A 19-year-old man, identified as Justice Berina Komla from Dodi-Kpomkpa in the Kadjebi District of the Oti Region, has tragically lost his life after being struck by lightning while working on a farm.
Accounts say that on Friday, October 17, 2025, Justice was in the process of uprooting a palm tree at farmland in Dodi-Papase. It was during this work that a sudden lightning strike hit him directly. The lightning strike came after an unusually loud thunderclap, causing fear among those nearby. Witnesses found him lying motionless on the ground.
The community’s traditional leader, speaking under condition of anonymity, noted that this was the third palm tree Justice had uprooted that day when the incident occurred.
Because the event is being viewed through both natural and cultural lenses, the leader revealed that the community suspects a spiritual cause. In local belief, the thunder god, known as Zakadza, is believed to strike down wrong-doers. Consequently, a delegation has been sent to consult a spiritualist to determine whether spiritual intervention played a role and to advise on the necessary purification and burial rites.
Until those traditional rites are completed, the body remains at the scene and cannot be moved. The delay has caused fear and confusion in Dodi-Papase, as residents wait for clarity and customary processes to conclude.
No official statement has yet been provided by local authorities or the police, and it remains unclear whether a formal investigation into the incident will be launched.
This tragic event has sparked renewed reflection on how rural communities in Ghana interpret lightning strikes and other natural phenomena — often through a combination of scientific, spiritual, and traditional cultural frameworks.
If you like, I can pull in additional context on lightning safety in farming areas, or the cultural significance of deities like Zakadza in Ghanaian communities. Would you like me to add that?
