Nana Kwadwo Amoako, a 32-year-old farmer at Ayeman in the Northern Region has escaped from home for fear of being forced to inherit his late father’s deity and marry his three widows.

Some family elders kidnapped him in Techiman and sent him to Ayeman to inherit his late father, Opanin Akwasi Amoako, High Priest of Kinadwo deity shrine.

His whereabouts is not known.

Papa Kwame, uncle of Nana Amoako explained to newsmen in Techiman that the late high priest died on October 6, 2006 and tradition demanded that his only son should inherit the deity and also marry his widows.

He said Nana Kwadwo rejected this with the explanation that as a Christian he could not do what was being demanded from him.

Papa Kwame said Nana Amoako escaped after he had been confined for seven days in preparation for his installation.

He told the journalists that the elders of the area are of the view that it is a taboo for Nana Amoako not to worship his father’s deity as the spirit could curse the whole community.

Papa Kwame says he is afraid to go back home because the mantle could fall on him to take Nana Amoako’s place since he is also a family member.

There is the belief that whoever inherits the Kinadwo deity is obligated to perform a number of customary rites including female genital mutilation and the sprinkling of human blood on the shrine to appease it.**