“The same fire which melts the wax - hardens the clay; the same sun which makes the living tree grow, dries up the dead tree, and prepares it for burning. Nothing so hardens the heart of man as a barren familiarity with sacred things. It is not privileges alone which make people Christians; but the Grace of the Holy Ghost”
John Charles Ryle 1816 – 1900.
First Anglican Bishop of Liverpool.
For the past few years, religion – especially the Christian religion, has found itself in a quagmire of scandalous engagements which have made it the focus of media discussion. From the umbrella word “Christianity”, springs the sectionalisation of it which is better coined “DENOMINATIONS”.
‘Denominalization’ of Christianity has successfully brought in its wake, the unbridled springing up of all manner of gatherings commonly called ‘churches’, all using the good name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Unfortunately the use of the Gentleman’s name is most often than not, the craving of some young, but un-noticed criminals who have discovered the use of JESUS’ name as a rich ‘mineral resource’ to make money and wealth.
As a matter of fact, Christianity is the fasted growing ‘commercial’ interest in Ghana, which is only second to the alcoholic drinking bar business, especially the ‘Blue Kiosks’ or ‘Akpeteshie’ bars. For every new settlement areas in the cities, the competing businesses that run equal to one another are these two ‘commercial’ interests.
The drinking bar business is however, supposedly abhorred by the so-called ‘clean men’ who call themselves ‘men of God’. But, it is these ‘clean men’ who have of late caused Ghana, some sort of moral pain.
SCANDALS AGAINST HYPONOTIC CAPTIVES
Having the charisma to hold men and women captive by controlling their mindsets is a necessary ‘tool’ that a leader must have. Without a bit of it however, a leader cannot lead for long. Napoleon Bonaparte had it. In the absence of charisma, Adolf Hitler could not sit at a corner, and drive his men by mental manipulation to do his bidding in the massacre of Jews in their millions.
Oral Roberts needed it - had it and used it to perfection. Reinhard Bonke had it! Bob Marley used it to spread his ‘rastafarianism’ in reggae music. Houphouet Boigny utilised it to rule his country till death took him off the terrain of mother earth. I could have stopped here. But I am going on.
Living scandalous men, better known as ‘Pastors of Deception and Destruction’ in Ghana – have it. The power of their hypnotic charisma has made them hold the congregation of their individual churches captive. It is this ‘tool’ that is effectively used to the extent that when they are caught stealing, fornicating or in adulterous acts, the gullible church members will come to their aid.
It was not surprising, therefore, when, once upon a time, a ‘reverend man of god’, ‘four-one-nined’ a British woman when his church members went to his aid. The story, as was told, is that he lured the woman to hand over a cheque with a face value of £120,000, to enable him ‘exorcise’ some evil spirits off it before she could pay it to her former partner.
What followed next was that the cheque never got back to its owner, and the lady had to follow him down to Ghana, since the cheque was given to him in the U.K. and he had then re-located to Ghana. This ‘man of god’ who was later arrested and presented before court to be prosecuted, was where I felt sad for Jesus Christ.
At the precincts of the court, members of the Vineyard Chapel International, thronged and insulted the police, the judiciary and the media. The culprit, in the case is the self-made founder and Bishop Vaclas Kanco, of their church. They cursed officers of the law and the media.
Unfortunately for them, however, their curses rather helped the law to CURSE their leader to be housed in a government controlled facility called – prison for eighteen (18) months.
In 2009, a man of God was said to have fooled a married woman into his room to pray for her. It was alleged he stripped the lady naked and run his hands over her body until he got to some forbidden areas where washing of her ‘something’ was to take place. His victim, who was not too dazed spiritually, resisted and got her freedom from his hold. I don’t think he had the synoptic charisma.
He also had no large following.
