Traditional religion embodies society's behaviour code - Hajia Boya

Legon, June 20, GNA - The Deputy Minister for Women and Children's Affairs, Hajia Hawawu Boya Gariba, on Saturday observed that African traditional religion in Ghana is seen as a means of seeking protection and intercession between the living and the creator through ancestors.

Addressing Muslims and Christian women at a conference organised by the Iranian Cultural Consulate of Islamic Republic of Iran and the Institute of Women in Religion and Culture in Legon, she said, traditional religious beliefs have served as the fabric of society's set codes of behaviour for many years.

Hajia Boya Gariba explained further that traditional religion regulates people's behaviour within families and communities at large as well as acceptable procedures for various socio-economic activities. She spoke on the theme: "Contemporary World and the Impact on the family". Hajia Boya Gariba said spirituality leads to individual growth, social cohesion and national development and therefore every effort must made by religious leaders to spread the message of salvation to mankind. She informed the gathering that contemporary approaches to spirituality coupled with economic, political and social challenges, have had negative impacts on families and societies.

"Those families are cherished and seen to play a crucial role in the nurturing of children to become responsible future adults. "Religion and spirituality are supposed to be catalyst in fostering the family bond needed for healthy nation building," she said. She added that when a family was built on a sound spiritual foundation, children grew to become responsible adults and obviously contributed positively to national development.

Hajia Boya Gariba reiterated that there should always be regular interactions among religious groups to gain a better understanding of each other's values in order to avert conflicts. She noted that religious conflicts have destroyed otherwise peaceful communities and caused untold suffering to many people on the basis of beliefs intended to improved spirituality. Families, she noted have collapsed because of differences in couples' belief systems.

Mr Abass Ali Afsari, the Cultural Consulate of the Iranian Embasy said that the late Imam Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution emphasized the need for unity among the religions and called on all messengers of God to establish peace and friendship among all religions. "Spirituality has a close relationship with Religion and Religion is a set of teachings, which tell us about the trust beyond the material work," he added.

Dr Rose Mary Amenga-Etego, a lecturer from the Department of Religions University of Ghana, Legon, reminded women to be submissive to their husbands and said spirituality is the way one expresses his or herself in faith. She also noted that whenever a young man married a woman of his heart from a different religion, the man would always force the woman to attend the man's church because the man is the boss of the house. But she indicated that times have changed.

Speaking on the impact of information technology on the family, Reverend Abamfo Atiemo, a lecturer also at university, said the advent of technology had affected the youth who spent a lot of money on mobile phones instead of their books. "Husbands too are also spending money on recharging their phones with huge money and shirking their responsibilities in the homes," he noted. He, therefore, reminded each one to take up his or her responsibilities seriously.

The Co-ordinator of the Madina Federation of Moslem Women Association of Ghana (FOMWAG), Hajia Aisha Kadri said because of the perception that men in Zongo are poor it had made many parents to neglect their responsibilities. These children, she said, would grow up to join bad groups who would indulge illicit activities such as armed robbery and sale of hard drugs. Hajia Kadri called on parents to desist from such nefarious acts and also reminded Muslim and Christian women who are into businesses to refrain from cheating their customers. The conference was attended by women fellowships from the Ahamadya, Methodist, Presbyterian, Federation of Muslim Women of Ghana (FOMWAG) and the AME Zion Church.