Human Rights Advocate and Dean of the School of Information and Communications Studies at the University of Ghana, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, has apologised for her comments, which sought to ascribe same-sex practices to the people of Nzema and Ga-Dangme.
Comments attributed to the board chair of the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) indicated that there are traits of homosexual practices in the cultures of the Nzemas and the Ga-Dangme.
Prof. Gadzekpo has received several backlashes on social media following her comments.
In a statement dated March 6, Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo noted that her intention was not to say that the people of Nzema and Ga-Dangme practice same-sex but to emphasise the level of tolerance they demonstrate towards all manner of people.
“I wish to render my sincere apology to the Nzema and Ga-Dangme communities and all others who may have been offended by what I said. My intent was to draw attention to the tolerance exhibited in some of our cultures at a time of great intolerance where there have been attacks on citizens who are perceived as sexual minorities,” she said.
However, she maintained that research shows that past chiefs in various Ghanaian communities have long ago encouraged their subjects to tolerate people they consider to have different behaviours.
According to Prof. Gadzekpo, it was against this background that she made that statement, stating that all tribes in Ghana are taught to be compassionate to one another.
“Also, as a researcher, it is gratifying to see scholarly evidence suggesting that long before me and my colleagues started encouraging our society to be compassionate to all, the elders of some communities in Ghana had already started it long time ago.
“It is some of what can be found in academic literature, therefore, that informed my comments on the recently passed Bill that seeks to criminalize same-sex relationships, with its far-reaching implications for human rights generally,” she added.
“This is the sense in which I referred to the Nzema and Ga communities in the discussion on Newsfile. I recognize that in the important, but tense debates going on, some have sought to twist my message and create a different impression.
“I deeply regret any notion that attributes same-sex practices to Nzema and Ga-Dangme cultures as well as any pain that my remarks may have inadvertently caused to these communities,” said Prof. Gadzekpo.
Background
In a discussion on Newsfile on Saturday, March 2, Prof. Gadzekpo pointed out that there is evidence of same-sex activities existing in some Ghanaian cultures.
She cited the Ga and Nzema cultures as historically having homosexual practices.
“The whole argument Mr Sam George advances, and it seems very logical that if you go into our history, because Kojo Besia is a coinage, it doesn’t mean that we practice it; look, I have heard people who were against the bill but have admitted that when you look into some of our cultural practices, there are homosexual practices. It didn’t come from the West,” she stated.
When asked about specific Ghanaian cultures that exhibit traits of homosexual practices, Professor Gadzekpo pointed to the Ga and Nzema peoples.
“Which one? Well, I was in a training, and somebody told us that when you look in… there are practices in Ga culture, there are practices in Nzema culture, for example, that sociologists have documented,” she stated.
However, Prof. Gadzekpo did not indicate the exact rite that saw such homosexual practices.