A team of researchers from the Department of Physical Education and Sport Studies (PESS) at the University of Ghana is investigating how spirituality and juju influence athletic performance, motivation and behaviour across different sporting disciplines in Ghana.
The study a collaboration with the University of Calgary, Canada, seeks to understand how spiritual beliefs and practices shape sports performance and motivation within Ghana’s distinctive sociocultural environment, one in which many believe that supernatural forces play a decisive role in human activity, including sports.
Dr. Bella Bello Bitigu
Dr. Bella Bello Bitigu, Senior Lecturer at PESS and Project Lead, explained that the inspiration for the study emerged from his international collaborations and reflections on Ghanaian society. “It became clear that many of our activities, including sports, are influenced or determined by the supernatural,” he remarked. “This is especially evident where athletes seek spiritual protection, empowerment or success.”
He added that the project explores the intersection between spirituality and sports, examining how athletes’ beliefs and practices, whether prayer, fasting or rituals, shape their behaviour and performance. While football has traditionally dominated public discourse on spirituality in sport, Dr. Bitigu stressed that the study covers a wide range of disciplines beyond football.
Dr. Vida Korleki Nyawornota
Co-Principal Investigator Dr. Vida Korleki Nyawornota, also a Senior Lecturer at PESS, noted that the research aims to document how different forms of spirituality, including juju, affect performance at both local and international levels. “This phenomenon is real and observable at all levels of competition,” she said. “Our research will help determine whether such practices enhance or hinder performance and whether resources devoted to them should be redirected.”
Speaking on its implementation, Dr. Nyawornota explained that the study is being conducted in three phases: exploratory, consolidation and full-scale research. The ongoing pilot phase spans one year and focuses on the Ashanti, Greater Accra and Volta regions, with subsequent phases expected to cover additional regions for broader national representation.
Ms. Marigold Cobbinah
Ms. Marigold Cobbinah, a Research Assistant on the project, highlighted that the study also seeks to challenge stereotypes and promote open, balanced discussions about spirituality in sport. “Our goal is to tell the story from the athletes’ perspective, to understand how spirituality influences their performance,” she explained. “People often associate it with fetish practices, but for some athletes, it could mean praying, fasting or seeking divine strength. We are not judging; we are listening and understanding their perspectives.”
Ultimately, Dr. Bitigu expressed optimism that the research will provide new insights into how spirituality shapes athletes’ motivation, confidence and performance, while dispelling misconceptions surrounding juju in sport. By grounding the discourse in evidence rather than speculation, the researchers hope to foster a more informed and culturally sensitive understanding of the role of spirituality in sport, in Ghana and beyond.
Other members of the research team include Research Assistants with backgrounds in the social sciences and sport administration, as well as an author consultant who has written a book on sports.