A “Ghanaian Times” report of Friday, May 18, 2007, had a front page banner headline that read, “PASTOR BRIBES POLICE, ¢150M [Million old Ghana cedis] INVOLVED”
The main story had it that the pastor in this case was caught with a substance which was then suspected to be the dreaded-by-many, but loved by a few, the illicit drug known as COCAINE. Upon his arrest, he allegedly bribed the police with the amount put out by the paper. In this particular case we do not know whether he had the charisma that drew crowds to himself.
Newspaper reports sometime back gave out a Catholic priest who is not supposed to marry or keep girl-friends (amorous), went into a nocturnal affair with a lady. When the relationship went sour, the ‘beast’ in him came out when he took a machete and brutalised the lady involved.
Then we had another media report in which case a ‘pastor’ who unleashed his sexual libido to his own teenage daughter. In the course of his trial, members of his church made the Cocoa Affairs Court area become another spot where curses, again, were issued against the victim and her mother, as well as court officers.
But the purpose of this write-up is the current scandalous ‘PENTICO-CHARISMATIC development of our time.
THE OBINIM SAGA
In the Blessed name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, a mortal being was brave enough to spiritually and physically insult the Three-In-One with impunity. The HALELUYA invocation was corrupted in order to achieve an adulterous act.
This is the reason why an OBINIM, (knowing that if nobody knows, GOD knows – and will know), closed his eyes to biblical teachings, and used His name, instead of Lucifer, to do what he confessed doing. He uses the Bible to preach to his congregants to live a life of virtuousness, but behind the screens of his church; he engages in the very detestable activities that he preaches against.
He has confessed to making love constantly to one of his junior pastors which allegedly culminated in the birth of a child. His adulterous act is just an isolated one. The innocent child he has fathered also suffered a spill-over of his estranged amorous relationship with the mother.
The loose-tongued ‘man of a god’ opened his mouth and told Ghanaians that he had to curse the child with paralyses which has affected the brain as well. This is how wicked some men of a god’ can be. What baffles one however, is the controversial posturing of some other respected men of God in our society with regards to this case. One of them is Apostle Kwamena Ahinful.
But before we get to him, let’s take this quote from the former US President Thomas Jefferson, on the adulteration of the Christian doctrine when he said: “I consider the doctrines of Jesus as delivered by Himself to contain the outlines of the sublimest system of morality that has ever been taught. But I hold in the most profound detestation and execration, the corruptions of it which have been invented”.
Let me admit that the Apostle is a great personality in the field of authorship par excellence. I have read a lot of his articles in the media spanning over fifteen years. His erudite way of writing which often dwells on objectivity is so admirable for one to avoid.
However, the same cannot be said of him when he poked into the OBINIMS’ debacle. First, the Apostle took a gender-based bias against Gifty Pokua, on the commission of the sin called ADULTRY.
In his popular column in the “Daily Guide” of Saturdays called “CONTROVERSY”, the Apostle wrote on the scandalous wife snatcher titled “BISHOP OBINIM’S ERRORS”. His first piece on him was published on Saturday, August 6, 2011.
He referred to the married woman in a very derogatory manner. The fact is that it takes two to commit the sin of ADULTRY. And except where rape is confirmed, none of the culprits can be held wholly of being the cause.
In the case of the self-styled bishop, the Apostle has laid the blame on the innocent lady who, to me, was hypnotised into engaging in that act. For Apostle Kwamina Ahinful, to have apportioned a blame reading, “But unfortunately Bishop Obinim committed two bad errors in dealing with his TEMPTRESS (my emphasis) lady, Gifty Pokua. When the lady kept “PESTERING” (emphasis mine) him with unceasing advances to him even after the sexual affair, the meaning of these, was that she loved him very much. Therefore Obinim should have used great tacts to get rid of her”.
The good Apostle did not end there. For he went further in the same paragraph to suggest that, “What he should have done was to have invited the lady to appear before him and his wife, Florence, and to have promised that he was ready to give her ¢200 or ¢300 or thereabouts; but in order that her husband Willie might not question her about it, she should come with him, so that she might be given the money so as to set up a small business, ALL FOR HER LOYALTY AND HARD WORK TO THE CHURCH and HER HUSBAND’S UNFAILING ASSISTANCE TO OBINIM...” (my emphasis).
