RELIGION AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT THE GAMBAGA WITCH CAMP IN THE NORTHERN REGION OF GHANA. BY PRINCE OHENE BEKOE A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES, KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES. JULY, 2016. i DECLARATION I hereby declare that this dissertation is my own work towards the Master of Philosophy in Religious Studies and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the university, except where the due acknowledgement has been made in the text. ……………………………… …………………………… Bekoe Prince Ohene Date (PG1956014) I endorse the declaration by the student and I have approved the final dissertation for assessment. ……………………………… …………………………… Rev. Dr. Atiemo Ofori Abamfo Date (Supervisor) I endorse the declaration by the student and I have approved the final dissertation for assessment. ………………………….. ……………………………… Rev. Fr. Dr. Francis Appiah-Kubi Date (Head of Department) ii DEDICATION This work is dedicated to the Almighty God who gave me everything I have and my parents, Mr. and Mrs. Kumi Bekoe. I also dedicate this work to my siblings Emmanuel, Jemimah, and Frank. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am grateful to God for His wisdom, strength, favor, protection, love and mercy that has encapsulated me unto completing this work successfully. I sincerely thank my project supervisor, Rev. Dr. Atiemo Ofori Abamfo for spending his precious time in analyzing the write-up from the beginning through to the end. His patience and love for me and my work has been phenomenal. I could say, without any shadow of doubt, that he is the main brain behind my thesis. I thank Rev. Fr. Dr. Peter Addai-Mensah for reading my whole thesis and correcting many of the errors in my write-up. I am indebted to Mr. Seidu Saibu, a teacher in Nareligu who served meticulously as our interpreter in our interactions with the indigenes, inmates and the members of the Gambaga traditional council. His in-depth interpretation of their language and analysis of field findings has made it easier to complete this write-up. I also thank all my lecturers who have helped me transfer knowledge from their respective fields unto making this work a success. I thank all my course mates as well for their support and constructive criticisms. I also thank my friends who provided for me both material and immaterial resources to complete this project work. This list includes Mr. Osei, Mr. Quist, Mr. Brako, Mr. Ofori, Mr. Kubi, Miss Obuobi, Miss. Sarpomaa Yeboah, Miss. Adutwumwaa Kwakye, Miss. Kyeame, Miss. Duku, Miss. Appiah and Miss. Ayesu. To all the Shepherds and Armor Bearers of HarvestFields Ministries, I say a big thank you. iv ABSTRACT It is not an uncommon feature to see that women and children in different places of our world being subjected to all forms of abuses. Usually, their male counterparts do not face the same kind or level of abuses. One common area where such abuses are clearly seen is in the performance of cultural practices and customs. Apparently, belief in the existence and activities of witches is prevalent among Africans and this belief is usually accompanied with various accusations, physical abuses as well as emotional tortures. These abuses and maltreatments have human rights implications that is looked at critically. Many women who are unable to bear these accusations and abuses escape the punishment of community folks and flee to established witch camps that are meant to protect and sustain their lives. However, these camps are unable to ensure the protection of their human rights. For the most, it is religious groups and communities who successfully support them as they live at the camp. The study practically examines how various accusations, abuses as well as life at the witch camp have human rights implications, and attempt to suggest various ways through which the rights of these inmates may be protected. This study was conducted by employing methods of analysis such as questionnaire, interviews, photographs, on site seeing and note taking as well as literature from relevant sources. The study contributes to the pool of knowledge which reveals that religious institutions, rather than the government, have been instrumental in providing, promoting and preserving the rights of the accused witches at the Gambaga witch camp. v TABLE OF CONTENT CONTENT PAGE Title Page … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… i Declaration … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...… ii Dedication … ……… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… iii Acknowledgement … … … … … … … …… … … … … … … … … … ….. iv Abstract … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …... v Table of Content … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …vi CHAPTER ONE: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1.0 Introduction … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …. ..1 1.1 Background to the Study … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...2 1.2 Statement of the Problem … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ….. 