Haunted by Beliefs: The plight of disabled children accused of witchcraft in Northern Ghana
Published:
3 months ago
Source:
GhanaWeb
Soale Abdul-Razak, a 21-year-old blind young man from Sang in the Mion District of the Northern Region, narrowly escaped death after being accused of witchcraft following his father's death five days after his birth. His blindness, coupled with his epileptic condition, led to the belief that he was a curse. On the night of their escape, a sympathetic family friend warned Soale's mother, Illiasu Habida, of a plot to kill him by the chief priest of the community. With the help of her older children, the family fled to Garinkuka in the Chereponi District for refuge. Soale's life has been marred by the stigma attached to his condition.
"Even during Eid celebrations, while others celebrate, I stay home due to my condition because people are shying away from me," Soale said.