Kwabena Antwi Boasiako on the Humanist Association of Ghana
Author(s): Scott Douglas Jacobsen
Publication (Outlet/Website): The Good Men Project
Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/01/20
Kwabena is the President of the Humansit Association of Ghana. here we talk about some updates after the major parts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Hi Kwabena! It’s been a while. I want to catch up. Just getting some updates from the Humanist Association of Ghana. How are you doing? What’s new with you?
Kwabena Antwi Boasiako: Yes Scott! We survived Covid and thought that was the last pandemic we would fumble only to wake up in an even more dystopian post fact world where misinformation and propaganda is the pandemic we have to fight. So that’s what is mostly new with me.
Jacobsen: What are some new developments for the Humanist Association of Ghana?
Boasiako: Although Covid and the recession did a number on our numbers, it really shone a light on how closely linked freethinking and progressivism is linked to the economic conditions of the people. HAG has moved more into tackling the root cause of the social ills we face like poverty, high religiosity, anti-human rights and the increasing shift of domestic and international politics to the right. We do things mainly through coalitions with any and all organizations who share our core values and are willing to work together to achieve specific advancement in rights. From LGBT rights to freedom of and from religion, to rights of education and the promotion of science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) as a pathway to critical thinking and problem solving; you could say our new development is coalition building.
Jacobsen: How is the community doing there?
Boasiako: As well as the economy will allow and as well as people have the willingness to stay and fight. I believe this is a common theme in most places where the class divide is deepening with the rich getting richer and the middle class losing ground. What is worse is that we are losing ground on hope as well. It is the primary driver of change but most of us lose it. We see mass migrations to the west with domestic economic conditions making it impossible to even find time to protest your own suffering. Many are forced to sell their dignity abroad so that family can survive back home. After all, what is considered “slave wages” or minimum wage in the west, is a dream to many here. Coupled with the permanent neoliberal agenda and the culture war spillovers into our socio-political spaces, the fight for survival and protection of minority rights has never been this intense. In a nutshell, we are doing wonderful!
Jacobsen: What is the relative size of the Humanist Association of Ghana now?
Boasiako: About 100 members although I have stopped counting membership that way. I wish for more active membership. I hope that our new programs and efforts will push us towards the increasing enegaments.
Jacobsen: What have been some of the recent activities of HAG?
Boasiako: Hmm. Mostly joining in the fight against the anti-lgbt rights bill before parliament. We also joined a coalition of lawmakers to form a Freedom of Religion caucus. As the only minority belief represented there, our aim is to expand representation so that there are more diverse voices heard in matters of belief and non-belief.
Jacobsen: Are there any projects or initiatives upcoming for HAG?
Boasiako: Always! We are continuing our campaign against the LGBT bill, and our collaboration with the Ghana Planetarium continues on even after they lost their home. Our efforts to find a new home will hopefully be over soon. We are also looking forward to more in person meetings with themes presentations as we used to when we first started. I think we are going back to our freethinking days. But i believe our collaboration with organizations raising their voices to the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people following decades of apartheid rule, is what i am most excited about. The hope that with our voices raised as one, we can stop the murder of innocents all in the name of profit. Speaking of profit, #freecongo!
Jacobsen: Who have been partnering and working with HAG or its community to further humanist aims?
Boasiako: I think I already mentioned the Ghana Planetarium where we partner to advance critical thinking, the scientific method and skepticism. Our partnership with all the LGBT organizations and our solidarity with all queer people has us as one of the few civil society organizations that speak on this issue both on social media and traditional media. In the right to belief space, i did also mention our ongoing partnership with the Freedom of religion caucaus at the Ghana Parliament as HAG are signatories to the founding charter known as the Accra Charter. This was put together by ACEPA in partnership with the FORB network. Finally, we are part of a coalition of individuals, and organizations, on and off campuses, that raise awareness of the plight of the palestinian people as well as creating an understanding of how linked our oppressions are and how we can, as a community, not only recognize the problem and its roots, but mobilize to fight it.
Jacobsen: You used to have a podcast. Are there any plans to reboot that podcast or develop get more audio and audiovisual content out?
Boasiako: Yes! Hoping to start a 12 part series in January. Wish me luck!
Jacobsen: How is the political situation in Ghana now? I am aware of the anti-LGBTI bill on the books. It’s an unusual influence of neo-colonialists into Africa, mostly white North American Evangelical Christians. I always find myself thinking, “Why can’t they just leave them alone?” I came to the realization. According to their theology, they can’t, so they won’t.
Boasiako: Well we have to recognize the racist soul of this whole push by the right wing into the affairs of black and brown bodies. The problem of homophobia was largely brought to us wrapped in colonialism and delivered through sermons every sunday. I would assume that those in the global south will never see reparations from the pillage of our human and material resources. But what I had hoped for, would be more resistance from non-evangelical white folks to the incursion by their country folks into our domestic affairs. More and more, the answer to the question of why we have certain problems in our society is some white folks. Can we get more help from the other white folks to hold their own folks back? We have more pressing issues to handle.
Jacobsen: What do you see as the major issues in Ghana for humanists now?
Boasiako: The “human” in Humanist always comes first. So we will expect the same material conditions that affect the average Ghanaian to also affect the Humanist. As to practicing your non-belief or humanist lifestyle, I find it is also largely a matter of economics. Many without the financial wherewithal risk losing family or societal support and unfortunately HAG doesnt have the capacity to support. Sure, individual members do help each other and provide aid when necessary but there is no welfare policy yet.
Jacobsen: How can people get involved or help HAG?
Boasiako: Follow us on all social media. Support our various initiatives. Tag us in posts and news you believe will be of interest, Engage with us. Now that is the least anyone could do. But if you are so inclined and moved by the spirit of humanism, donate to our courses, write to us to find out how you can help with your skill set, volunteer your time and your space. Now that is something I believe humanity would be grateful for.
Jacobsen: Thank you for the opportunity and your time, Kwabena.
Boasiako: “Medaase”. That is Akan for thank you.
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