Galamsey fight: Where are the river gods? – Kwami Sefa Kayi asks

Veteran broadcaster, Kwami Sefa Kayi, questioned why river gods, if they exist, will look on unconcerned as illegal small-scale miners, popularly known as "galamseyers", destroy their habit. While moderating a panel discussion on his show "Kokrokoo" on Peace FM, which was monitored by GhanaWeb, on October 10, Sefa Kayi posited that if there are river gods, they should be doing something to help curb the menace of illegal small-scale mining since it is destroying water bodies in the country. “So, are the river gods still there (in the rivers)?” he questioned in Twi. One of the panelists, the Mayor of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Sam Pyne, suggested that the gods have moved due to the pollution in the water body. “If they (the gods) have to be consuming mercury, why will they still be there?” Sam Pyne quizzed. “If you are a god, will sit there for them to be polluting the river with mercury,” Sefa Kayi responded. “The gods are dead,” he jokingly added. In Ghana, almost all the rivers are named after spirits (smaller gods), called bosom in the Twi dialect, who are normally appeased by persons who commit crimes where they (the rivers) are found. According to sites.google.com, River Pra, Lake Bosomtwe, River Ayensu, and River Afram are all named after gods. Watch the interaction in the video below: Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown below: IB/BOG