Veteran Ghanaian actress and media icon, Maame Dokono — born Grace Omaboe — has sparked national debate after calling for the return of flogging as a disciplinary tool in homes and schools across Ghana.
In a recent media appearance, the iconic entertainer urged parents and educators to embrace old-fashioned methods of child discipline, including corporal punishment, as a way to combat what she describes as a decline in moral values among children.
“We were flogged, and it made us respectful, responsible, and disciplined. Today’s children are rude because there’s no fear or boundaries,” she stated.
Maame Dokono lamented the modern shift away from physical punishment, attributing it to rising indiscipline, lawlessness, and what she sees as a breakdown in social order. Her comments have reignited Ghana’s ongoing conversation around child-rearing practices, parental discipline, and the legal limits of corporal punishment.
While Ghana’s laws, including the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), do not outright ban corporal punishment in homes, there is growing advocacy—both locally and internationally—for its total abolition. Critics argue that all forms of physical punishment are harmful, outdated, and in violation of children’s rights.
Nonetheless, many in Ghana, particularly from older generations, still defend the practice as an effective method of instilling respect and enforcing boundaries.
Maame Dokono’s comments have stirred a mixed response online. While some Ghanaians support her call, echoing nostalgia for “the good old days,” others, especially youth activists and child-rights advocates, have criticized her stance as regressive and potentially harmful.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with her, Maame Dokono’s bold stance has reignited an important national discussion about parenting, discipline, and the evolving values of Ghanaian society. As Ghana continues to debate the role of corporal punishment, the voices of both the old and the young will shape the path forward.