General News of Wednesday, 7 August 2019

Source: abcnewsgh.com

Oye Lithur is a shameless opportunist – Kennedy Agyapong

Kennedy Agyapong is MP for Assin Central Kennedy Agyapong is MP for Assin Central

Nana Oye Lithur, member of opposition NDC and acclaimed gender activist, has come under a barrage of attack from outspoken NPP MP for Assin Central for what he believes to be her double-standard behaviour.

Kennedy Agyapong called her out after he observed her loud silence following some abusive and ethnocentric comments made by Prophet Badu Kobi, the leader of the Glorious Wave Church International, ABC News can report.

The stalwart of the governing NPP recounted the role Oye Lithur, who is currently an aspirant for the Adentan Constituency seat on the ticket of the NDC, played in massing up women groups against him on the basis of gender activism when he made some remarks about the then Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei.

He is surprised, therefore, that Nana Oye Lithur has failed to take any action against the so-called Prophet leading him to suggest that Nana Oye Lithur is putting up a hypocritical posture.

Speaking on a show on his television station, Net 2 TV and monitored by ABC News, the Assin Central firebrand retorted, “Women activist like Nana Oye Lithur, when I made remarks about Charlotte Osei, she was able to organise Queenmothers, women, against me. Where is Nana Oye Lithur? Where is she? Nana Oye Lithur is a shameless opportunist. Where is she, if indeed, she is fighting for women? Where are the Queen Mothers in this country? Where are they? Do we really have women in this country to take on this guy?

He also questioned the relevance of the role played by the body that oversees the work of the Christian religious groups in Ghana, Christian Council.

In his view, they have failed to live up to expectation in demanding that the leader of the Glorious Wave Church International behaves in an acceptable manner or take actions to whip him in line for making such divisive comments.

To him, it is not an excuse for the Christian Council not to rebuke him simply because he is not a member of the organisation since they are set up to regulate activities of Christian faith-based institutions.

“We say we have Christian Council? They are bogus. If the comments were made by a politician, there would have been backlash from them. A pastor has made very awful remarks and all we heard was that pastor is not a part of the Council. As I sit here, do I know the difference between members of the Christian Council and those who aren’t part? Who has come out (from the Council) to condemn such comments?” he quizzed.

Visibly furious Kennedy Agyapong wondered why, “we are sitting there, allowing this guy (Prophet Badu Kobi) to disgrace women in this country and nobody has come out to condemn this guy.”

“And you women, I don’t know what is wrong with you, what motivates you to still fellowship at his Church? We cannot allow this to go on in this country. The American President made racist comments, look at what is going on in that country? And a Pastor makes such comments as he did and everybody has kept quiet. You wake up wasting your time in his Church, what at all are you looking for from God, Ghanaian women? God has given you wisdom, use it,” he advised women who are still members of his congregation.

Prophet Emmanuel Badu Kobi in a sermon a week ago, described women Volta, Ashanti and Central Regions of Ghana as dormant, greedy and unwise and advised men not to marry from those tribes.

In a viral video gone round, he is heard suggesting that “Fanti women are foolish sometimes and Ewes too are doormats. But for Ashanti women no!” among other unpalatable descriptions.

He has since refused to apologised since he trusts he offered the advise in good faith and said nothing wrong.