Professor Hector Addo, a dermatologist at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and a lecturer at the University of Ghana Medical School, has shared insights into the Ga traditional spiritual leadership known as Wulormor and how it differs from Akan fetish practices and culture.
Speaking in an interview with host Paul Adom-Otchere on Good Evening Ghana, Prof. Addo explained that the Homowo celebration in Ga tradition does not involve fetish priests in the way many people assume.
“As far as I know, and from what I have also observed in Israel, the Homowo celebration does not involve fetish priests. The Wulormor is a spiritual leader and does not become possessed like a fetish priest. Fetish priests are usually trained within a shrine, and when they are possessed, they often do not speak Ga. They speak Twi or the language associated with where the fetish was brought from,” he said.
According to him, the Ga people traditionally do not have fetishes of their own but rather acquire them from other groups they interact with, particularly the Akans.
“Ga people don’t have fetishes originally; we obtain them from other places. Wherever the fetish is brought from, that is the language it speaks through the priest. On Homowo day, fetish priests may be present, but they do not perform fetish rituals. When they are possessed, you rarely hear them speak Ga, they often speak Twi or the language linked to the fetish,” he explained.
Prof. Addo further noted that during the Homowo festival, an important ritual performed is the sprinkling of kpokpoi, a traditional Ga meal. He added that the ceremony also involves visiting the stool room, which is different from the fetish room.
“The stool room is where the souls of the ancestors are believed to reside, so Homowo is a celebration for both the living and the dead. A similar practice can be seen in Israel during Passover, where people remember those who have died. They even leave their doors and windows open overnight to symbolically allow them to participate,” he said.
He emphasized that there is a clear distinction between a fetish priest and a Wulormor, noting that one is chosen through possession while the other is born into the role.
“I have never seen a possessed priest or priestess speak the Ga language. There is a clear difference between them and the Wulormor. The Wulormor is a position one is born into. I also noticed that the Wulormei wear a hat similar to those worn in Israel and other parts of the Middle East,” he said.
Prof. Addo added that chiefs are not directly involved in the Homowo rituals.
“During the Homowo period, chiefs are not the ones who perform the rituals. Our elders say we are connected to the waterways, and the Wulormei are linked to lagoons, rivers, and the natural mysteries of our tradition. That is when they appear. This is very different from when fetishes are acquired from elsewhere and priests become possessed,” he stated.
“The Wulormor is not a fetish priest,” he concluded.
Writer: Frederick Nortey
