In  a quiet but profound revolution at the intersection of culture and modernity, Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III, the Nae Wulomo (Highest Chief Priest of the Ga State), is rewriting what it means to be a traditional leader in the 21st century.

Blending his spiritual calling with ac­ademic pursuit, the young priest stands today as both a custodian of ancient Ga customs and an advocate for intellec­tual growth and social progress.

His path to priesthood was not one of ambition but divine selection. In 2012, while studying sociology and psychology at De Montfort University in Denmark, he was called to occupy the vacant Nae Wulomo stool-an office that had remained empty since the death of his predecessor in 2006.

Chosen by the gods, not man, he became the youngest ever to take up this sacred mantle.

“I didn’t rush. I gave myself 10 years to understand the life I had been called into,” he said, explaining how he paused formal schooling to learn how to balance spiritual duty, education, family, and leadership. “I had to create my own strategy.”

That strategy led him not only to fulfill his duties as Nae Wulomo but to modernise aspects of Ga traditional systems.

He established a Traditional Arbi­tration Court in Accra, which handles spiritual and cultural disputes, and he envisioned transforming it into a struc­ture recognised by the judicial system.

This ambition led him to pursue further training in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), including mediation, court-connected arbitration, and legal processes.

“I needed to make our practices globally accepted without losing their sacred value,” he said.

Under the guidance of esteemed legal minds—Supreme Court Justices, retired judges, and legal scholars-he deepened his understanding of law and conflict resolution.

As a student, he remained humble, showing respect in academic circles, even standing for his lecturers during class. But when he returns to the spiri­tual domain, he is revered.

“When I’m in school, I stand for them. When I’m in my traditional role, they stand for me. It’s mutual re­spect,” he said, smiling.

As Nae Wulomo, Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III serves as the spiritual father of the Ga people. His responsibilities include leading sacred rituals, over­seeing public prayers, settling land and chieftaincy disputes, and safe­guarding the customs passed down through generations.

His authority, however, goes beyond rituals-it reaches into the core of Ga identity. Yet his biggest challenge, he admits, is public perception.

“People judge by appearance. When they see the white cloth, the staff, the bare feet, they assume primitiveness,” he says. “But our tradition is profound. The same things Christians use—water, oil, prayer, the rod—we also use. The difference is in the expression, not the spirit.”

He is vocal about the displacement of indigenous beliefs by imported religions. “Christianity came to meet our customs. But we have allowed it to dominate and diminish us,” he says. “Tradition is not anti-modernity. In fact, it is our original religion.”

He draws historical parallels, point­ing out how Africans lived in harmony with nature, practised sacred taboos, and delivered babies with herbs and prayer—long before hospitals and churches arrived.

“Our ancestors lived over 100 years. Women gave birth at home and sur­vived. Now, with modern systems, ma­ternal deaths are higher,” he laments. “That should make us think.”

Despite societal bias, his shrine has become a space of learning. Scholars from across the country and beyond-including students of African Studies and Religious Studies-regularly visit him for insight.

“I have had students come from University of Development Studied (UDS), University of Ghana Legon, University of Education Winneba,” he notes. “They leave with a new under­standing. Some say they felt some­thing shift in them.”

He hopes one day to lecture for­mally, especially in African Traditional Religion. “It would be a privilege,” he said. “A platform to demystify, to teach the true essence of who we are.”

Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III’s achieve­ments speak for themselves: the modernisation of his arbitration court, the spiritual guidance provided to hundreds, the opening of his shrine to researchers, and his advocacy for restoring pride in African spirituality.

Perhaps most importantly, he has challenged the idea that to be mod­ern, one must abandon tradition. Instead, he has shown that the two can coexist—and even strengthen each other.

“Our tradition is not behind. It is misunderstood,” he insists. “We must stop fearing who we are. Our customs carry wisdom, order, and power.”

Beyond his roles in tradition and law, Nuumo Akwaa Mensah III has a deep love for music, particularly traditional and, spiritual chants, and classical African rhythms.

Music, to him, is both a sacred tool and a personal passion. He believes traditional soundscapes carry healing properties and ancestral memory.

And to the youth navigating be­tween old paths and new dreams, his advice is simple yet profound- “never abandon your roots.

He encouraged them to be proud of where they come from, urging them to pursue education and excellence, and not let society convince them that their identity is something to be ashamed of. “Tradition is not your ob­stacle- it is your strength,” he added.

By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu