JHS-2
RME
Summary Notes on Religious Personalities
Traditional Religious Personalities or leaders.
These were famous traditional leaders or personalities contributed to the spiritual and moral growth and development of their religion and various communities .
Examples:
1.Okomfo Anokye
2.Tweneboakodua
3.Egya(Osofo)Ahor
4.Togbe Tsali
5.Tohazie
6.Oburumankoma
7.Odapagyan.
8.Oson etc .
IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT SOME GHANAIAN AFRICAN TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS
Some achievements of Okomfo Anokye
1.He helped in the expansion and strengthening of the Asante Kingdom.
2.He assisted the Ashanti Kings to win many of their battles including the defeat of the Denkyiras and the Akwamus
3.Okomfo Anokye became the first Chief of Agona State in Kumasi during the
reign of Nana Osei Tutu.
4.Anokye became the chief priest of the Asante Kingdom.
5.He was the chief advisor to the Asante king(Nana Osei Tutu I) etc .
SOME. WONDERS OR MIRACLES OF OKOMFO ANOKYE.
1.He fetched water with basket yet the water did not spill
2.His house was with out roof and yet was sheltered
from rain.
3.Okomfo Anokye made Aware game on a rock with his fingers.
4.He climbed a palm tree in his native sandals.
He is believed to have :
5.walked through rain with out getting wet
6.cured barren women
7.walked across the length of a suspended silk string
8.made food appear from the thin air
9.commanded the golden stool from the sky.
10.come out from a locked room without using the windows or doors etc.
Some moral lessons from the life Okomfo Anokye
I. He was:
1.selfless and hardworking.
2.was a courageous person
3.a patriotic person
4.He committed and dedicated himself to the course of the Asante Kingdom
5.He was a unifier, peace maker and loving person etc.
II.TWENEBOAKODUA
1.Tweneboakodua was a traditional ruler or (Paramount chief) of Kumawu of the Asante empire
2.He was a great warrior who dedicated himself to the progress and expansion of the Asante Kingdom.
3.He was regarded as one of the bravest chiefs of the Asantes.
4.He offered himself to be sacrificed to the gods to enable the Asantes win war over the enemies the Denkyiras
6.In the war between the Asantes and the Denkyiras, he was for bidden to shoot, though he was found fully armed for war.
6.His death spiritually helped the Asantes to defeat the Denkyiras
7.His patriotism led to the raising of Kumawu to a paramouncy status.
8.He instructed that no Kumawu citizen be punished with death penalty as sacrifice at the death of any chief or for any crime committed beacuse he died for all of them .
9.As a result of his death all Kumawu citizent were given tribal Marks that signify that they are descendents of Tweneboakodua.
Some moral lessons from the life of Tweneboakodua
He was:
1.a brave and courageous king who offered himself to be sacrificed.
2.a leader who could for go his pleasure for the welfare of others
3.Selfless -showed great concern for his people (Asantes)
4.He exhibited high sense of responsibility.
III.SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT TOGBE TASLI
He :
1.was a powerful traditional priest of the Anlos and hailed from the Tsiame clan
2.possessed mystical or magical powers
3.was hunter and a farmer by profession
4.used his spiritual powers to cause King Agorkorli and his elders to fall into deep sleep over night.
5.helped the Anlos to escape from King Agorkorli of Notsie in Benin and that brought freedom to his people.
6.turned his people into several mice
7.turned the foot prints of his people backwards
8.helped to spy out the environment for new settlement.
9.physically provided food to the needy
10.coud cause rain to fall on his farm alone
11.united his people as one group of people
12.His people always looked up to him for assistance and directions
He:
13.sacrificed his comfort for the sake of his people
14.built a lot of shrines where people consulted for assistance
15.removed his lower and upper jaws and instructed his people to use them foundation stones to build
two separate fetish houses in his memory
16.is considered as a god who is invoked and worshiped.
17.His wicked deeds forced the people to kill him by cutting him into pieces before burying him
18.But he resurrected the same day
19.He was drowned but was found on the back of crocodile's back on the third day
20.Hogbetsotso festival is observed in his honour.
Moral lessons about the life of TOGBE TASLI
1.He had great love for his people
2.He showed kindness to his people
3.He sacrificed himself for sake of other people
4.He devoted himself to serve humanity
5.He was brave and powerful
6.He exhibited the spirit of patriotism.etc.
IV.EGYA(OSOFO ) AHOR
Egya Ahor or Osofo Ahor was a Chief priest of the Fante Kingdom ever since they lived in Takyiman.
He is said to have lived in the 12th Century BC.
He was among the eminent leaders who led the Fantes in their migration from Takyiman to their present day settlement
His people relied or sepended on him largely for almost everything about life and work.
Egya Ahor was a priest for the god 'Akyen' whom the Fantes believed protected them .
Periodically,Egya Ahor was performed some rites or ceremonies (rituals) to the god 'Akyen' on behalf of the Fantes.
Sacred items he used for his priestly rituals included :
Priestly hat (sebokyew)
an iron walking Stick (Apea)
gong-gong which he used to summon the people and a priestly book (adowno)
He used the Adowno for identification of days especially for planting and harvesting in the year .
With the help of the god 'Akyen' Egya Ahor used the Adowno to predict the beginning and ending of the rainy dry seasons respectively.
The people were therefore informed about the time to prepare the land for agricultural activities to begin
He also used the Adowno to inform the people when
"Akyenmu' would be celebrated
By this all noise making, funerals and other social activities are prohibited .
Offenders to this directives were punished (received all sort of punishment)
He belonged to the Anona royal family of the Gomoah Traditional area in the Fanteland
During his priestly reign an
epidemic broke out killing most of his people
After several failed attempt a Chief priest -Akomany (Okomfo Amana)
Prescribed human sacrifice to avert the situation .
For the love of his people Egya Ahor willingly offered himself to be sacrificed to the gods and the ancestors for the people to be saved.etc .
Some moral lessons from the life of Egya Ahor
He:
1.performed his religious duties deligently
2.brave and courageous
3.offered himself to be sacrificed for the good of his people
,4., appointed his succesor before his death
,5.was kind (generous) to his people by using his farm produce
6.showed love everyone who sought for his help
7.was a selfless leader
8.,was a peace maker-he ensured that there was peace among the Fantes
V. SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT TOHA ZIE
1.Toha Zie means the "red hunter "
2.He lived in the Northern part of Ghana probably among the Nanumbas the
Mossi,Mamprusi,Dagaare and Talensi
3.He was a brave warrior and hunter
4.On one of his hunting expeditions he requested water from and Old woman but was denied
5.Toha Zie fired an arrow into strange beast which had filled several people in the community .
6.A feast was organized in
honour of Toha Zie for killing the strange beast .
7.Toha Zie risked his life to save many people in the Northern Ghana.
Some moral lessons from the life of Toha Zie
1.love the others
2.Sacrifice
3.goodness or kindness
4.selflesness
5.Bravery
6.patriotism
VI Ndewura Sumalaila Jakpa
1.Ndewura Jakpa was the founding father of the Gonja state
2 .He was a great warrior who led his people to defend their land and to conquer several other states.
3.He made Salaga the capital of Gonja land and it has remained till today
4.The Great Ndewura Jakpa was held in high esteem by his subjects (people)
5.He treated all people fairly .
6.He established a good political system for Gonja land which has survived till today.
7.The political system has since helped to avoid chieftaincy disputes in Gonjaland
8.He was also a good organiser and administrator.
REFERENCE BOOKS:
1.Trinity Series RME for JHS 1-3,Kwesi Achinfo-Mensah
2.RME In Scope for J H S 1-3 New Edition 2014,K .D Twumasi /C .Adade
3.Aki Ola Series Questions and Answers 2019 - (till date Edition)
4.The Guide RME for JHS 1-3(till date Edition) E.K..Odame
5.RME For JSS Book-2 ,2005, Harris Jasim.
FESTIVALS
A festival is any special occasion which brings a group of people people together to celebrate.Eg .
birthday.
RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
They are special events observed by the various religious groups to remember important personalities or founders of their religion.
For instance the birthday of Jesus Christ (Christmas) by the Christians, the birthday day (Maulid-Nabi -Yi or Bila-bi Nabi Yi ) of Prophet Mohammed and Ahobaa festival in honour of Egya Ahor.
CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
These are special events observed by Christians to either renew their faith, some important events or founders of their religion .
For example Jesus Christ and the Saints.
SOME EXAMPLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
1.Christmas
2.Easter
3. Pentecost day
4.New Year etc.
1. CHRISTMAS:
Christmas celebration begins with the season of Advent.
Advent from the Latin "Adventus" means 'the coming of the Lord'
The season of Advent is a spiritual preparation towards the coming or the
birth of Jesus Christ.
It offers Christians the opportunity to reflect upon all their past mistakes and make penance about them.
This opens the way for them to welcome Christ with hope and aspirations.
Christmas (Nativity) of Jesus Christ is a season of great and joyous occasion,a period of hope and aspirations, a time of renewal of heart,body and soul and above all, the beginning of a new life and hope .
It is celebrated on 25th December every year.
SOME FESTIVITIES OF CHRISTMAS SEASON
1.Christmas Eve(24th December Night)
2.Boxing day (26th December)
3.The Holy Family feast
4.The feast of Epiphany.etc
BOXING DAY (26th December)
It's is a special day on which devout Christians show love and affection to their relations, friends,neigbhours and love ones by presenting them with all kinds of parcels
This love and affection is extended to inmates at prisons
sick at the hospitals, the orphanage, the needy and the poor in society.
Such gifts include:
assorted food and drinks, toiletries, clothings and some times some amount of money.
