AKAN WITCHCRAFT AND THE CONCEPT OF EXORCISM IN THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST by OPOKU ONYINAH A thesis submitted to The University of Birmingham for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Theology School of Historical Studies The University of Birmingham February 2002 University of Birmingham Research Archive e-theses repository This unpublished thesis/dissertation is copyright of the author and/or third parties. The intellectual property rights of the author or third parties in respect of this work are as defined by The Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 or as modified by any successor legislation. Any use made of information contained in this thesis/dissertation must be in accordance with that legislation and must be properly acknowledged. Further distribution or reproduction in any format is prohibited without the permission of the copyright holder. Full Name (surname first) Opoku Onyinah School of Historical Studies/ Theology Akan Witchcraft and the Concept of Exorcism in the Church of Pentecost Doctor of Philosophy Witchcraft and “exorcisms” have dominated African cultures and posed problems for African people. This thesis is a study of the current exorcistic ministry within a Pentecostal church in Ghana with reference to the Akan culture. The general opinion gathered from current anthropological studies on witchcraft is that the ultimate goal of exorcism is to become modernised. However, using interdisciplinary studies with a theological focus, the thesis departs from this, and contends that it is divinatory- consultation or an inquiry into the sacred and the search for meaning that underlies the current “deliverance” ministry, where the focus is to identify and break down the so- called demonic forces by the power of God in order to “deliver” people from their torment. It represents a further attempt to contextualise the gospel to African people. However, its preoccupation with demonisation and its exorcistic practices are found to bring Christianity into tension with the Akan culture, family ties and other religions. Therefore, to develop a properly safeguarded ministry of exorcism in an African context, the thesis examines contextualisation and suggests that it includes the integration of divinatory-consultation, which the thesis claims underlies the biblical concept of prayer, into African Christianity. Dedicated to: Dr Emmanuel Kingsley Larbi, Professor S. S. Schatzmann, and the Staff at Regents Theological College, Nantwich, UK, for their encouragement and support. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The completion of this work has been made possible by the assistance and co-operation of many people, too numerous to mention each by name. I owe a debt of gratitude to Dr Allan Anderson, my supervisor. His knowledge of Pentecostalism and his particular interest in African Initiated Churches placed me on a most valuable track of enquiry. I am grateful to Dr Emmanuel Kingsley Larbi of Central University College, Ghana, and Professor S. S. Schatzmann, currently at Southern Western Baptist Seminary, USA, who was the Director of Studies at Regent Theological College, UK. Both tuned my mind to undertake this project and were always sources of encouragement to me. Again, gratitude goes to Dr Schatzmann and Dr Amos Yong of Bethel University, USA, who read through the first draft and offered useful comments which helped to clarify some of my thoughts. I am thankful to the Church of Pentecost, for changing the Ghanaian Cedis into the British Pound Sterling, to sponsor my family and myself for this study. I am also grateful to the Rev. Nigel Sylvester and the Ulting Trust whose additional support made this study possible. My gratitude goes to many friends and churches, who either invited and shared fellowship with me, or sent some other forms of material support. They include Rev. John & Mrs Trish Waller, Rev. M. K. & Mrs Martha Ntumy (the Chairman of CoP), Rev. Albert & Agartha Amoah, Rev. S. K. & Mrs Cecilia Ansong, Rev. & Mrs. D.K. Arnan, Rev. R. A. & Grace Sarpong, Rev. N. A. O & Mrs Dorothy Amegatcher, Rev. & Mrs Owusu Afriyie, Rev. Samuel & Mrs. Christiana Opoku Boateng, Rev. & Mrs Newton Amaning, Rev. Emmanuel & Faustina Owusu Bediako, Rev. Maxwell & Mrs. Mary Kusi, Rev.