my field work respondents and all those who provided me with other vital pieces of information such as pictures and statistics of the pilgrims to Abasua Prayer Mountain, I say a very big thank you. Very Rev. Ampaw-Asiedu, Very Rev. Isaac Yao Boamah, Mr. Fordjour Boateng and all my respondents at Abasua community deserve a special recognition. I am very thankful to my church, The Methodist Church Ghana, for permitting me to study at Legon and also assisting me financially. To all my MPHIL course mates, especially Rev. Kwame Frempong, I say thank you for being a blessing to my academic pursuit in diverse ways. To my companion and dear wife, Mrs. Martha Okyere and my sons, Cyril, John and Philip, I say thank you very much for prayerfully supporting me and tolerating my many days of absence when I was typing this work. Last but not least, I am very thankful to my mother, Mercy Mensah, for her prayer support. iv University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh LIST OF RELEVANT ABBREVIATIONS APM Abasua Prayer Mountain CMs Christian Ministries CT Camp Three MCG Methodist Church Ghana PCG Presbyterian Church of Ghana PCs Prayer Camps PM Prayer Mountain v University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTENTS PAGE DECLARATION i DEDICATION ii ABSTRACT iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST OF RELEVANT ABBREVIATIONS v TABLE OF CONTENTS vi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1.Background to the study 1 1.2.Statement of the problem 13 1.3.Aim and objectives of the study 15 1.4.Theoretical framework of the study 15 1.5.Methodology and methods of data collection 19 1.6.Operational definitions 23 1.7.Limitations of the study 24 1.8.Relevance of the study 25 1.9.Organisation of chapters 26 vi University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER TWO HISTORY OF ABASUA COMMUNITY 2.1. Introduction 27 2.2. A survey of the history of Asante people of Ghana 27 2.2.1. The Asante World before the formation of Asanteman 27 2.2.2. The settlement at Asantemanso 29 2.2.3. Dominion of Denkyira 30 2.2.4. Formation of Asante Union 33 2.3. History of Abasua community 36 2.3.1. The arrival of the initial settlers 36 2.3.2 .Strangers in the Palace of the ↄmanhene 37 2.3.3. Some exceptional qualities of Nana Yaw Obogya and Nana Gyaaben 38 2.3.4. Nana Yaw Obogya’s settlement and the institution of Chieftaincy at Yaasε 38 2.3.5. Abasua: corruption of m’abεsoε wo 41 2.3.6. Religion of Abasua community 41 2.3.7. Advent of Christianity at Abasua community: an encounter between Christianity and Traditional Akan Religion 47 2.4. Conclusion 48 vii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER THREE RECONSTRUCTING KRↄBO BOↄ AS A SACRED SPACE IN CONTEMPORARY GHANAIAN CHRISTIANITY 3.1. Introduction 51 3.2. Phenomenological approaches to sacred space and prayer rituals 52 3.3. Prayer rituals in a Christian sacred space context 55 3.4. Krↄbo boↄ as a sacred space 58 3.4.1. The discovery of Krↄbo boↄ as a Prayer Mountain by the late Rev. Abraham Osei Asibbey 58 3.4.2. The first visit to Krↄbo boↄ and the experience of a supernatural phenomenon 64 3.4.3. Kristomu Anigye Kuo: the pioneers of pilgrim movements to Krↄbo boↄ 69 3.4.4. Other Prayer Camps and Christian Ministries on the Prayer Mountain 72 3.4.5. Prevalence of religious, moral, health and environmental sanitation rules 74 3.4.6. Appropriation of relics and prayer accessories on the mountain 76 3.4.7. Sacredness through miracles 85 3.4.8. Other related prayer rituals 90 3.5. Conclusion 95 viii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh CHAPTER FOUR THE ROLE OF THE PRAYER MOUNTAIN IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ABASUA CITIZENS AND THE PILGRIMS 4.1. Introduction 96 4.2. Resurgence of Religion’s place in human development discourse in Ghana: a paradigm shift in human development 99 4.3. The role of sacred space in human development: the case of Abasua Prayer Mountain 102 4.3.1. The place and relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in promoting spiritual development 104 4.3.2. The place and relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in promoting mental development 109 4.3.3. The place and relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain In promoting physical development 115 4.3.4. The place and relevance of Abasua Prayer Mountain in Promoting social development 123 4.4. Conclusion 129 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 130 ix University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh APPENDICES A. Interview schedule for traditional leaders, parents /guardians and elders of Abasua community 136 B. Interview schedule for pastors, camp workers and other pilgrims who patronise the Prayer Mountain 137 C. Interview schedule for the youth / luggage-carriers at Abasua community 138 D. Interview schedule for drivers who ply Abasua community 139 BIBLIOGRAPHY I. Primary sources 140 1.1 Oral sources (Interviews conducted by the researcher) 140 1.2. Written sources 141 1.3. Long essay 142 II. Secondary sources 142 2.1. Journal Articles and Books 142 2.2.

Load more