Our chiefs love getting themselves in the news these days, carrying out bizarre actions. A 13 year old boy was enstooled over the weekend, and now this comical story from Beposo, also in the Ashanti Region.

The Omanhene of Beposo,  Nana
Boamah Kwabi IV, has ordered that all goats and black dogs should be taken out of the town. The chief gave a 40 day ultimatum for compliance, which expired on July 5.

The reason was that a fetish priest had advised the chief to do so. Some prominent personalities’ death, as well as five residents of the town dying during the June 3 disaster in Accra, was all attributed to the goats and black dogs, reports the Ghana News Agency.

According to the fetish priest, if these measures were not carried out, more people would die in the future.

For some reason this extremely gullible chief also complied, but some residents are resisting fervently. Apparently goat rearing is one of the main businesses in the area, and complying would put most people out of business, unable to fend for their families.

Superstition and gullibility; hallmarks of Ghanaian society; makes one wonder if we’ll ever be rid of their harmful effects.