As a matter of fact I felt so scandalised over this suggestion and saw it as an insult to Gifty and her husband. In fact the Apostle’s disposition in his write-up under reference was so skewed in favour of Obinim, for me to believe he is the same person I have been reading over the years. The very early paragraphs of his write-up had praises for Bishop Doctor Daniel Obinim (somebody knows). This was to me a clear attempt by the respected author to pre-condition the minds of his readers – to drive in his BIAS against the unfortunate victim of a godly criminal.
For Christ and goodness sake, let nobody use the Biblical book of Genesis, where Eve was tempted by the serpent, to put the blame of adulterous acts to our women-folk. For if Apostle Ahinful were that patient to wait for the then unfolding sex scandal to fully excavate itself, he would have found himself at a different position from where he stands now.
As the transcripts of recordings of the sex scandal are made public bordering on this fake pastoral element, the Apostle would be forced to reposition himself. Portions of TAPE II transcript gives out the ‘man of a god’ that from day one when he got to know that Rev. William Fobih intended marrying Gifty, started his amorous adventure towards her
This assumption is obtained in the transcript where William alleged; “When I introduced my wife to her [him] he collected her number with the excuse that she [he] would be calling her to pray for her so that the marriage would be successful”.
A preceding paragraph to the above stated that, “Bishop started to sleep with my wife immediately I approached him and told him that I wanted to marry the girl”.
All this attests to the fact that Gifty, had never pulled up herself to tempt or seduce Obinim. As to whether he knew the lady before the introduction was done to him by the junior pastor can be deducted from the two paragraphs.
But the questions that must be asked are, why did Obinim collect the contact number of the lady under the pretext of praying for her? Did not Williams need the prayers of the so-called bishop? Since the introduction of Gifty, how many times did he call the two as a couple to pray for them? And why must the lady be prayed for – only?
In spite of these necessary questions that would have brought out the definite answers to deflect the blame on Gifty, Apostle Ahinful, wished away this option and saw the lady to be the “TEMPTRESS” in this adulterous escapade”.
What is obtainable from the transcript of TAPE I in the “Daily Guide” of Monday, August 15, 2011, has not only given away Obinim (who indeed God knows), but terribly so.
In that transcript, one wonders whether it is Obinim who tempted the devil or the devil who did. If Obinim is that powerful and supposedly GOD delivers miracles through him to his followers, how could the same GOD have forsaken him when he went into this ‘godly’ entanglement?
The transcript, referenced here suggests that Obinim at no point in time regretted his crime, but sought to conceal it forever, in order not to destroy his business.
He allegedly, according to the transcript, said, in pleading with Gifty that, “Baby, I beg you, please change your decision, you know this is the job I do to take care of you, so if you go public with this issue, the church will collapse and I will not have money to give you or my family as well as my junior pastors”.
Further on, he made promises to Gifty which is captured thus; “Baby, I promise to give you everything you want including a travel opportunity, a house and a plush car. I even promise to give you a whole quantum of offering that would be collected for three main church services”.
These promises were made against Apostle Ahinful’s insulting pittance of ¢200.00 or ¢300.00 [Ghana cedis] to be given her in the presence of the husband to enable her start a business.
Herein lies the truth that almighty ‘bishop’ Obinim intentionally, maliciously and wickedly wished to insult GOD – which insult was then extended to Pastor Williams Fobih.
“To me, the whole revelation is surprising on account of the fact that Bishop Obinim appears to have been sent by the Lord, owing to the miracles of, especially raising the dead, and immediately healing the incapacitated sick people, and prophesying with precision…“ This is Apostle Ahinful on “Obinim Errors”, as published by the “Daily Guide of August 6, 2011.
The Apostle conveniently forgot the Apostle Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth which is recorded in 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 which reads, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angle of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve”.
