sacral rule and the Christian Church: An ... - ResearchSpace

or "Ohene,,7 in Akan - a king- but of a different kind as compared to the European ones.
He refers to himself as holder of ancestral power and high priest, or as transcendent
ruler according to the qualification and titles by which his people address him. He is a
sacral ruler. He claims his power and mandate from the Almighty God and the
ancestors. As the community grew in number with the integration of new corners and
the conquest of new ethnic groups, the Akan people as well as Grassfields people,
developed a military system to defend themselves against intruding neighbours. The
need for more land and an unlimited sense of exploring new areas transformed sacral
rule into a military organisation. The Fo and the Ohene became both a religious and
military figure. Thus, he became basically a warrior. 8
7 In the Volta Region of Ghana, Efo means father, head ofa house or a leader in patrilineal inheritance.
Discussion with Henry Amoako, at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 1 st March 2002 at 14h 25.
8 Iniesta, Ferran, L 'univers africain; approche historique des cultures noires, Paris, L'Harmattan, 1995.
p.59. "Les coincidences historiques de la majorite des societes africaines se trouvent plus dans la pensee
sociale par laque//e e//es se sont gouvernees que dans les techniques tangibles".
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