Professor Samuel Agyei-Mensah (FGA), Professor of Population and Medical Geography at the University of Ghana, has called for more targeted, data driven research into interracial and interethnic marriages in Ghana.
He made the call while delivering the 2026 Annual Lecture in the Arts on the theme, “Interracial and Interethnic Marriages in Accra,” hosted by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) at the Academy’s Secretariat on Thursday, 14 May 2026.
He described interracial and interethnic marriages as important indicators of social cohesion in multi-ethnic societies and noted that existing census data does not adequately capture the complexities of partner choice, identity formation and ethnic integration in contemporary Ghana.
According to him, schools, digital platforms and urban social spaces are increasingly creating new avenues for interaction among young people beyond traditional, ethnic and family boundaries, gradually reshaping social relationships in contemporary Ghana.
Professor Agyei-Mensah observed that patterns of inter-ethnic marriages in Accra continue to be shaped by ethnicity, residential settlement, education, wealth, social status and family expectations. He explained that some ethnic groups remain concentrated within particular neighbourhoods in the city, influencing social interactions and partner selection.
He noted that increasing social and ethnic diversity within residential communities in Accra could encourage more interethnic marriages, while growing class segregation may reinforce social divisions within the city.
Professor Agyei-Mensah also traced the historical roots of interracial marriages in Accra to the precolonial period, citing unions between Danish traders and Ga women in Osu that contributed to the emergence of influential Euro African families along the Gold Coast.
He further explained that while interracial marriages were largely accepted during the precolonial era, colonial authorities later introduced restrictions against such unions during British rule, reflecting changing political and social attitudes toward race and identity in the Gold Coast.
He observed that culturally cohesive ethnic groups were generally less likely to intermarry, while interethnic marriages tended to be more common among elite and educated groups.
Chairperson of the lecture and Vice President of the Arts Section of the Academy, Emerita Professor Takyiwaa Manuh (FGA) described the presentation as a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of race, ethnicity and marriage relations in Ghana and beyond.
The lecture attracted Fellows of the Academy, academics, researchers, students and members of the general public, including participants from the University of Ghana, and Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School.
The Annual Lecture in the Arts forms part of the Academy’s broader mission to advance knowledge, stimulate intellectual discourse and promote national development through critical engagement with issues of social, cultural and public importance.