I do not know whether the Apostle was just trying to push aside certain realities that many people know about Mr. Obinim. For I don’t want to believe that in his apostleship, he has never come across admonitions of this sort in the scriptures. The current episode is not an isolated one.
For once upon a time, there was a VULGAR and most UNGODLY encounter between the leader of International Gods Way Ministry, Obinim; against a Rev. Dr. Ebenezer Opambour Adarkwah Yiadom of the Ebenezer Miracle Worship Centre.
Various radio studios played sound bites of the verbal ‘masturbation’ that both leaders engaged themselves. The listening citizenry may have been scandalised when they openly boasted how wealthy they are, all of them claiming to be richer over the other. Spiritual powerfulness was not left out.
I am forced to believe that the Apostle did not here of the ugly development. That may be why he said of Obinim, that, “His general demeanour does not show him to be a pastor who can be linked to any corruption of any sort….”
Mr. Obinim is not ordinarily corrupt – he uses the name of GOD to do that. When the ‘man of a god’ first came to Tema, his number one corrupt activity was to make paper fans with his picture embossed on them, and then sells same to the gullible congregants.
That is the PERNICIOUS influence the man had in his followers. How could one be healed by simply buying an ordinary fan with somebody’s picture, who claims to be spiritually powerful.
The ‘man of a god’ knew that SOMOBDY knew his nocturnal activities, as the literal meaning of his name depicts. He should have known that even if nobody knew of his alleged criminal and hidden activities, the ALMIGHTY ONE – GOD, knew he was using his name in VAIN which HE abhors.
He could, therefore, hide his dirty and ‘under-the-bridge’ activities from ordinary beings – but not GOD. Unfortunately, his sympathizers are not bothered about his decimation of GOD’S name, as a result of which he has been exposed – instead, they are finding all possible excuses to talk away his follies.
One of those, unfortunately, is the Apostle, who, in spite of all the filthy exposure of the ‘man of a god’, still stands firmly behind him – and wishes him well in his ‘ministry’. “May God forgive him and bless his Ministry to Prosper...”, is what the Apostle wished the SOMEBODY knows man in his piece “Bishop Obinims Errors.
In all the write-ups of Apostle Kwamena Ahinful, on the disgraced ‘man of a god’, that I have read so far, much of his sympathy goes to Obinim, as against that of Gifty Pokua and the innocent child. If he claimed the devil worked through Pokua to get at the man, and for that matter he needed prayers for his sins to be forgiven, why was not the same wish extended to the lady?
Why must the lady be seen by the Apostle, as the “TEMPTRESS”, when the lady did not volunteer to give out her phone number to Obinim – but rather upon his request as alleged by Pastor Fobih? Can we, from this background determine the origination of the TEMPTATION the Apostle has so much stressed on?
The scandalous ‘men of gods’’ of our time, make us stand agape and ask whether it is they who go after the devil – or the devil after them? Why are they good at identifying the devil being the cause, only after the sin has been committed and when caught?
Apostle Ahinful questioned the motive behind Pokua’s recording of conversations between them. He refused to rationalize the motive behind Pokua’s letting the ‘cat out of the bag’ regardless of the JUICY promises made to her by the pastor.
He, the Apostle must re-consider his proposal of 200.00 – 300.00 [Ghana cedis] parting gift to set her up in business, against the bishop’s vulgar promises. If the devil originated his workings against Obinim from her, why would she be so much in a hurry to expose the bishop, instead of holding on to the damaging recordings until the ‘goodies were given out?
We are told one of the devil’s ways of capturing his foes, are through the provision of luxury earthly property, which Obinim has in abundance. And the devil was working through Pokua, we are told – but she refuses to take advantage of these succulent offers of a house, an air travel to Europe or America, a plush car and all that?
