Maame Harris Grace Tani and Papa Kwesi John Nackabah: Independent Church Leaders in the Gold Coast, 1914-1958

The names of Maame Harris Grace Tani and Papa Kwesi John Nackabah are synonymous with the foundation and propagation of the Twelve Apostles Church of Ghana, which is the largest independent religious movement in modern Ghana. Their rise to positions of prominence and leadership, extending far beyond their local communities, dates from their association with the famous Liberian Christian prophet, William Wade Harris. Yet the work that they carried out after this association ended was a product of their own ritual innovations, religious interpretations, and organisational abilities. In the context of the British administration of the Gold Coast Colony, the inroads of missionary Christianity, and the opposition of traditional authorities, what they were able to achieve by pursuing an independent course is rather remarkable. App., notes.