wfn.org | BWNS -- Official urges study of 'noble principles'

[Bahá'í World News Service <bwns@bwc.org>]

Baha'i World News Service
See story with photographs http://www.bahaiworldnews.org
For more information, contact editor@bahaiworldnews.org

Official urges study of 'noble principles'
ACCRA, Ghana, 6 October 2004 (BWNS) -- The principles of the Baha'i Faith
"could shed light on what steps our society should take to improve our social
and economic life," a senior government official told participants at the
Baha'i jubilee celebrations in this West African nation.

The theme of the 27-29 August 2004 celebrations, which commemorated the
establishment of the Faith here 50 years ago, was "Spiritual Solutions for
Social and Economic Problems."

"I sincerely believe that the theme chosen for this celebration is to
engender
our whole society to reflect on the principle that human nature is
fundamentally spiritual," said Kwaku Agyeman Manu, the deputy minister of
finance and economic planning.

"I urge the rest of us who are non-Baha'is to exhibit some of the good
principles of religious humility, to examine the noble principles of the
Baha'i teachings," Mr. Agyeman Manu said.

During the past 50 years, the Baha'is of Ghana have been active in social and
economic development programs.

A recent example is the work of the Olinga Foundation for Human Development,
founded in 1999.

The foundation has been involved in promoting literacy and moral education
classes in primary and junior secondary schools in rural areas of Ghana.

In the Western region of the country, for example, more than 5,000 children,
in 150 schools participated in such classes with the help of the foundation.

Another feature of the jubilee was the awarding of prizes in a student essay
competition organized by the Baha'i community.

Students throughout Ghana were asked to discuss four principles shared by at
least four of the world's main religions.

On behalf of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Ghana, Thelma
Khelgati, a former member of the Continental Board of Counsellors in Africa,
congratulated the winners and handed out the prizes.

A special feature of the celebrations was the launching of the book titled
"Conquering the Hearts, A Brief History of the Baha'i Faith in Ghana from
1951-1995."

Introducing the book, Diana Heymann-Adu, the managing director of Meridian FM
radio station, said that "the Baha'i Faith has much appeal and relevance to
the modern world."

She said that the book, which tells about the lives of the early Baha'is in
Ghana, will offer many insights to future generations.

The Baha'i teachings were first brought to Ghana (then under British rule and
called "the Gold Coast") in 1951 when Ethel Robertson Stephens, an
African-American Baha'i from Virginia came to Accra. Mrs. Stephens stayed one
year in the Gold Coast.

In the early 1950s Baha'i pioneers established Baha'i communities in the
Northern Territories, Ashanti Protectorate, and British Togoland. Those three
regions, together with the Gold Coast, became the independent nation of Ghana
in 1957.

Among the first Baha'is in those three regions were three young Baha'is from
Cameroon, Benedict Eballa (Ashanti Protectorate), Edward Tabe (British
Togoland), and Martin Manga (Northern Territories).

Other pioneers were Julius Edwards, a Jamaican tailor from Liberia (Northern
Territories) and the first Baha'i from the Gold Coast, Albert Buapiah
(British
Togoland).

For their services in establishing Baha'i communities in these regions the
five men later received the accolade Knight of Baha'u'llah from the then head
of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi.

Another Cameroonian Baha'i, who assisted the Baha'i community in Ghana in the
early days was David Tanyi.

In 1954, Mr. Tanyi had been named a Knight of Baha'u'llah for introducing the
Baha'i Faith to Togo (then French Togoland).

In 1957 he moved to Tamale (Northern Territories), and with his wife,Esther,
and their children remained in Ghana for more than three decades.

During the celebrations, some of the first believers, among them Blanche
Fredua-Agyemang, Emmanuel Budu, Ernest Bentsil, and Prince Abaidoo gave
accounts of the early years of the Faith in Ghana.

Over the course of three days, the jubilee festivities were held at three
locations: at the Hotel Novotel in Accra, in Kumasi, and at the Baha'i
institute in Gyankama.

During the three days, participants enjoyed a variety of artistic
performances, including presentations by the local Baha'i youth choir, Flight
009, accompanied by Yoofi Nketsiah, and songs and dances by the Bawdie Baha'i
youth group.

Others whose musical performances entertained the jubilee crowd were George
Olinga of Uganda with Ekua Mensah from the United States, and Pinnock
Casely-Hayford, a local Baha'i.

Also present at the celebrations were members of the Continental Board of
Counsellors in Africa Beatrice Asare, who presented the message of the
Continental Board to the participants, and Kobina Amissah Fynn.

After the celebrations, participants said prayers at the gravesites of two of
the early believers, Joseph Musah and Beattie Casely-Hayford.

Following the events in Accra and Gyankama, the celebrations continued in the
other nine regions of the country.

The Baha'i community, which has 63 Local Spiritual Assemblies, is currently
organizing study circles, children's classes, and prayer gatherings, all of
which are open to the wider public.

The Baha'i community of Ghana has welcomed many distinguished Baha'i guests
throughout the years, among them Madame Ruhiyyih Rabbani and other Hands of
the Cause, including Abu'l-Qasim Faizi, Jalel Khazeh, Rahmatu'llah Muhajir,
Enoch Olinga, and John Robarts.