The Afrikania Mission has expressed strong concern over the increasing tensions between some Christian mission schools and Muslim students regarding the practice of their religious obligations. The Mission describes these disputes as unnecessary, avoidable, and a growing threat to peaceful coexistence within Ghana’s educational system, which for decades has served as a model for diversity and tolerance.
In a press statement issued on 25 November 2025 and signed by Osofo Komfo Atsu Kove, the Head of the Afrikania Mission, the organization highlighted its worry about the repeated disagreements that frequently arise over issues such as the wearing of the hijab, participation in Islamic prayers, and other faith-based practices. According to the Mission, these tensions continue to resurface because Ghana is witnessing a steady erosion of its indigenous cultural values, which once anchored its identity and shaped its principles of communal living.
The Mission explained that every society evolves within a cultural setting that defines its moral direction. For this reason, when a people lose their cultural identity and rely excessively on foreign systems, confusion becomes unavoidable. In its view, the growing friction between Christian and Muslim students in mission schools reflects a deeper internal struggle—a struggle caused by the continent’s inability to retain and respect its own traditional heritage.
According to the Afrikania Mission, African societies have become heavily influenced by imported religious ideologies that do not always align with African realities. While these religions have become widely practiced, the Mission believes the lack of proper cultural grounding has left many students and institutions unsure of how to balance their beliefs with the rules of the schools they attend. The statement stressed that the conversations and disagreements being witnessed today would be unlikely in regions such as the Middle East, Europe, or the United States, where each society’s educational system is firmly rooted in its historical and cultural identity. In such places, religious expectations are clearly defined, and students know the boundaries of religious expression within academic settings.
The Mission further questioned why Ghanaian authorities have not taken decisive measures to address and permanently resolve the situation. It argued that mission schools are established on particular beliefs and traditions, and for that reason, students who enroll in them must be ready to comply with the existing rules and codes of conduct. The Mission insisted that it is inconsistent for parents who are not Christians to choose mission schools for their children and later demand that the institutions adjust their long-standing practices to suit the religious preferences of minority groups. This, it said, is one of the major sources of ongoing misunderstandings.
It added that there are numerous public schools across the country that operate without mission-based rules, making it unnecessary for families who disagree with the traditions of mission institutions to engage in conflict. According to the Mission, respect for institutional identity is essential for maintaining order and ensuring that students from different backgrounds can coexist without tension.
In expanding its concerns, the Afrikania Mission also raised red flags about reports of certain activities occurring in public schools, where some students are allegedly required to participate in Christian worship sessions and even asked to give offertory. The Mission warned that if these practices are not addressed immediately, the type of disputes currently affecting mission schools could slowly spread into state-funded schools. The organization emphasized that public schools are funded by taxpayers and should therefore remain neutral spaces where no student is compelled to participate in any religious activity against their will.
Reaffirming its commitment to the promotion of African Traditional Religion—renamed Afrikania by the late Osofo Komfo Dr. Kwabena Damuah—the Mission urged Ghanaians to return to their cultural values, which it believes offer a more balanced and unifying approach to societal development. The Mission argued that African Traditional Religion historically encouraged tolerance, mutual respect, and coexistence, unlike the growing rivalry seen today between Christianity and Islam. It expressed disappointment that two religions that originated outside the African continent have become sources of division and hostility among the youth.
The Mission criticized the ongoing competition between Christians and Muslims over practices and privileges, describing the situation as unnecessary and counterproductive. It noted that neither of the two religions originated from Africa, yet they have become central to some of the most heated disagreements in modern Ghanaian society. It urged religious leaders, educational administrators, and government authorities to reflect deeply on the future of Ghana’s cultural identity and to take steps that will prevent religious differences from becoming a long-term national crisis.
The Afrikania Mission concluded by calling for renewed attention to cultural education, dialogue, and respect for institutional identity. It appealed to government agencies, traditional authorities, and stakeholders within the educational sector to collaborate in strengthening policies that ensure harmony, fairness, and cultural balance in all learning environments. The Mission believes that the long-term solution to these tensions lies in restoring confidence in African traditions, encouraging respect for diversity, and establishing clear guidelines that protect students from unnecessary conflicts.
By encouraging a return to indigenous values while promoting respect for all beliefs, the Afrikania Mission hopes to contribute to a more peaceful, culturally grounded, and morally stable educational system.
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