Ghana, through its National Folklore Board (NFB), is looking to revive the timeless tradition of oral storytelling and preserve the soul of its culture with its recently reintroduced “By the Fireside” storytelling series.
By the Fire Side is a Ghanaian children's educational and entertainment television programme which combines storytelling (folklore) with music and dance aimed at safeguarding the nation’s cultural heritage and nurturing the next generation’s connection to its roots.
The programme previously aired in the 1980s on Ghana's national public broadcaster, GTV, and follows a format where children would gather around an animated storyteller sharing tales of fantasy and adventure.
Speaking through a representative at the relaunch, Dzifa Abla Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, emphasised the role 'By The Fire Side' vis-à-vis oral storytelling plays in nation-building.
“We cannot allow a critical intangible cultural heritage to go down, as it serves in safeguarding our society’s identity, fostering social cohesion, and promoting economic growth,” Gomashie said.
According to NFB Executive Director Mrs Bernice Ann Deh-Kumah, the NFB draws its authority from the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), which empowers the Board to oversee the use, documentation, and proper attribution of Ghana’s vast repertoire of folk expressions.
“Since our establishment, we have organised a variety of activities to promote folklore, including the celebration of World Folklore Day, Folklore Fun Days, and the creation of folklore clubs in schools,” she explained. “This is part of our commitment to keep Ghanaian folklore alive and meaningful for future generations.”
By the Fire Side story series mainly revolves around the exploits of fantasy character Kweku Ananse, a cunning and crafty spider whose wit often outshone fellow creatures in the animal kingdom and even humans.
Across the African continent, oral storytelling has long served as a vessel for cultural preservation, with many regions sharing strikingly similar archetypes despite vast geographic and linguistic differences.
Just as Ghanaian folklore celebrates Kweku Ananse—the clever spider who uses wit to outmanoeuvre others—many West and Central African traditions feature the tortoise as a comparable trickster figure.
In Nigeria, for example, Yoruba and Igbo cultural folktales often revolve around the antics of Ijapa or Mbe, the slow-moving but cunning tortoise who repeatedly outsmarts stronger animals through deception and intellect.
These parallel characters—Ananse and Ijapa—highlight a shared African narrative structure that values cleverness over brute strength, serving as moral compasses, cautionary figures, and beloved storytelling characters all at once.
Ghana's Minister Gomashi says such cross-cultural echoes affirm the power of oral tradition in connecting communities, passing down wisdom, and entertaining generations across borders.
“From Ananse stories in the South to epic histories from the Savannah, from Ewe, Dagbani and Ga oral traditions to the symbolism of Kente and Adinkra, showcasing the depth and breadth of Ghanaian creativity,” she added.
Authorities say By the Fire Side will begin as a monthly series and will be held on the second Friday of every month and feature stories from Ghana’s diverse regions, told in local languages to reflect the country’s cultural and linguistic richness.
NFB boss Deh-Kumah called on parents, educators, and communities at large to support the initiative.
“We urge the public to embrace this effort as a way of reconnecting the younger generation with our storytelling traditions and deepening our sense of who we are.”
