Traditional leader and former Public Relations Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Numo Blafo III has charged Ghanaians especially Christians to desist from the practice of demeaning pouring of libation during state functions.

Speaking at the eleventh edition of Achimota Speaks themed “Religious tolerance; that all may be one” which was held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Accra, he stressed the need for people to realise that pouring of libation is a form of prayer.

Citing instances in the Bible when prophets ‘poured libation’ he admonished Christians especially to embrace the practice rather than denigrate it.

“…during state events like the independence day, before we used to have libations being poured by priests before the Christian prayer and the Muslim prayer and all that. It got to a point people started denigrating the libation. But libation actually is a form of prayer and I’ll say in the Bible itself, Jacob poured libation, I stand for correction because when he was travelling, running away from Esau and he slept somewhere using a stone as pillow. When he woke up the next day, because of the vision he had, he poured oil on that stone which he used as an altar.

And then Moses was also commanded by God to pour strong wine in the Holy of Holies….” Numo Blafo III stressed.

The other speakers on the night were Mrs. Rosemary Mills-Tettey, Vice Chair of the National Spiritual Assembly of Bahai’s in Ghana, Rev. Bernard Ade-Acquah, Head Pastor of the Power House Ministries International Church, Islamic Scholar Alhaji Sami Suka-Braimah and Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, Archbishop of the Accra Metropolitan Catholic Church who delivered the keynote address.

The programme was moderated by Akora Korantema Adi-Dako.