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Opinions of Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Columnist: Thomas Akanyibah

Ayekoo to a great worker - Apostle Professor Opoku Onyinah

Apostle professor Opoku Onyinah Apostle professor Opoku Onyinah

It is an annual ritual to celebrate workers in Ghana but I have chosen to celebrate the remarkable service of Apostle professor Opoku Onyinah towards the development of religiosity in Ghana and Africa.

Honestly, I have never seen him to be a pastor but a complete humanist. For me, he did not practice theology but rather THEOSOCIOLOGY- a combination of theology and sociology. His Theosociological ministry made him the first Ghanaian clergy man to perfectly relate the word of God, society and modernity. There was a growing trend of ministerial bourgeoisie in the church but under his direct leadership, they were quelled.

He succeeded in pruning the church in Africa off its conservativeness and dogma. Today, the universal church is prettified and more enlightened because of his radical war against ignorance. The local tradition where new congregants and the modern youth would have to be pestered for refusing to don some kinds of apparels just to make them qualified for the presence of their maker was also invalidated.

He has many achievements to his credit in the church of Pentecost including the inflation of tunes, infrastructural development, extension of evangelistic visions etc but what tickles me the most is the SPIRITUAL ENLIGHTENMENT he has clothed the church with.

Albeit a spiritual man, he understands time and anthropology. Although a pastor, he understands science and technology which is obviously atypical of the majority of his very own mentees.

I remember, in one of his teachings, he explained how he had to prevent a pastor from cutting down trees planted in the premises of a church in a west African country - this clearly tells of his sound response to protecting nature and the creations of our maker.

Very soon, he would cease to be the leader of the great church of Pentecost because he would compulsorily retire at the gazetted age but I would continually and in earnest petitions, intercede that God would bless the world with his exact replica.

This supplication has become very necessary considering the recent multiplication of false prophets and famous prophecies, unsound biblical expositions, theological fraud, indoctrination and unhealthy cultural principles that is presently defacing the glory of Christianity in Africa.

I therefore say well done spiritual academic. The wisdom you carry would continue to run through the stream of Christianity in Africa. In the prolonged account of the church of Pentecost, the Ghana pentecostal and charismatic council and the Ghana Bible society, your sacrifice to humanity in finding comfort with God would forever be indelible.

I still recall one great quote from him; "the way you sing and pray in church must reflect in everything you do."

Ayekoo Apostle Professor Opoku Onyina!