Communities better off with Christian Chiefs

Ho, May 18, GNA - Christians have been asked to tolerate fellow Christians who became Chiefs and Queen-mothers. "It is better to have Christians rather than non-believers ruling over us, but we shall not compromise with fetish traditional practices," said The Reverend Oscar Pida, Ho Bankoe Elorm E.P. Church Parish Pastor. He gave the admonition at a session meeting, which discussed the role of the Church in the burial of Chiefs, on Sunday.

He said the process towards change in the burial and other ceremonies of Christians who became chiefs would be gradual, but such changes could be accomplished faster when Christians "are chiefs". Presbyter Henry Akoto Bampoe observed that the growth and development of Christianity in Ghana today was as a result of the vital roles some Chiefs played in the early Christian missionary work. He said even today, Christians who have become Chiefs continued to play important roles in the lives of the Church in general. Mamaga Toto II of Etordome, a member of the Good News Choir of the Elorm E.P. Church urged Reverend Pida to share his wisdom and insight with his colleagues at their various forums.

She observed that some members of the Clergy have shown so much aversion to anything having to do with traditional rule to the extent that they would have nothing to do with Christians who have been made Chiefs and Queen Mothers.

"Sometimes some of our own family member, brothers and sisters who are Christians would have nothing to do with us," she said.