Fetish Priest Urges GES to Integrate Agriculture and Cultural Education into Basic School Curriculum
The Fetish Priest of Asuo Pamoo Spiritual Home at Abofrem in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, Nana Baffour Gyau, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to introduce practical agricultural education and cultural studies into the basic school curriculum. He believes this would equip pupils with vital farming knowledge while also preserving Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, which he says is gradually fading due to over-reliance on Western religious doctrines.
Speaking to the media at the 2025 Atwima Mponua District Inter-Schools Cultural Festival held at Ahyiresu Circuit under the theme “Cultural Education: Empowering the Youth to Preserve Our Culture,” Nana Baffour Gyau lamented the growing neglect of agriculture among the youth. He said too many young people are aspiring to become doctors, nurses, and judges, despite the increasing rate of graduate unemployment in these sectors. “It seems everyone now wants to become a nurse, doctor, or judge. Meanwhile, many qualified nurses are still home unemployed, waiting for government postings. Why don’t we start training our children in agriculture right from basic school so they grow up with in-depth knowledge in farming? That way, they can become proud, self-reliant farmers instead of joining the growing number of unemployed graduates,” he stated.
Nana Baffour Gyau also expressed deep concern about the excessive use of agrochemicals by farmers, which he says is gradually destroying the organic composition of Ghana’s arable lands. According to him, the continued use of these harmful chemicals poses a long-term threat to food security and the health of the environment. “The way we are using agrochemicals today is killing the land. If we don’t stop this practice, a time will come when our lands will become completely barren and we won’t be able to grow anything. I urge the Ministry of Agriculture to intensify education and regular visits to farmers to encourage organic and sustainable farming methods,” he added.
On the issue of cultural education, the fetish priest passionately called on the GES to prioritize traditional cultural studies in the country’s school system. He argued that Christianity has taken over the educational landscape to the extent that many children now grow up with no knowledge or appreciation of their own cultural roots. “It is very sad that Christianity has removed all aspects of our culture from our schools. Today, most schoolchildren don’t even know their own traditions and cultural practices. Some even go as far as tagging our culture as idol worship. But how can we perform our culture without our gods? Culture is not idol worship. It is our identity, and we must preserve it,” he said.
The inter-schools festival, which brought together pupils from various basic schools across the Ahyiresu Circuit, featured performances in traditional music, dance, storytelling, and drama aimed at reviving and promoting Ghanaian cultural values among the youth.
