The Supreme Being in Oguaa Fante religious thought and its implications for religious and moral education in Ghana

Abstract

The Fante from Oguaa of Ghana, as African people are religious and have an experience of the Supreme Being that can impact teaching. This paper examined the conception of the Supreme Being in Oguaa religious thought and explored its implications for spiritual and moral education in Ghana. Using a qualitative design, interpretative phenomenological analysis, and narrative methods, data were collected from traditional priests, court historians, and some elderly community members in Oguaa. The findings show that the Oguaa Fante conceive of the Supreme Being as creator, sustainer, moral authority, and relational “Great friend” expressed through indigenous names as Onyame, Onyankɔrpɔn, and Ɔdomankoma. Although seventy-seven deities are recognised and accepted as intermediaries, the belief system is best described as henotheistic rather than polytheistic. The paper argues that these indigenous theological insights provide culturally grounded resources for teaching religious, moral formation, and interfaith understanding in Religious and Moral Education (RME) in Ghana. It is recommended that RME teachers use culturally responsive pedagogies should integrate regional names, proverbs, maxims, and stories to enhance learner engagement and curriculum relevance. This will help the learners to accept the values and the religious system of the indigenous African.