Professor Mills and The Lost Anointing

As a spiritually equipped Ghanaian pastor based in Italy, many ambitious men and women have come to see me from time to time, to help them to achieve their objectives in sports, politics, business, banking, etc. Even other pastors come to see me to pray for their elevation in very controversial churches. Some criminals even think that they need a pastor to save them from law enforcement agencies, so I am sure some prayers I have raised to heaven have been for people with bad intentions. From my base in Italy, one group I often have to pray for are politicians. Now that the wind of democracy is blowing all over Africa, politicians have become important, and everybody wants to become one. Those who are minor local government officials want to aspire to become State legislators. State and provincial politicians dream of when they can land a plush job in the capital. And ministers everywhere think they can do better than their President.

Nigeria, with its many states and gubernatorial elections, is particularly fertile grounds. At least it is good that politicians are seeking God’s face and voice, whereas coup makers in the past preferred juju, fetish priests and witch doctors. Democratic trends in Africa and rule of law have led to the blossoming of God’s word, and created jobs in the priesthood. Christianity has benefitted. As African economies get worse, many put their faith in the Lord, so from Zimbabwe to Kenya and Malawi, I have been very busy.

Recently, I have also been praying about Ghana, my native country. There, after peaceful elections in 2000, power was handed over by one party to another. Now, six years later, the people are preparing for another war of political words. There are many parties jockeying for position and many candidates, but not as many as the 35 parties and presidential candidates in Kinshasa, the DRC. In that country I was also recruited recently to offer some prayers to three different presidential candidates at the same time.

I shall write about the NPP and CPP camps when they get ready for Congress, and what I see as the Lord’s hand in those primaries. In the NDC camp, my prayers have shown that God’s hand is moving, and major anointing is leaving one candidate and falling on others. Those who can see the move of this anointing and can tap into it will prosper, and he who loses the anointing and does not take early steps to align with God’s plan could perish. For many years, since around 1998, all the anointing in the NDC was on one candidate, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, who had served as Vice President from 1996.

Just as Elijah’s anointing fell on Elisha when he was about to take a rest from his work, so did it fall on Mills when Rawlings was about to take leave of his work. One day, Rawlings spoke at the town of Swedru, in the Central Region, and laid his political mantle and anointing fully over him. This fulsome political anointing allowed Mills to stand unopposed in 2000 in his political party. No other possible candidates in the NDC dared oppose him. Not former PNDC people, not former Ministers, not High Commissioners or retired soldiers. The anointing of the political godfather, Rawlings, had fallen on him, as Samuel (1 Samuel 9) selected Saul and the people accepted it without debate.

However, as Ecclesiastes puts it clearly, there is time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3 vs 1 on), and it has become apparent that the anointing enjoyed by Prof. Mills is rapidly waning, as a sign of spiritual warning to him to review his decision regarding Ghana’s presidency. He has already lost and keeps losing various serious forms of anointing.

1. Loss of Political Anointing. But now, just as God’s anointing left Saul and was later bestowed on David, the anointing of Rawlings has fallen from Atta Mills. No one knows all the reasons why. But surely Rawlings and all of NDC are tired of Atta Mills losing twice. The decision by President Rawlings not to support any of the NDC flagbearership aspirants is seen as a victory for democracy in NDC. But it also seen by all Ghanaians as a loss to Prof Mills. If Rawlings was giving Mills 100% support, but now is not supporting any candidate, what is the true Biblical interpretation? If there are five possible candidates in the NDC for Congress, then Rawlings is giving each one 20 percent anointing, including Mills. Or, as a fellow pastor I argued with recently said: “he is giving zero to everyone”. So Mills is getting zero anointing from Rawlings now. Biblically, that is very serious, because without the anointing, leaders must bow out or give up. They cannot be successful without it. It is generally believed that Rawlings has decided to give his anointing to another candidate, but since he has not announced anything we should not speculate. What we know is that Mills has either equal anointing with other candidates or no anointing, same as others. So in the realms of the spirit, he has lost very serious anointing. Mills is the main loser in Rawlings’ declaration of no anointing for anyone.

