Conflict, Faith and Coexistence: Exploring Religious Tensions between the Ahmadiyya Mission and Orthodox Muslims in Wa, Ghana

Abstract

Religious intolerance remains a serious threat to peace and stability in pluralistic societies. In Wa, Ghana, the arrival of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission sparked tensions with Orthodox Muslims, exposing the fragility of interfaith coexistence despite the country’s general avoidance of large-scale violence. Pockets of intolerance, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, underscore the vulnerability of interreligious relations in northern Ghana. This paper examines the historical and theological roots of tensions between Orthodox Muslims and the Ahmadiyya in Wa, their intersections with politics, education, and community leadership, and the mechanisms employed to manage or transform them. Using a qualitative research design and a comparative historical approach, data were gathered from fifteen (15) purposively selected participants, including Catholic and Protestant leaders, Orthodox and Ahmadiyya clerics, women’s leaders, youth representatives, and lay members, complemented by archival materials and oral histories. Findings reveal that while overt confrontations have declined, mistrust persists, and local disputes are often reframed along sectarian lines. These dynamics illustrate how past conflicts continue to shape present interfaith relations. The study argues that understanding such tensions requires situating doctrinal disagreements within broader socio-political and historical contexts. The study further highlights dialogue, mediation, and peacebuilding initiatives as vital for sustaining coexistence in Wa and offers lessons for conflict transformation in comparable settings. 

Keywords: Ahmadiyya, Orthodox Muslims, intra-religious conflict, religious tolerance, peacebuilding