The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, has called on Christians to respect traditional shrines and other sacred spaces, just as traditional believers are expected to respect churches and Christian worship.
Speaking on Bolga FM’s Tinmaalgo Sanga programme, the chief expressed concern about Christian prayer and all-night activities being extended into communities, including areas close to traditional shrines.
According to Naba Lemyaarum, traditional believers regard shrines as sacred places of worship through which they communicate with God and their ancestors.
He said conducting Christian prayers around such places could interfere with traditional worship and, according to their beliefs, drive away the ancestors associated with the shrines.
The chief therefore urged Christians to conduct their worship and prayer activities at their churches while allowing traditional believers to practise their faith at their shrines without interference.
Naba Lemyaarum said traditional leaders have previously raised the issue with some pastors, but their concerns have not always received the attention they expected.
He stressed that differences in religious beliefs should not become a source of conflict between Christians and adherents of traditional religion.
The Bongo Paramount Chief also referenced Christian teachings in making his argument, saying he does not believe the Bible encourages Christians to use prayer in ways that interfere with the religious practices of others.
He called for peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, arguing that Christians and traditional believers should be free to practise their respective faiths without interfering with each other’s places of worship.
A1 Radio | 101.1MHz | Moses Anaba Azubire | Bolgatanga