The votes Rawlings used to get at NDC Congresses and in the general elections is what he passed on to Mills. With the loss of Mills’ anointing, there is a big question mark, strictly from religious interpretation and prophecy, where his votes will come from. Rawlings used to get .about 57% of the national vote. When he passed his political anointing to Mills, the latter held on to about 44-45% of the national vote. Some prayerful pastors believe that had Rawlings chosen some other colleague politician like Obed Asamoah, Alhaji Iddrissu, Kwesi Botwe, P.V. Obeng or even young Goosie Tanor to pass on his anointing, that successor also could reasonably get the same 45% of the vote Mills used to get. This is not to say that the Prof is not a good man. The ecclesiastical question is whether he has his own source of political anointing or such political anointing that he enjoys has simply been transferred and inherited. Prayerful intercession does not show clearly that without the Rawlings anointing, the learned Professor cannot survive using his own machinery.

2. Loss of Financial Anointing. News from Ghana to our Church branches also announces that one of the Professors closest friends and financiers, one Elder Eddy Annan, has also chosen to throw his prelates hat in the political ring of Ghana. This Annan, I am told has been a businessman. It is reported that he sees himself as a Ghanaian Berlusconi, the Prime Minister here for quite some time, who used his millions to buy political favour. No matter how many courts he was sent to and how many judges he had to “see”, he came away victorious. Rumour has it that this Annan is the one Rawlings anointing may have fallen on. Our fervent prayers for revelation has not shown that yet. At least he also either enjoys the 20 % Rawlings anointing or the same zero that Mills is enjoying. I hear most people in Ghana believe that Annan was Prof’s main money-giver. Elder Annan does not deny it. Annan seems to be enjoying himself in the new spotlight he has created. Eddie himself gives this impression in his interaction with delegates, MPs, etc.

Eddie says he has created jobs in the private sector, and therefore can create some for all Ghanaians, getting them from poverty. He says he will not fund Professor again, because he lost too many times, and his money is not being well used. In religious terms, what we see is that his decision to also run is a loss of financial anointing to Mills. The good book admonishes mankind not to ‘cast their pearl before swine’ but to ‘sow on fertile grounds’. Eddie has every reason to believe that Mills is an unfertile ground. This man’s behaviour is to tell all those who gave money before to Mills to stay away, as his own investment has yielded no returns. It is like the parable of the talents in which one servant could not multiply what his boss had given to him to invest. It seems Mills could not double the talents given him by Annan, and the boss has come back to take his talents. He could not say to Mills: “Thou good and faithful servant. You have been master of a little. I shall make you master of much.” (Matthew 25 vs 14 on). In fact Annan’s message to Mills, seen from a seer’s eye, is “thou....slothful servant....’.

3. Loss of Ethnic & Regional Anointing. In the Bible, it was always important for people to be associated with their homeland and birth places. So often, we read about Biblical personalities, and the Bible tells us where they were born, what tribe they belonged to and which great grandfather ‘begat’ which grandfather who ‘begat’ which father who ‘begat’ the son. Geneologies are always traced back as far as it could go. In the realms of politics too, the same thing applies, and politicians call it constituencies. So for politicians, it is important for one to be strong in one’s constituency, if that person is to win an election. This is why if a politician is weak in his own geographic backyard, he can be considered as having lost a major, usually fatal anointing.

The Central and Western Regions are supposed to be the political backyard of Prof Mills, where he should enjoy his greatest favour. Political analysts in the Universities and Polytechnics there have been scratching their heads to explain why many parts of Ghana vote for the NDC party and for Mills, except the people of the Western and Central regions, his political base. During a recent evangelical mission to Ghana during which I visited the famous Musama Disco Christo Church at Mozano (Gomoa Ehyiem) in the Central region and prayed with many mighty men of God, I posed this delicate question to them. The men of God seemed no better informed than the University professors I spoke with. They simply accepted that Mills does not have the ethnic, tribal and regional anointing he and every politician needs. They thought this loss of anointing alone should be enough to make every politician like Mills think more than twice before knocking his head against the hard walls of that region. I can prayerfully write that like the sad fate of Belshazzar, the son of Nebuchadnezzar, the loss of regional anointing is a writing on the wall which a politician ignores at his peril. “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting” (Daniel 5 vs 25-28).

