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Opinions of Monday, 29 August 2011

Columnist: Okoh, Emmanuel

2011 is a Bad year for Ghanaian Fake Pastors – Hurrah!

I am of the firm opinion that Ghanaian pastors must be regularly checked to weed out those of dubious character. For how long are Ghanaians going to be held in psychological bondage by the new crop of pastors who are shamelessly seeking ludicrous wealth, fame and power? Are some of these pastors not equally measuring their popularity by the number of beautiful women they sleep with, as does any village macho man? I am completely lost for words when it comes to describing the untoward attitude of our Ghanaian pastors. As recently as last two weeks, another pastor had had sex with five sisters of same parents. What has gone wrong with these shameless Ghanaian "One-man Church" pastors? I would have their heads thoroughly examined if I had my own way.

Two years ago, a Ghanaian "burger" from London intended to visit one pastor going by the nickname "Jesus One Touch" resident at Kasoa in the Central region. He was told by a friend this pastor has the hand of God upon him and resultantly able to perform miracles to the benefit of his visitors. On reaching the premises of this pastor, he learnt he had to pay a consultation fee of GHC 150 (1.5 Million old Ghana Cedis) without which he could not see the pastor. He refused the payment and left without seeing the pastor. He was convinced the pastor is in for easy money and that by this unique attitude; he is more an agent of Satan than of God. He charges that fee before you can see his face. Can such a supposed Man of God be truly from God? I doubt it. Such is the situation Ghanaians find themselves under the hands of these creepy modern-day Ghanaian miracle-performing pastors.

A formerly London-based pastor who made conscious efforts to disintegrate a once united congregation has relocated to the US awash in shame. From what I hear about him and from my little observation of his chronological clerical activities, I can conveniently conclude that he is a wolf in a lamb's skin. He is a 100% Muslim but dubiously clad in Christian robe with the established intent to put asunder to the congregation God has put together.

I am the least baffled at his untoward attitude. He is not different from the many Ghanaian pastors who are currently committing vices in both broad daylight and under the cover of darkness. They preach virtue but shamelessly practice vices under the cover of darkness. This seemingly daring pastor under discussion, Professor Dr. Rev. John, was openly instigating some members of the Calvary Church of the London District PCG to split from the mother church to form what is a Reformed Calvary Church. The pastor who has now resigned from his Presbyterian clerical duties to pursue a life-fulfilling dream of acquiring wealth and fame in the Uncle Sam's land is really suffering from inferiority complexes judging from some of his bizarre interactions with people. He tries to show off by looking down upon those who have been less fortunate to acquire same educational qualifications as him. Living in his own little mental enclave with probably warped mind, he sees himself as the best of the best. This is a complete trait of inferiors trying to assert their authority once they seem to have had a bit of an enhanced social status within the community in which they live. They never let go any least opportunity they assume to project their purported superiority in the society. Anyway, I had better leave him to wallow in his own ocean of ignorance same, as does the pig in its pigsty.

Surely, his Muslim brothers or students will soon confer upon him that additional title of Alhaji, which one earns though, upon making a Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. As he has a relish for titles be whatever they are, he may soon oblige people to call him Professor Dr. Rev. Alhaji John. Is my guess not as good as yours, my dear reader? However, why will he have people call him Reverend Alhaji seeing that he has resigned from his Presbyterian clerical duties? I am a bit confused here. What purposes do they serve him if he achieved that evil intention of his to split up the Calvary congregation seeing that he is no longer a Presbyterian pastor resident in London? His penchant for fomenting trouble leaves sour taste in everyone's mouth. But be it known to all that, "those who seek to achieve prosperity and joy through cruelty will be drown in their own blood"

To all those that Professor Dr. Rev. John has incited to cause confusion in the house of the Lord, be it known to you that you stand to lose but not to gain. Exercise your mental faculty as adults able to think right for yourselves but not regrettably goaded by someone else. Some pastors after pulling on the strings to get some puppets to do their bidding, later laugh hilariously at the stupidity of those that they have manipulated to act absurdly.

I suggest that Professor Dr. Rev. Alhaji John ceases firing offensive e-mails to people he locks horns with without authentic reasons. It does not befit his status as either a Reverend or an Alhaji. Decorum is always called for in all our communications.

A pastor is not only to go down the same drain as either of the following, "Jesus One Touch" for having carnal knowledge of his ten-year old daughter. Vaglas Kanco duped a struggling British woman of £120,000. Or, Bishop Obinim for sleeping with his junior pastor's wife and also for casting infirmity spell on the woman's son or daughter; for people to call such a pastor a devil incarnate. Our minor actions that inconvenience the children of God to set their minds racing haphazardly makes a pastor equally evil as any of those just mentioned.

I am certain my dear Professor will heed my good advice to desist from any unwarranted acts of pomposity that undermines the word of God and his own respectability. Finally, my dear Professor Dr. Rev. Alhaji John is free and free forever. He has now found his roots in the US and safely crawled into it, thus, Islam. Will he cease tormenting unnecessarily the brothers, sisters and friends of Jesus Christ? For that much, I cannot guarantee as unpredictable as he is. He is though in the US, he still sends e-mails to blackmail certain church members in London with the intention of inciting people against them.

Emmanuel Okoh