Nothing is New Under the Sun Featuring: The Chief in Ghana’s Politics

Abstract

The conceptualization of Chiefs as instruments of politics is not a new concept. Over the last two decades or so, there has been a vile practice perpetuating in Ghana’s politics where chiefs are being used by politicians to gain political advantage or solicit for votes. The first trace of this political game can be tracked to the era of indirect rule. For much of the 19^th century, British exercised its dominion over the people of Ghana through their chiefs. Indirect rule could be comprehended as the idea to use existing customary structures and traditions as canals for creating rules and regulations, while British officers operated behind the scenes to gain the approval and support of Ghanaians[1]. The practice today is not so dissimilar from colonial times. The outstanding distinction is bared in the fact that today, politicians are not trying to hide their diplomatic control over Chiefs.

Keywords: the chief, chieftaincy institution, indirect rule, active politics, partisan politics

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/115-10

Publication date: November 30^th 2021

[1] England’s Indirect Rule in its African countries. American Historical Association. Available at https://www.historians.org/teaching-and-learning -in-the-digital-age/England’s-indirect-rule-in-its-African-countries.