Funsi (U/W), Jan. 5, GNA - An educationist has urged the youth to disengage from practices that were adulterating indigenous culture and makes it less unique. Mr. Basing Halituo Sasco, who is a Cultural Officer at the Upper West Regional office of the Ghana Education Service, said the adoption of foreign ideas including names was compromising the promotion of traditional culture which identifies them as a people. Mr. Sasco said this when he launched a book titled "Sissala names and their meanings" at a durbar organized by the Kyang-siya Youth Association at Funsi in the Wa East District.

The 27-page book written and published by Mr. Gariba Chieminah Abudu lists over 4,000 indigenous Sissala names and their meanings and most of them have spiritual and biblical connotations. The use of European and Arabic names, he noted, did not portray them as a people with a true identity as citizens of Ghana. As a multi-tribal society, Ghanaians could be identified by their names and tribal marks, he said.

"It is therefore not acceptable to have both first and surnames being foreign and therefore alien to one's culture and tradition". Mr. Sasco said the habit of naming our siblings in another person's language was an affront to their culture and must be discontinued.