General News of Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Source: Daily Guide
Azonto is sexually suggestive, Rev. Nelson Yaw Ekor of the Global Evangelical Church has observed.
Azonto is the dance craze of the day, spreading like wild fire across the African continent and beyond. It is the latest and the most popular dance among the young and old folks, but the reverend minister has strong opposing views about the dance, which moves he described as suggestive, opting for it to be banned in the church.
He told DAILY GUIDE (DG) in an interview on Easter Sunday that Christians needed no such dance to glorify God.
Making a few azonto moves, he stressed, “I will not encourage my members to dance azonto in church.”
DG: What is it about this dance?
Reverend: I have not seen much of it but the little I have seen is not too good. (Rev Ekor rises and folds his fist to demonstrate the azonto dance). What is this? He quizzed.
DG: I still don’t get it, are you suggesting it is sexually suggestive?
Reverend: (Pastor giggles) Yes, yes! I think so aside that we don’t know the meaning of azonto and we are not sure about the source. We don’t need to manufacture all sorts of dances to glorify God.
DG: But King David in the Bible I’m told danced until his cloth fell off, so why are you saying your members should not dance azonto?
Reverend: I am not sure it was the azonto dance David danced. (He laughs and rises to mimic the azonto dance once again, shakes his head to connote the negative effect of the dance) No! This is not right, he said.
Earlier in the sermon, Rev. Ekor reminded his congregates of the fact that Mary Magdalene was the first to see the resurrected Christ and propagated the news of the resurrection despite her characterization as a prostitute. He explained that the fact that Apostle Peter was also sent by the risen Lord to Cornelius, who used to be a pagan, to accept Christ, strongly suggested that God is not a respecter of persons.
He accepted anyone who received Him and gave them power to become children of God.
Rev. Ekor encouraged his congregates to learn the ways of the resurrected Jesus and live in peace with all.
“Jesus said I am the way, the truth and the Light. It is our prayer that the world sees this light so that there would be peace all around and even before, during and after this year’s elections,” he noted, advising that Ghanaians should seek God in the choices they made in their quest for good political leadership.
The reverend stated, “Ghana belongs to all of us but remember that it is God who appoints a leader. Your (politicians) struggle therefore should be that of peace while you pray to God to elect a good leader for the nation. A search for power without God is futility!”