The 1881 Witchcraft Suppression: Ghana's First Human Rights Law

In 1881, the Gold Coast passed one of Africa's earliest human rights laws — the Witchcraft Suppression Ordinance. This episode explores the context behind the law: the Akan belief in obayifo (witches), the violent witch-killings that plagued communities, and the British colonial administration's attempt to ban witch-finding and trial by ordeal. We meet key figures like Sir Samuel Rowe, the governor who pushed the ordinance through, and Nana Ofori Atta I, the Okyenhene who later defended aspects of traditional justice. We discuss how the law clashed with deep-seated beliefs, its limited enforcement, and its legacy in modern Ghana. The episode also touches on the 1934 Dr. Amoah's 'witch-finding' shrine case and the ongoing tension between law and tradition. A story of attempted reform, cultural collision, and the limits of colonial legislation. #WitchcraftSuppressionOrdinance #1881 #GoldCoast #Obayifo #SirSamuelRowe #NanaOforiAtta #Okyenhene #TrialByOrdeal #Akan #ColonialLaw #HumanRights #GhanaHistory #FexingoHistory #Witchcraft #BritishColonialism #LegalHistory #WestAfrica #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo