“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.” – Nelson Mandela
To many Ghanaians, Jesus is the most important person in their life. People here are intensely religious. About two-thirds of the population is Christian, with the remainder being Muslim. Ghanaians pray before a trotro departs for its journey. They pray at the beginning of a staff meeting. I recently saw a man on his knees praying along the roadside. Students at my training college attend church every single day at 6am. In almost every town I have visited, someone along the way asked me if I went to church. In the middle of markets, you will sometimes find a man with a microphone preaching. Religion is impossible to escape in Ghana.
I get it. People living in extreme poverty need hope, so they rely on faith. Religion also serves as a social outlet for many Ghanaians. Church is the place where people build relationships and network, which makes sense, considering it’s free! I might choose to go to a wine bar or an art museum to be social, but those places demand money upon entrance. A church lets anyone in free of charge. Though it’s not my thing, the Ghanaian dependence on religion brings these people a lot of joy. To each his own.
To honor this strong faith, the names of many shops, stores, and even trotros have religious undertones. Here are some examples:
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