Papers by Genevieve Nrenzah
Religion, state & society, May 26, 2024
SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks, 2024
Ghana Journal of Religion and Theology
Ghana had its first COVID -19 pandemic victim in the second week of March 2020. This prompted the... more Ghana had its first COVID -19 pandemic victim in the second week of March 2020. This prompted the government to introduce restrictive measures such as a partial lockdown, which included halting economic activities, restricting movement, and banning public gatherings. Later, restrictions were relaxed to allow twenty-five people to attend funerals. These presidential directives, known as Number 1 in Ghana, meant a total shutdown of religious gatherings that constitute an economy of itself. While some church leaders tried to open their churches for worship and were arrested for doing so, most moved their services to virtual spaces to reach their members. The fascinating phenomenon that emerged was the creative ways various religious leaders used to monetise the services offered to members. Using the cyber-ethnographic method, we examine the various means deployed by five selected churches to manage church finances and membership. The results show that the churches' monetary interes...
<jats:p>This study examines a debate that sparked a national conversation between two diver... more <jats:p>This study examines a debate that sparked a national conversation between two divergent women's groups in Ghana—Pepper Dem Ministries (PDM) and Sugar Dem Ghana (SDG). Before reporting findings from taking their discourses on the definition of a woman to the streets of Madina and Legon, the paper briefly summarizes feminist perspectives in the West and notes homogeneity and heterogeneity of women's experiences around the globe. It zooms in on feminism in Africa and Ghana, examining the definition of a woman in traditional Ghanaian culture, popular music, literature, knowledge production, media, and religion. The author argues that there are multiple feminisms with relatively contextual variations in defining a woman, yet all geared towards making society masculine as the debate revolves around patriarchy, i.e., "peppering" and "sugaring" men at the expense of focus on women. Findings indicate that PDM and SDG neo-feminist groups diverge fundamentally in the primary focus of their activism. They also differ in their commitment to advocating for all women by prioritizing an intersectional approach in their engagement. Participants from the Madina Market and the University of Ghana at Legon supported both groups. For some PDM seems too "strong" and is tagged as Western in orientation and elitist as educated folks mainly support it. In contrast, a mixed-bag of the participants appear to accept SDG. Pro-SDG supporters consider their model as the norm in Ghana. Keywords: Neo-feminism, gender roles, Africa, Ghana, culture, perspectives</jats:p>
This paper investigates the proliferation of sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian religiosity. ... more This paper investigates the proliferation of sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian religiosity. It examines three renowned sacred spaces of nationwide patronage -Moment of Glory Prayer Army (MOGPA), Atwea Mountains and Achimota Forest, and raises three pivotal themes that build on three related arguments. First, it contends that through sacralization, religion domesticates natural spaces and expands urban landscapes. Secondly, the development demonstrates the enduring influence of indigenous religious understandings in shaping the ongoing modernity project of Ghana's Pentecostals, and finally, while such sacred places have become or are believed to be charged with spiritual abilities to solve an adherent's problems, the actions of the founders are deeply rooted in economic motivations, often inciting competition on the religious market of Ghana. The ethnographic research method was used in data gathering and the data was interpreted using the metaphor of the religious marke...
This study is about the upsurge in the activities of the agents of more than one indigenous relig... more This study is about the upsurge in the activities of the agents of more than one indigenous religious tradition (IRT) in contemporary Ghana. We concern ourselves with two case studies. These are the neo-and the old indigenous religious agents represented by two major shrines. The two shrines, headed by a priest and priestess, both claim to be rooted in indigenous Akan Dedication To my son Jayden-Rafael Kofi Dwomor Asubonteng and husband Kofi Ababio Dwomor Asubonteng iii Acknowledgement In writing this thesis, a number of people have guided, inspired as well as supported me all the way, though I cannot individually capture everyone who has been of help, I would like to show gratitude to certain people. I am indebted to Prof. (em.) Ulrich Berner, my supervisor, who first accepted to work with me in 2009 before I even secured admission into BIGSAS. Secondly, I extend my profound gratitude to Prof. Afe Adogame for informing me about the University of Bayreuth and actually introducing me to Prof. Berner. Thanks for your mentorship. Dr. Magnus Ecthler has, since my arrival to Bayreuth, been my mentor. He helped in shaping the work from beginning to end and I am most grateful for his invaluable assistance. I also, express my thanks to Prof. Christine Gudorf, Prof. Albert Wuaku, Dr. Franz Kogelmann, Prof. Umar Danfulani and Dr. Ukah Asonzeh for their priceless inputs in my work. My family have been home praying for my success and I appreciate their efforts. My late father Mr. A.A.K Nrenzah wanted me to have this PhD so much-thanks for pushing me daddy, I am grateful and hope you are proud wherever you may be now. Many thanks to mum, Elizabeth Acquah, Uncle Randolf Acquah, my siblings and friends in BIGSAS. I wish to thank Nana Kwaku Bonsam, Kↄmfo Oforiwaa and her husband Paa Sarbah, members and clients of both shrines and the entire community that volunteered information. Finally, to the good people of Germany and BIGSAS team whose vision has made this achievement possible, every dawn when you hear the roaster crow, it's my family and I saying thank you. iv Glossary Agorↄ-"gorↄ" literally means to drum or to play. On the IRTs terrene it means a gathering of priests and priestesses to play publically. Akↄm-"kↄm" means being possessed or dancing. In this sense it signifies the gathering of priest and priestesses at the indigenous religious state levels for the purposes of exhibiting potent spiritual power.
Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des études africaines
Drawing on examples from other countries and situating Nigeria’s case from the return to civilian... more Drawing on examples from other countries and situating Nigeria’s case from the return to civilian rule in May 1999, Ebenezer Obadare’s Pentecostal Republic: Religion and the Struggle for State Powe...
Goddesses in African religions are spirits that affect humans and demand reverence from them. The... more Goddesses in African religions are spirits that affect humans and demand reverence from them. They are also embodiments o f ideas that African people have about women, their powers and their roles in society. This study focused on M ame Wata, a goddess in H alf Assini, an Nzema-speaking coastal community in western Ghana. It sought to resolve a paradox, that is, the fact that, the goddess is at the center of a Pentecostalist tradition even though traditional Pentecostalism in Ghana views her as an agent o f the devil. The study involved fieldwork in this community o f the goddess's female worshippers led by Agyimah, a charismatic man, and an agent o f the goddess. The study interpreted the goddess as a post-colonial invented symbol personifying both pre-colonial and emerging ideas about female power. Findings from the study also show that through Mame Wata the followers celebrate the spirituality o f the female. VI
This paper investigates the proliferation of sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian religiosity. ... more This paper investigates the proliferation of sacred spaces in contemporary Ghanaian religiosity. It examines three renowned sacred spaces of nationwide patronage -Moment of Glory Prayer Army (MOGPA), Atwea Mountains and Achimota Forest, and raises three pivotal themes that build on three related arguments. First, it contends that through sacralization, religion domesticates natural spaces and expands urban landscapes. Secondly, the development demonstrates the enduring influence of indigenous religious understandings in shaping the ongoing modernity project of Ghana's Pentecostals, and finally, while such sacred places have become or are believed to be charged with spiritual abilities to solve an adherent's problems, the actions of the founders are deeply rooted in economic motivations, often inciting competition on the religious market of Ghana. The ethnographic research method was used in data gathering and the data was interpreted using the metaphor of the religious marke...
Uploads
Papers by Genevieve Nrenzah