3 1.3 Research Question … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ……….4 1.4 Research Objectives … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ……. 4 1.5 Methodology … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ………... 5 1.6 Relevance of the Study … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ……5 1.7 Justification of the Study … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ……6 1.8 Research Unit and Location ..… … … … … … … … … … … … … … …..7 vi 1.9 Limitations/ Delimitations of the Study … … … … … … … … … … … ……8 1.9.0 Organization of the Study … … … … … .. … … … … … … … … … …..8 1.9.1 Literature Review … … … … .. … … … … … … … … … … … … …. ..9 1.9.2 Conclusion … … … … … … ….… … … … … … … … … … ………….22 CHAPTER TWO (2) THE BELIEF AND PRACTICE OF WITCHCRAFT IN AFRICAN RELIGION (With Special Reference to Northern Ghana) 2.1 Introduction … … … … ..… … … … … … … … … … … … .………….23 2.2 Definition … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …23 2.3 The Existence of Witchcraft … … … … … … … … … …….… …………24 2.4 Motives for Acquiring Witchcraft … … … … …… … … … … ………… 25 2.5 How Witchcraft power is Acquired… …..… … … … … … … … … ….... 26 2.6 Those who are Predominantly Accused … …… ……… … … … … ……. 27 2.7 Witchcraft Activities … … … … … … ...… … … … … … … … … ……35 2.8 Why People Fail to Help the Accused …… … … … … … … … … … … .37 2.9 How Witchcraft Powers are Destroyed … ..… … … … … … … … … … 38 2.9.1 Conclusion … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ………40 vii CHAPTER THREE (3) LIFE AT THE WITCH CAMP: A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE 3.0 Introduction … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… … … ………… 42 3.1 Witch camps in Ghana … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ……. 42 3.2 History of the Gambaga Witch camp … … … … … … … … … … ……43 3.3 Rituals Performed at the Camp … … … … … … … … … … … … ….. 44 3.4 Human Right Issues concerning Witchcraft Accusations and Witch camps ..46 3.5 Conclusion … … … … … … …… … … … … … … … … … …………..52 CHAPTER FOUR (4) ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION AND INTERPRETATION OF FIELD FINDINGS AND INTERVIEWS 4.0 Introduction … … … …… … … … … … … … … … … … …………….53 4.1 Interview with Gambag-rana …….… … … … … … … … … ……………53 4.2.1 Interview with Zenabu Booge … … … … … … … … … … … … … … 60 4.2.2 Interview with Zenabu Sugri …… … … … … … … … … … … … …. .61 4.2.3 Interview with Adissa Dakrugu… … … … … … … … … … … … …... 64 4.2.4 Interview with Bugri Anato … … … … … … … … … … … …………. 65 4.2.5 Interview with Kwandur Kwanlam… … … … … … … … … … … … 67 viii 4.2.6 Interview with Wuni Goma… … … … … … … … … … ……………. 69 4.2.6 Interview with Azara Naabu… … … … … … … … … … … ……. .71 4.2.7 Interview with Mabian Asana… … … … … … … … … … … … … ....73 4.2.8 Interview with Sooyine Wonpoa … … … … … … … … … … … ….. .75 4.2.9 Interview with Bukari Alima … … … … … … … … … … ……….….77 4.3.0 Interview with Abubakr Zuwera… … … … … … … … … … … …….78 4.3.1 Interview with Tampuru Dahamatu… … … … … … … … … … …….80 4.3.2 Interview with T alanjon Magri … … … … … … … … … … ……..81 4.3.3 Interview with Wonkur Pombir … … … … … … … … … … … …… 83 4.3.4 Interview with Kwandut Laar … … … … … … … … … … … … … .84 4.4 Interview with Alhaji Adam Yakubu Nasamu… … … … … … …. 87 4.5 Interview with Rev. Jacob K. Wandusim and Mr. Charles Adongo … …. 90 4.6 GO-HOME PROJECT … … … … … … … … … … … … …………. .92 4.7 DISCUSSION … … … … … … … … … … ..… … … … ……………. 95 4.8 CONCLUSION … … … … … … … … … … … … … ………………. 99 ix CHAPTER FIVE (5) SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION 5.0 Introduction … … … … … … … … … …… … … …… … … … … 100 5.1 Summary … … … … … … … … … … … … … … .… ………….. 100 5.2 Recommendations … … … … … … … … … … … … .… … … … … 101 5.3 Conclusion … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… 106 5.4 Bibliography … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …… 108 5.5 Appendix … … … …… … … … … … … … … … … … … ….. 117 x CHAPTER ONE (1) 1.0 INTRODUCTION Among many people, religion has been viewed by secular institutions and scholars as being arguably, the problem in development of human rights.1 Today, several philosophers and scholars have added their voice to the debate that religion may rather be a tool that would foster human rights development in our societies.2 Now than ever, there is an increasing appreciation of the special contributions that religious beliefs, as well as religious institutions would bring to the forefront in developing human rights in our world.3 Human right abuses permeate all countries and continents of the world. That is, although the focus of this work is related to Northern Ghana, it is not only women and children who are in Ghana or Africa, for example,