West African military chaplains convene in Ghana for first-ever symposium

Military chaplains and religious affairs personnel from Nigeria and nine other African nations convened in Accra, Ghana, for the inaugural West Africa Religious Affairs Symposium (WARAS). The three-day event, held from July 14 to 16, was co-hosted by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Ghanaian Armed Forces.

Participants from Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo engaged in discussions centered on the role of military religious leaders in supporting troops grappling with stress, trauma, moral injury, and the demands of operations in volatile security environments. The symposium aimed to foster deeper regional partnerships and enhance cooperation among the participating militaries.

For Nigeria, the gathering occurred amidst ongoing military operations against various insurgent and criminal groups, which have placed considerable strain on its armed forces. In this context, chaplains and military imams play a vital role beyond religious services, offering counseling, morale support, interfaith coordination, and helping to maintain cohesion within mixed-faith units.

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By focusing on the spiritual readiness and emotional well-being of service members, the symposium helps build a unified, resilient military coalition capable of addressing shared security challenges.

U.S. Africa Command's Command Chaplain, Colonel Kevin Forrester, emphasized the symposium's focus on spiritual readiness and emotional well-being, stating it helps build a unified, resilient military coalition capable of addressing shared security challenges. Sergeant Major Herinah Asaah noted the significant mutual learning and exchange of best practices among nations, highlighting the value of networking and in-depth discussions.

The symposium underscored the growing recognition among West African militaries that chaplaincy is an integral component of force support, discipline, and operational resilience, rather than a purely ceremonial function. Topics covered included post-traumatic stress disorder, moral injury, ethics, enlisted leader development, ministry in combat, and family care, reflecting a broader security cooperation between Nigeria and its partners.

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There are so many things that we can each gain from this symposium, and we already heard yesterday by the sharing and the discussions that happened that there was so much to learn from each other, and some of the nations eagerly taking down notes and exchanging, networking, and talking even in depth about some of the best practices from the other nations.