Chieftaincy in Ghana
Culture, Governance and Development
Chieftaincy is one of the most enduring traditional institutions in Ghana, which has displayed remarkable resilience from pre-colonial through colonial to postcolonial times. In the past, the role of a chief was to lead his people in war to defend, protect and extend their territories. The modern role is to combat poverty and other social ills: illiteracy, ignorance, environmental degradation, and the depletion of resources.
Nowadays, chiefs are under pressure to achieve good governance in their traditional areas. They are challenged to integrate tradition and modernity, a process about which there is considerable debate. They carry out their duties in an increasingly globalised world where the accent is on democracy, human rights, health delivery, employment, human development and regional integration. Their ability to come to terms with these challenges will provide an indication of their relevance and the relevance of the institution to Ghana’s long-term development.
This massive volume is arguably the most comprehensive and detailed scholarly study of the institution of chieftaincy to appear on the subject to date. The subjects and approaches are wide- ranging, and cover most aspects of the institution in every geographical area in Ghana. Some thirty contributors from the humanities and social sciences tell the story of chieftaincy past and present from a multitude of perspectives: anthropological, historical, economic, sociological, gender, literary, religious and philosophical.
ISBN 9789988550745 | 700 pages | 229 x 152 mm | 2006 | Sub-Saharan Publishers, Ghana | Hardback
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About the Editors
- Albert K. Awedoba
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Albert K. Awedoba is a social anthropologist and Deputy Director of the Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana. The other contributors include Emmanuel Ayyeampong, Esi Sutherland, and Richard Rathbone.
- Irene K. Odotei
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Professor Irene Odotei obtained her Ph.D. in History from the University of Ghana in 1972. That same year she was appointed a research fellow at the Institute of African Studies, where she rose to become its acting director in 1998 after heading the history and politics section between 1985 and 1998. Professor Odotei is an expert on Ga oral traditions and traditional governance, Danish presence in Ghana, and chieftaincy. Her work has expanded to incorporate gender and household structures and economies, becoming an authority on artisanal fisheries in Ghana and along the coast of West Africa. She has held visiting research fellowships at several institutions including the Universities of Copenhagen, Leiden, Trondheim, Bergen and UCLA. She has been the project manager and coordinator of NUFU projects run jointly by Norwegian Universities and the University of Ghana, including the Asafo History Programme. She also served as the project manager and coordinator of the Chieftaincy, Governance and Development Project funded by the Ford Foundation. Professor Odotei is the author of several publications, including Sea Power, Money Power: Migration of Ghanaian Fishermen and Women to the Republic of Benin (2000); The Artisanal Marine Fishing Industry: A Historical Review (2002); and Royal Rites: Death, Burial and Installation of an Asante King (2001). Her film documentaries have reviewed the funeral of the late Asantehene (King of Asante) Opoku Ware II and the installation of the present Asantehene Osei Tutu II. Professor Odotei is currently the President of the Historical Society of Ghana and the Director of the International Institute for the Advanced Study of Cultures, Institutions and Economic Enterprise (IIAS).
