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Prof. Nketiah pushes for
preservation of the oral tradition
Accra, Oct 31, GNA – Professor Emeritus J. H. Kwabena
Nketiah, Chancellor of the Akrofi-Chrisaller Institute of
Theology, Mission and Culture, on Wednesday called for the
expansion of Ghanaian oral tradition in a manner that would
make it relevant to the present generation.
He made the call when he delivered the 2nd Asante-Opoku-Reindorf
Memorial Lecture on the topic Referential modes of Meaning
as Strategies of Communication in Oral Tradition.
The lecture, a series was jointly organised by the Ghana
Academy of Arts and Science (GAAS) and the Akrofi-Chrisaller
Institute to project the wisdom of the three past Ghanaian
scholars it was named after and also to bring to the fore
the institute’s commitment to the highest ideals of
scholarship and academic excellence in its chosen field of
interest, research and engagement.
Prof. Nketiah noted that the real meanings of Ghanaian oral
tradition, as captured in thousands of originally unwritten
poetry, proverbs, names, nicknames and in drum language
constituted a strategic tool for communication.
“We need to look at our language critically from the oral
tradition point of view and begin to consider ways of
enlarging what our forefather handed down to us and make it
relevant to this and prospective generations,” he said.
In his lecture, Prof Nketiah narrated several of the oral
poetry, proverbs, drum languages all in the local Akan
language and interpreted them to the delight of the rather
scanty audience.
Most of the narration were taken from Asante oral tradition,
particularly those with reference to late Asante Paramount
Chiefs, Osei Tutu I and a few in reference to Nana Sir
Agyemang Prempeh.
Dr. Leticia Obeng, President of GAAS noted that Ghana really
did have a rich oral tradition and also stressed the need to
look for ways of inculcating oral tradition in present day
language use.
“We make mistake speaking the English language and yet we
try hard to learn it; it is about time we did the same with
our own language and oral tradition,” she said.
She noted that it was sad that lots of Ghanaian scholars
were proficient in the writing and speaking of the English
language and other foreign languages but could not write
their own mother tongue.
Dr. Obeng charged her colleagues in the GAAS to lead the
campaign to ensure that oral tradition became an integral
part of language use in the present and future generations
of the country.
GNA
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