Nyame

Nyame, also known as Onyame or Onyankopon, is the supreme deity of the Akan peoples of Ghana and parts of the Ivory Coast. He is traditionally regarded as the sky god and creator, the source of order and life. In Akan cosmology Nyame is often described as distant or unseen, with his will made known through lesser gods, ancestral spirits, and human prayer. In some traditions his consort is Nyamewaa, a goddess associated with the heavens.

Nyame's sovereignty extends over the heavens and the sun, and he is regarded as the supreme judge of human affairs and destiny. Worship typically involves prayers, libations, and offerings performed by individuals or by priests and elders according to local custom. While direct revelation from Nyame is not common in everyday life, believers seek guidance and protection by appealing to Nyame's authority and by honoring the divine order he upholds.

In Akan folklore Nyame features prominently in creation myths and in stories about knowledge and wisdom. The best-known tale centers on Anansi the spider, who outwits Nyame to obtain the world's stories and human knowledge. That narrative, shared across generations, serves to illustrate cunning, cultural values, and the transmission of wisdom.

Today Nyame remains a foundational figure in Akan religious thought, remembered in proverbs, rites, and ceremonies. While formal worship is less centralized than in some other religious systems, Nyame is still honored in traditional settings and in cultural revival movements among Akan communities, with alternative names such as Onyame and Onyankopon reflecting dialectal variation.