& Mrs. Ackah Baidoo, Rev. Dr. & Mrs Emmanuel Owusu, Rev. & Mrs S.K. Baidoo (all of CoP), Rev. Emmanuel & Mrs Koney (Pentecost Revival), Rev. Robert & Mrs. Kathrine Kane (Elim), Mr David Thompson (Elim), the Church of Pentecost in Belgium, Holland, Italy, Israel, USA, Canada, Switzerland and UK, and the Elim Pentecostal Church in Smethwick, UK. I am grateful to friends in Ghana who constantly supported and counselled our children. These include Pastors E. K. & Dorcas Barabu, James & Georgina Osei Amaniampong, Nicholas & Love Siaw, Yaw & Bridget Annor- Agyei, David & Mary Dompreh, Robert & Mary Acquah, Elder Paul & Lydia Onyinah Agyei. Gratitude also goes to some friends who were more generous with their time and read through various drafts of my work and assisted my grammar. These include Mrs Trish Waller, Rev. Gwendydd Askew (Water Link International Project of the Baptist Church in Birmingham), Dr K. T. T. Mensah, Dr Francis Nyane (both of EliCoP), Dr Keith Warrington (Regent Theological College), Ann-Maria Dyce, Joan Wright (Elim Church, Smethwick) and Dr Lynne Price (Birmingham). I am thankful to all those whom I interviewed and those who assisted me in the interviews. Those who assisted me include Elders T. H. Coleman, Gibson Annor, Benjamin Opoku, Fred Opare Saforo, Amaning Sarpong, Ernest Aborakwah, J. K. Asante, Eric & Mrs Gladys Yamoah, M. K. & Theresa Owusu (all of CoP), Yaw Bredwa Mensah and Dr I. K. Asante (Legon, Ghana). I am thankful to Professor Ogbu Kalu (University of Tennessee), Dr Osei Agyeman (UST, Ghana) and Bishop Dr Kwasi Sarpong (Roman Catholic Diocese, Kumasi) for the audience granted me which helped to enrich my thoughts on the subject. Finally, to my wife Grace, children and extended family who have endured years of neglect, and who nonetheless have been the source of encouragement and offered various contributions in different ways which made this work possible, my deepest gratitude. TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLES ABREVIATIONS MAP OF GHANA CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 1 THE PROBLEM AND HYPOTHESES 1 2 SIGNIFICANCE AND AIM OF STUDY 4 3 THE NEED FOR CONTEXTUALISATION 8 4 METHODOLOGY 16 5 LIMITATIONS 22 6 DEFINITIONS OF SOME KEY WORDS 23 7 STRUCTURE OF THESIS 25 CHAPTER TWO: THE AKAN COSMOLOGICAL CONTEXT 28 1 SOCIAL BELIEFS 29 1.1 The People and the Land 29 1.2 Chieftaincy 31 1.3 Economy 33 1.4 The Clan - the Concept of “Humanity” and “Personality” 34 2 SPIRIT FORCES 41 2.1 Onyankopong (The Supreme Being) 42 2.2 Abosom -the Lesser Gods 44 2.2.1 Origin 45 2.2.2 Sources 46 2.2.3 Classification 47 2.3 Asuman („Fetish‟) 48 2.3.1 Asuman and the Gods 48 2.3.2 Influence of Islam on Asante Culture and Religion 50 2.4 Nature‟s Power 51 2.4.1 Asase Yaa (The Earth) 51 2.4.2 Sasandua and Sasammoa (Vindictive Trees and Animals) 52 2.4.3 Sasabonsam (The Forest Monster) 53 2.4.4 Mmoatia (Dwarfs or Fairies) 54 2.5 Ɔkɔmfoɔ (the Priest), Spirit Possession and Worship 55 2.6 Nananom Asamanfoɔ (The Ancestors) 60 2.7 Satan and the Concept of Evil 63 3 BAYIE ( WITCHCRAFT) 66 3.1 What is Meant by Bayie 66 3.2 Witchcraft and Other Supernatural Powers/Phenomena 68 3.2.1 Witchcraft and “Fetish” 68 3.2.2 Witchcraft and Spirit Possession 70 3.2.3 Witchcraft and Dreams 71 3.3 The Lore of Witchcraft 72 3.3.1 Material and Immaterial 72 3.3.2 Acquisition of Witchcraft 74 3.3.3 The Organisation and Activities of Witches 76 3.4 Protection from Witches 79 3.5 “Exorcism” of Witchcraft and Evil Spirit 80 3.5.1 Appeasement of Spirit of Evil Intent 81 3.5.2 Hearing at the Chief’s Court: Chewing of Odum Bark and Corpse Carrying 82 3.5.3 “Minimisation” by the Aman-Abosom (The Tutelar Gods) 85 3.5.4 Exorcism by Abosom-Abrafoɔ (Anti-Witchcraft Shrines) 89 3.5.4.1 Ɔdomankoma - Antecedent of Anti-Witchcraft Shrines 89 3.5.4.2 Other Anti-Witchcraft Shrines 94 (i) Origins and Causative Factors 94 (ii) Activities of the anti-witchcraft shrines 97 (iii) The Anti-Witchcraft Shrines and Politics 100 4 MEANINGS AND INTERPRETATIONS 103 4.1 Meanings of Spirit Entities 103 4.2 Interpretations of Witchcraft 105 4.2.1 Misfortune 105 4.2.2 Social Structure 107 4.2.3 Social Instability 108 4.2.4 Psychological Reactions 110 4.2.4.1 Mentally Afflicted with Obsessions 110 4.2.4.2 Dissociative Explanation 111 5 THE CRUX OF THE MATTER: ABISA 115 6 CONCLUSION 117 CHAPTER THREE: DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY AND EXORCISM IN GHANA 120 1 INTRODUCTION 120 2 A SURVEY OF CHRISTIAN ACTIVITIES IN GHANA 121 2.1. The Early Attempts 121 2.2 The Missionary Enterprise 123 2.3 Home Base: Origins and Ideological Base of Missionaries 126 2.4 God Versus the Devil: Missionaries‟ Perceptions of Traditional Beliefs and Practices 134 2.5 Varieties of Response 141 3 THE EMERGENCE OF PROPHETISM WITHIN THE MAINLINE CHURCHES 146 3.1 Prominent Prophets 147 3.2 Comparing and Contrasting the Ministries of the Prophets to that of the Missionaries 148 3.3 Relationship 151 4 THE SPIRITUAL CHURCHES 152 4. 1 General Outlook 152 4.2 Exorcism 156 4.2.1 Water Carrying as Exorcism 157 4.2.2 Ritualistic Prayer as Exorcism 160 4.3 Decline of the Spiritual Churches 163 5 THE CHURCH OF PENTECOST 166 5.1 Origin 166 5.2 The Role Of Pastor James McKeown 167 5.2.1 His Background 167 5.2.2 Call to Mission 168 5.2.3 McKeown’s Encounter with the Twelve Apostles 170 5.2.4 Mission Policy 172 5.3 Roles of Pioneering Converts and other Apostolic Missionaries