Why can’t we reason that GOD, at a point in time decided to stop the devil, who was rather working through Obinim to destroy the FAKE marriage that he conducted for Pokua and the husband, and grant them a restored love with His blessing? Why must we, unnecessarily see Pokua as the ‘devil’s incarnate’ in this saga? Is it because she is a lady? May GOD go to her the help she so much desire.
CRIMINALS IN GOD’S NAME
God’s name which must be preserved, loved and glorified by humanity, has been hacked to pieces – if not shreds. That is why we have an “International Gods Way” (instead of the devil’s way) Ministry”.
“Pure water” is bagged water commonly known as sachet water, but better known by the quoted name. How pure it is – is not known, but for sometime this year a cholera out-break in Accra was attributed to this so-called “pure-water”.
The possibility of having contaminated water connotes the same fear of having adulterated oil. One should therefore, not be surprised at seeing a church called “PURE OIL MINISTRY”. Another goes with the name “Yehowah Tree Of Life Ministry”. We don’t know whether it is the tree that gives life, or life is given to the tree.
Whatever names are given to these numerous churches doesn’t matter. What matters is that the fake ‘men of gods’ want their congregations to know that they worship God the Almighty.
But there were these young men who fascinated me. The banner headline of the “Ghanaian Times” of Saturday, September 3, 2011, had something interesting about the men.
They coined a very bizarre but frank name for themselves. “SATAN’S GANG”, is the name they attributed to themselves. They are alleged to be engaged in a number of robberies.
“Thou shall not steal” is one of the commandments of God which must be obeyed. In the young men’s case, they are not into ordinary stealing – they harm and even sometimes kill to steal.
There is nothing GODLY about their activities. They know they are in bed with the devil so why should they pretend to be with GOD. Not wanting to be hypocrites, therefore - “SATAN’S GANG”, was the appropriate name they gave the group.
This development is against the reality, that many ‘disciples’ of the devil profess the name of JESUS CHRIST to dupe entire congregations. These criminals in the name of GOD, fleece the flock by asking them to drop their last pesewas into ‘church’ baskets – promising them a better life in Heaven, as if that same better life is not meant for them – ‘pastors’.
They then enrich themselves with these collections, using the same to snatch members of their flocks’ wives.
A few months ago, media reportage rated the riches of some ‘men of a god’, and it was so spiritually nauseating to find out the level of their wealth. Indeed they are into ‘ministry’ to preach PROSPERITY, so why should they remain poor.
In fact, a United Kingdom based African ‘man of a god’, spent close to Two Hundred Thousand British Pounds in celebrating his birthday in 2006 or thereabout. But no member of his flock had the guts to question such acts of PROFLIGACY.
And a church which is headquartered in Nigeria, with a branch in Ghana, was alleged to be laundering American Dollars by concealing them in vehicular tyres to Nigeria. The act was later revealed when the Ghanaian side of the church felt it was being cheated, leading to its independence from its Nigerian founder. The founder is alleged to be the richest ‘man of gods’ in Africa.
The activities of these charlatans are too painful for one to fathom forcing one to believe that GOD is being ‘OPPRESSED’. But the fact is that any mortal being who attempts ‘oppressing’ Him, must have himself or herself to blame.
Indeed, He is slow to act in anger. But when he decides to – disaster sets in. That is why, when ‘BISHOP’ ‘DOCTOR’ DANIEL OBINIM ignored His admonition: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your GOD; for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name“ – he exposed him to broad daylight DISGRACE.
I do want to hope that the other ‘demonic’ men of gods; who have made it a point to use the name of GOD in vain are observing with correctional apprehension.
I cannot conclude this write-up without taking a quote from Ngugi’s book, “Ngugi Detained: A Prison Writers Diary”. In it he stated, “People normally say God said, God said. But God never spoke in finit organical voice. But the voice of honest INDIGNATION – is the voice of GOD”.
This article is my HONEST INDIGNATION at what God’s name is being used for criminal engagements. Beware! For His time of EXPOSING YOU IS FINALLY COME!
Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi
[email protected]
Tel: 0266223333 /0249488120