Traditional Akan Ethics: Relevant or Trash to Ghanaians Today?

Abstract

Many works exist on the Akan people of Ghana. Whereas some present their history, socio-political structures, and their languages others examine their ethical systems. Nevertheless, from the past through to the present, it seems Ghanaians have drifted from applying and using the content of Akan ethics in their world of life. This drift raises the question of what went wrong or right within the timelines. In view of this, there calls the need to investigate and examine Akan ethics and to establish whether it serves any relevance or not, to Ghanaians today. In this study, the paper uses the historical and descriptive research methods. The paper’s findings are that to a very large degree, majority of Ghanaians have let go of Akan ethics for Western culture, have refused to value Akan ethics and then perceives Akan ethics to be archaic. In view of these major reasons and others, the paper maintains that Akan ethics is of no relevance to Ghanaians today. In this perspective, the paper concludes on the note that Ghanaians should revisit, revive, reinstate and apply Akan ethical systems to problem solving situation in Ghana today. This will preserve and maintain the wisdom enshrined in Akan ethics for the present and future generations.