By: Sarah Baafi
A University of Ghana professor has publicly distanced himself from a viral social media claim suggesting that the biblical figure, Mother Mary, lived for 40 years in a community in Ghana’s Volta Region, describing the assertion as false, misleading, and damaging to his reputation.
Wazi Apoh, a full professor of archaeology at University of Ghana and Dean of the School of Arts, issued the disclaimer following the circulation of a video reportedly recorded at the Volta Regional Museum in Ho.
In the footage, a man believed to be a casual museum staff member, identified by the professor as a security officer rather than a trained tour guide, claimed that Mother Mary lived in the Agbenoxoe community in Kpando for 40 years, attributing the statement to Prof Apoh’s research.
Rejecting the claim in its entirety, Prof Apoh stated that none of his academic work supports such a narrative.
“My research conducted in the Agbenoxoe Community from 1996 to date has never revealed any mention of this outrageous and false narrative. I have neither documented, written, nor published any such claim anywhere,” he said.
The archaeologist, who has spent nearly three decades researching the Volta Basin, stressed that the viral claim represents a complete distortion of his work and academic findings.
Prof Apoh’s research in the region has focused on the archaeology of colonisation, German missionary activity in former Togoland, and the broader heritage of the Akpini people of Kpando. His work has involved excavations, documentation of material culture, and historical analysis, none of which, he emphasised, touches on biblical accounts of Mary’s life in Kpando.
He explained that the confusion may have stemmed from a misinterpretation of one of his documented findings. During earlier fieldwork at the Agbenoxoe grotto site, he and his team measured a large statue of the Virgin Mary, which stands at approximately 40 feet tall.
According to him, this measurement may have been misinterpreted as “40 years,” ultimately giving rise to the false narrative now circulating online.
Agbenoxoe is home to the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto, a well-known Catholic pilgrimage site that has attracted worshippers and tourists over the years. The site is associated with local religious traditions, including accounts of Marian apparitions, but there is no historical or archaeological evidence linking it to the life of Mother Mary.
Prof Apoh noted that the viral claim appears to conflate these local religious traditions with his archaeological research, which is currently featured in an exhibition at the Volta Regional Museum highlighting German–Volta connections.
The professor is also calling for the immediate removal of all online content linking him to the claim, warning that failure to do so could result in legal action.
Beyond the reputational implications, Prof Apoh expressed concern about the impact of misinformation on public understanding of history and heritage; particularly when presented within institutional spaces, such as museums, by untrained tour guides.
He reaffirmed his commitment to scholarly integrity and urged the public to disregard the claim, insisting that NO credible evidence, be it archaeological, historical, or textual supports the suggestion that Mother Mary ever lived in Agbenoxoe or anywhere in Ghana.
