Vincent Kwabena Damuah
Vincent Kwabena Damuah (* 1930, † August 1992 ) (also: Osofo Okomfo Damuah or Osofo Komfo Kwabena Damuah ) was a leading Catholic priest, theologian and politician in the West African nation of Ghana. During the second military dictatorship under Jerry Rawlings Damuah was a member of the provisional government of the Provisional National Defence Council ( PNDC ).
Damuah was founder of Afrikania Mission, a religious nationalist movement with strong political principles and goals. The establishment of the Afrikania mission to have taken place in December 1982. Other sources mention the Catholic priests Osofo Okomfo Damuah as the founder of Afrikania mission in 1985. This is probably the same person. ( Osofo is the Twi name for a Christian priest, Okomfo refers to a traditional priest who is obsessed in contrast to Obosomfo not of deities ).
Priesthood
Damuah was 1957-1982 in the office of a Roman Catholic priest active. His departure from the priesthood was operated by the Church, was as Damuah under Jerry Rawlings member of the PNDC. Damuah then founded the Afrikania mission in December 1982. This movement was not only politically motivated, but aimed at a return to a modern African traditional religion as a pan- African religion to the status of a world religion.
As a young priest Damuah was detained at the time of the government of President Kwame Nkrumah due to his criticism of the regime of the first president of Ghana for a short time. The trigger for this criticism of the regime were the plans Nkrumah who, to establish Ghana Young Pioneers ( GYP ), a propaganda group in schools. The Ghana Young Pioneers wore glorifying propaganda on the person of the President in the population, the same set Nkrumah from the perspective of Christians with Jesus Christ. These mottoes denominated example: Nkrumah this never ( German: Nkrumah never dies ) or Nkrumah does no wrong (German: Nkrumah never wrong ). Nkrumah had referred the Anglican bishop and Chairman of the Council of Christians in Ghana, Bishop Reginald Richard Roseveare, the country, as this public had expressed strong criticism of his government. Damuah criticized for its part, the expulsion of the bishop and was set for this purpose as dissidents in prison. It was only at the instigation of Ghanaian high cleric Damuah was released from prison.
Politician
Damuah was quite politically active already during his time as a priest. He has appeared in 1979 against during the military rule of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council ( AFRC ) of the Catholic Church when he publicly advocated the execution of three former heads of state. Damuah was known by the following statement:
Damuah was considered a supporter and friend of the military dictator Jerry Rawlings and shared his anti-Western and partly perceived as anti-Christian ideologies. After the second coup by Rawlings on 31 December 1981 Damuah was from the beginning a member of the first seven-member PNDC and consequently a member of the provisional government of Ghana. In November 1982 he resigned from this office.
Writings
- Introduction to traditional religion: Afrikania Reformed African Traditional Religion, Religious text, Afrikania Mission, 1988, 2nd edition
- African Contribution to Civilization, Accra: Nsamankow Press, 1985.http :/ / www.barnard.edu/religion/postscripts/Postscripts_1-2_1-3.pdf
- Afrikania Handbook. Accra: Nsamankow Press, 1982.
- Afrikania ( Traditional Reformed religion). Common Sense Series 8 Accra: Afrikania Mission, 1984.
- African Contribution to Civilization. Accra: Nsamankow Press, 1985.