Nobody dies a natural death in Ghana; it's always death by Juju or witchcraft

In Ghana, the understanding among the majority of the people irrespective of their higher educational background, intelligence, wisdom or total illiteracy, is that any death is caused by juju or witchery. When a young or an old person dies in a family, we hardly attribute the cause to natural occurrences but someone has killed him or her, we always do hear people say.

This seemingly absurd belief by the Ghanaian makes it hard for us to find the real diseases killing us in order to find solutions to arrest the numerous shocking deaths among Ghanaians. Presuming malaria, diabetes, high blood pressure, kidney failures etc. are the natural causes of our deaths, if we failed to establish such causes but do continually attribute them to someone or an old lady in the family killing us, we shall never find antidotes to the diseases hence we will continue to die from such diseases.

I am compelled to put out this publication following the untimely death of Mr Kwadwo Asare Baffour Acheampong, alias KABA, a famous and probably popular Ghanaian radio programme (Ekosii Sen) presenter.

Following his unexpected death, some of his own work colleagues have come out with their publicly expressed views regarding the cause of his death. I understand Captain Smart of Adom FM “Fabewoso” programme has alleged KABA owed a car company US$10,000 on his hire purchase. The car company upon learning of his death is writing off his debt, it is claimed.

What correlation is there between his death and owing a car company some money? Was the management of the company constantly threatening him with repossession if he failed to keep to the terms of the purchase of the car? Was KABA defaulting on payment? Was he worried about owing the car company some money?

If none of the above reasons was his bother, then what has his death to do with the money he owed? Could the money he owed have caused his death?

Ms Afua Pokuaa, another Adom FM programme host claims someone used juju to kill him. Who could have cast evil spell on KABA to culminate in his premature death? Could it be his work colleagues or his political opponents if at all he belonged to any political party? Would Afua Pokuaa come out with better explanation on how juju could have killed KABA?

Did Ms Afua Pokuaa just dream up her claim all because everybody was coming up with a reason for his death so she had better do same even if their reasons were simply the figment of their imagination?

There is another pastor who claims it is a female, or a female work colleague that has killed KABA. Who is that female and what did he do to her to infuriate her so much so that she decided to kill him? Did she kill him using some poison or some spiritual means? Could the pastor tell us who that female is or cease fabricating stories masked in prophesy?

When people conjure all these nonsensical causes as the death of a person who was enormously obese, then we can never find better solutions to our illnesses. Being young and obese (too fat) as he was without probably doing exercises, there is the likelihood that he could be suffering from diabetes, hypertension and other forms of diseases related to obesity.

Was it not initially announced that his sugar level had scarily gone up the day before? Could he not have died of high blood sugar level in his body suggesting he suffered from diabetes? If he was suffering from diabetes, was he aware that he had that condition and if the answer is yes, was he treating it and with what medication? Was he taking his medication regularly and according as prescribed by a medical doctor if he was diabetic?

Do we know that someone suffering from high sugar level in his blood in another breath could possibly suffer from low sugar level? Do we know the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

“Hyperglycaemia is an abnormally high blood glucose (blood sugar) level. Hyperglycaemia is a hallmark sign of diabetes (both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes) and pre-diabetes. ... The main symptoms of hyperglycaemia are increased thirst and a frequent need to urinate. (diabetes)

Hypoglycaemia, also known as low blood sugar, is when blood sugar decreases to below normal levels. This may result in a variety of symptoms including clumsiness, trouble talking, and confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, or death. A feeling of hunger, sweating, shakiness, and weakness may also be present”.

Until we stop the absurdity and nonsensicalities of attributing every death to juju and witchery, Ghanaians will continue to succumb to preventable deaths without ever finding the proper cure. Even when one gets murdered in broad daylight and by the alleged “sakawa” guys seeking to get fucky rich overnight, the victim’s death is caused by a witch.

Let us cease from attributing the culmination of our hallucinations as causes of people’s death.

Anyway, my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of KABA. May his soul rest in peace.