The Akan Traditional Leadership Formation: Some Lessons for Christian Leadership Formation

Abstract

Traditional and Christian leaders in Akan communities in Ghana provide leadership services for the same Akan people. For proper internal harmony and identity devoid of identity crises, the two leadership systems should not only understand each other but must be willing to learn relevant values and lessons from each other. The integration which has already taken place among Akan traditional leaders as they have over the years learnt Christian leadership values and lessons from churches and mission schools is yet to take place properly in Christian leadership formation. This article seeks to analyse the values and lessons in Akan traditional leadership formation and its significance for Christian leadership formation. Observation and interviews of the Akan traditional leadership institution at Akuapim, Akyem and Asante and examination of secondary materials on early interpreters of the interaction between the Akan traditional leadership institution with the Christian faith are used to gather qualitative data. Akan traditional leadership formation pays much attention to matters of royal consciousness, leadership as service, mentoring, the celebration of the Adae festival and oath swearing. Christian leadership formation that seeks to avoid the church being alien on Akan cultural soil will need to pay attention to the indigenous leadership formation when addressing issues on institutional memory, stewardship, women in leadership, leadership as service and accountability in Christian leadership. Keywords: Akan, Christian, Traditional Leadership, Leadership Formation.