THE HOLY FAMILY FEAST
The Sunday after Christmas marks the feast
of the Holy Family of Jesus , Mary and Joseph in honour of all families (mother, father and children)
THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY
This feast is celebrated to commerate the presentation of Jesus in the Temple by Mary and Joseph to climax the celebration of Christmas.
IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES
1. They are celebrated to remind us of a new beginning of life
2.New Year's day is observed in honour of Mary Mother of God or Christ .
3.They offer believers the opportunity to renew and strengthen their faith in God.
4.They are seasons for showing genniue love to the poor,sick and needy in society.
EASTER
1.Easter is a (an) universal
celebration about the suffering, the crucifixion, the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2.Easter is a universal celebration of the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The celebration of Easter
begins with the season of Lent.
LENT
Lent is a period of spiritual
journey of forty days and forty nights of prayers, fasting, penance (reconciliation) and abstinence.
EASTER FESTIVITIES
1.Ash Wednesday
2.Palm Sunday
3.Holy Thursday
4.GoodFriday
5.Holy Saturday
6.Easter Sunday
7.Easter Monday
8.Ascension day
9.Pentecost day
10.Holy Trinity***
1. ASH WEDNESDAY
The Ash Wednesday reminds Christians to be sorry for their sins and ask for forgiveness .
It also reminds Christians about creation and origin of man ."Thus,we are dust ,unto dust we shall return".
PALM SUNDAY
It is observed to commerate the truimphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem and His passion for salvation of human race
Christian faithfuls on this
day parrade in some principal streets with Palm branches or fronds amidst
chant of hosanna songs and dancing to the tune of brass band.
3.HOLY THURSDAY
This day recalls the institution of Holy Eucharist (Communion) the bread of life or the last supper.
Jesus Christ had the last supper (meal) with His disciples on the eve of his arrest for crucifixion.
. GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday commerate the day Jesus' crucifixion and death in atonement for the sins of humankind.
HOLY SATURDAY
This is the first part of the Easter vigil which shows us the risen of the new light and share by the grace of baptism.
EASTER SUNDAY
This is the day Christians
strongly believe Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead:three days after His crucifixion and burial.
It is the happiest day for Christians because Christ victory over death gives them the hope that there is eternal life after death.
EASTER MONDAY
Easter Monday is a special day for merry making.
One this day, Churches
usually organise picnics for their members
Fun games such as "tug of
war". volleyball and foot ball matches and atlethics
competitions among the youth.
ASCENSION DAY
This is the day Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. It is the fortieth (40th) day of Easter
(His resurrection) Christ gives proof of the truth over sin and death by ASCENSION reminds us also that heaven is our real home..
Jesus Christ will come again in glory to conduct us to our heavenly home.
PENTECOST SUNDAY
Pentecost Sunday is said to be the birthday of the Church, comprising all men of all ages who are redeemed by His passion and victory over death.
It is the fiftieth (50th) day after Easter.
On this day, Christ sent the holy Spirit upon the apostles.
The Holy Spirit empowered the apostles to preach the gospel to all Nations I the world
HOLY TRINITY
This is the solemnity of God the Father, creator of heaven and the earth.
God the Son the redeemer of the world and God the Holy Spirit , the comforter , the revealer, the teacher and the reminder of God's work.
SOME IMPORTANCE OF EASTER FESTIVITIES:
.Palm Sunday
1.It is a time to praise Jesus as a King
2.It reminds Christians of Jesus truimphant into Jerusalem.
3.It marks the beginning of the passion or holy week.
4.It brings Christians closer to God
GOOD FRIDAY
1.It reminds of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ
2.It is a period of concious
examination
3.It is a period of penance and forgiveness of sins.
4.It reminds us of end of life on Earth
5.It reminds us to live a good life before death.
6.It brings about unity among human race.
EASTER SUNDAY
1.It marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead
2.It strengthens the faith believers
3.It shows Christ victory over death
4.It brings about hope and comfirmation of faith in Christ.
PENTECOST SUNDAY
1.It marks the descents of the holy Spirit upon the apostles.
2.It reminds believers of Jesus promise of Holy Spirit after Ascension
3.it also marks the power of the Holy Spirit
4.It strengthens the faith of Christians in God.
MORAL LESSONS OR IMPORTANCE CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS
1.Thankfulness or gratitude to God.
2.Honour
They give Christians the opportunity to honour their religious founders and leaders .
3.For increase in faith
The help in strengthening the faith of Christians in God.
5.Initiation
New members or converts are welcome into the faith through baptism.
5.Hope and life
Festivals bring hope and joyous life to believers.
KEY WORDS:
1.Eucharist
2.Lent
3.Ascension
4.Penance
5.Reconciliation
6.Resurrection
6.. Crucifixion
7.Truimphant
8.Comfirmation
9.Baptism
10.Vigil
11.Picnic
12.Passion
13.Universal
14.Origin
15.solemnity
16.Eternal
17.Eve
18.commerate
19.Atonement
20.Concious
Note:
Learn the above words by rote and find their meaning.
