Distinguished archaeologist and Dean of the School of Arts at the University of Ghana, Prof. Wazi Apoh, has issued a rebuttal to a viral social media narrative that falsely links his academic work to a claim that the biblical Mother Mary lived in the Volta Region.

The controversy stems from a video featuring a tour guide, identified as a watchman at the Volta Regional Museum, who asserted that "Mother Mary spent 40 years in Agbenoxoe", a town in Kpando.

The video inaccurately cited Prof. Apoh’s research poster, currently on display at the museum, as evidence for this narrative.

Setting the Record Straight

In a press statement issued on Monday, 27 April 2026, Prof. Apoh described the claims as "outrageous and false," stating emphatically that his extensive research in the Agbenoxoe community, which spans from 1996 to the present, has never uncovered any such story.

“I have neither documented, written, nor published any such claim anywhere that would justify linking my name to this story,” Prof. Apoh stated, noting that the misinformation is a defamatory misrepresentation of his professional legacy.

Formal Petitions to Authorities

The Professor has taken swift administrative action to protect his reputation, officially notifying Mr. Essel Blankson, the Acting Executive Director of the Volta Regional Museum, and Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

Prof. Apoh has formally requested that both the Ministry and the Museum management issue an immediate press release to clear his name and correct the inaccurate reportage.

He has further demanded that all social media posts bearing this false narrative and linking him to the claim must cease circulation immediately.

A Legacy of Academic Integrity

Prof. Apoh is a prominent figure in the global archaeological community, known for his work on the archaeology of colonisation and his advocacy for the repatriation of looted African artefacts.

His research, including the influential book "Revelations of Domination and Resilience", focuses on the tangible past of the Akpini and Akan peoples during the German and British eras.

The Professor’s demand for a retraction underscores the growing challenge of "fake news" and the misinterpretation of academic research by social media influencers and unauthorised guides.