Church Unites With Traditional Leaders in West Africa to Promote Peace and Social Cohesion

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Over the last two years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has collaborated with traditional and cultural leaders in the Africa West Area to address social issues, promote education, and foster community development. The Church has forged relationships with indigenous leadership throughout West Africa and has actively partnered with them to promote social cohesion and peacebuilding in local communities.

Traditional leaders have played a significant role in the lives of West Africans for hundreds of years. Although not lawmakers, they are the custodians of African culture and have great influence on the customs and practices of their people. While bridging the old with the new, they are the catalysts for peace and tolerance in the villages and cities they serve. Traditional leaders play a pivotal role in ensuring religious freedom and inter-faith cooperation.

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, a General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa West Area of the Church, emphasized the Church’s focus on working cohesively with the traditional leaders throughout Africa.

“Our philosophy is that we are all children of God. We may have divergent backgrounds and beliefs, but we want to work together with the traditional leadership in West Africa, and the individuals and communities that they serve, to bring others closer to Christ,” said Elder Nielsen. “We want to be good neighbors and are always looking for ways to lift others.”

Elder Nielsen also noted the Church’s effective collaboration with interfaith communities in West Africa.

“We see similarities, not differences, with all people of faith, and have collaborated with our friends from all ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs, to encourage peace throughout Africa," he said.

In April 2023, the Ga King in Accra, Ghana, His Royal Highness Tackie Teiko Tsuro II, attended the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His time in Salt Lake City was eventful, culminating with a visit with President Russell M. Nelson. He also met with Elder Ronald A. Rasband, who mentioned the King in his conference address, with the King present.

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The King’s visit was the result of a relationship with Elder Nielsen and other leaders of the Africa West Area. Over the years, the Church has worked with the Ga Traditional Leaders to improve schools and hospitals in Accra. They have shared a common voice of peace and religious tolerance. During visits to the Africa West Area, Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Elder Gerrit W. Gong, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church, both had the opportunity to meet with the King. Elder Gong noted that, like the traditional leaders, the Church reveres it’s forebearers.

“When we respect and honor our ancestors, we provide a way for our people to remember those that came before and bless the rising generation,” said Elder Gong. “We honor you for the culture and traditions that you so faithfully uphold. We also honor our relationship with you, that has blessed so many Africans.”

The Strengthening Families Conference, held in Abuja, Nigeria in 2023, and sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ, brought together educators and religious, government, community, and traditional leaders from throughout the world to discuss critical issues relating to families. His Royal Highness Alhaji Adami Baba Yunusa, the Ona of Obaji and Chairperson of the FTC Council of Chiefs, was the chairperson of the event and many other traditional leaders were important participants, as speakers and panelists.

African traditional leaders played a key role at the African Consortium for Law and Religious Studies held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire in May 2023.  The theme of the conference was reconciliation, and the traditional leaders outlined their efforts to bring peace and forgiveness to their people despite the many difficulties they had faced.

In April 2023, leaders of the Church visited the Traditional Council of the Opu-Nembe Kingdom. Previously, President Jonah Akekere of the Nigeria Yenagoa Stake had invited King Biobelemoye J. Josiah, (Ogbodo the VIII) to attend a stake activity, and the King attended. The King then invited the Church leaders, lead by President Akekere and President Victor O. Bassey of the Port Harcourt Mission, to visit the Council and discuss ways of collaborating in the Kingdom. The King thanked the Church for their humanitarian work and said, “I want to thank you on behalf of the King, all the other chiefs and the entire people of Opu-Nembe kingdom, and that the door is open to the Church to preach in our land. The Church can send their missionaries to us.”

The Church has opened its doors to traditional leaders and their families. They have been invited to attend meetings and tour facilities throughout West Africa. These leaders have attended stake conferences and other meetings, engaged in religious freedom conferences in 2023 and 2024 in Cotonou, Benin, and multi-faith religious conferences in Ghana and Nigeria. Leaders of the Church have also visited leaders in their palaces, and Elder Nielsen has attended funerals and condolence ceremonies for departed traditional leaders. The area offices have also hosted the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs of Ghana, in both 2023 and 2024.

The Honorable Stephen Asamoah Boateng, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, said, “We hold our relationship with the Church in extremely high regard. It is so important that there is a peaceful coexistence between all people and your efforts in collaborating with all communities is commendable. The African people believe in God and are a very warm people. If we all work together, there will be peace.”

The humanitarian projects funded by The Church of Jesus Christ have benefitted the villages and cities of the traditional leaders in West Africa. The Church has built classroom buildings at the Mantse Tackie Tawiah School in Accra, Ghana, and donated medical supplies and equipment to the Princess Marie Louise Hospital. Both projects were done in conjunction with the Ga Mantse foundation. Traditional leaders represented their communities at donation ceremonies for emergency flood relief for communities in Ghana and Sierra Leone. The Church has collaborated with these leaders to determine need in communities throughout the area and traditional leaders have provided support at the donation ceremonies.

In November 2023, Elder Nielsen met with the King of Dagbon, His Royal Majesty Ndan Yaa Naa, Naa Abukari II at his palace in Northern Ghana. The meeting was in conjunction with the Light the World initiative that was being conducted in nearby Tamale. The King welcomed the Church leaders and thanked them for their knowledge of, and respect for the Kingdom’s traditions.

“We are grateful to have your church in our area, and I am in support of your efforts here,” said the Yaa Naa. “We appreciate your prayers for me in the ruling of this Kingdom and recognize that your belief’s are in harmony with the people of Dagbon.”