Also, I heard in my travels through Agona, Assin and Wassa, Gomoa, Efutu and Ahanta that all kinds of surveys and studies had been done by various groups and newspapers. All this fact-finding confirm that the people of the Central and Western regions are in no mood to be presented with the same rejected Professor for another try. Many spoke bitterly of how Fantis were insulted by other tribes after the last elections, and said that they do not want to go through that humiliation again by Mills losing another time. They asked the NDC why they want to persecute people of that region by bringing back over and over again the same rejected candidate. “Don’t they not have other good people, Fanti or not?” This was the question put to me by one Kenkey seller by the roadside, at the junction to Old John Sarbah road in Takoradi. Chiefs in Fantiland are quite angry. In their account, since the days of King Ghartey of Winneba and his attempts at creating a Confederacy for fantiland to enable them stand against Ashanti aggression, power has eluded them. They expressed deep fear that if NDC presents Atta Mills again and he fails once more, Fantiland and Fantimen would be doomed in Ghanaian politics.

4. Loss of Youth and Women Anointing. In Biblical days, kings were usually crowned young. Many men lived then beyond hundred years, but they came into their glory when they were young, bold, adventurous, strong, and could conquer many foes and do exploits for God. So Saul, David, Solomon, Jeroboam, Jehoshaphat and most of the Kings of Israel ascended to the throne quite young, so they had the energy to drive forward the nation of Judah (1 Kings 22 vs 41-42 is an example). Developing countries are young nations that also need young people to vigorously help to fight poverty. Ghana has had its young leaders, Kwame Nkrumah, as Prime Minister in 1951 was 42, Afrifa was 33 as President, Rawlings was Head of State at 31, and Acheampong and Limann were in their 40s. It is true that not all these men did very much we are proud of. But Akuffo Addo, who became President in his late 60s was literally sick throughout his presidency until he died, almost in office. Kufuor is about 67, and most of the NPP likely candidates, I have been told, are more than 60. In the NDC, Mills, Annan and one Alhaji Iddrisu are in their mid 60s. So the Presidency has become a retirement job, which people take after their years of active duty just to enjoy their retirement. Meantime, there is a lot to be done and the country needs younger and more virile men and women to man and steer affairs. Job 32 vs 8-9 makes us understand that ‘Old age is not always wisdom’. In fact most successful leaders in the world have been young people: John Kennedy, Bill Clinton of the USA, King Abdullah of Jordan and Tony Blair of the UK are very good examples.

The youth have seen this, and so have women. They would like to change things. In fact, women also like their Presidents to be handsome and appealing. Many refuse to accept that this was the main strength of Jerry Rawlings. My prayerful insights tell me that Rawlings must have gotten something like 80 percent of the female vote, much like what was reported of handsome Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania who got 78 % of the female vote. George W. Bush is reported to have beaten John Kerry because he appealed to the youth and women, besides the evangelicals.

Mills has received a lot of blessings in intellect, but Almighty Father did not bless him with what excites womanhood. There is no doubt that lack of female votes accounts for some of his serious losses. The answers to prayers we have sent to heaven inform us that the next President of Ghana will be one who can muster most of the youth and women’s votes. But members of my church in our various branches assure me that the youth and women are the ones most likely to vote against Prof Mills, because they do not find him interesting, charismatic or exciting. He also does not talk about their issues. In the Bible when the youth, who were the men of valour and war reject a King, his days were numbered, as no one would follow him into war.

5. Loss of Northern Anointing. In the Old Testament, all the great tribes had various alliances. When a King had problems with his neighbours, he called on his allies to help him out. (2 Kings 3 vs 7). When a King’s allies desert him before or on the battle field he loses an important anointing. He usually loses the war, as David did to some of his enemies. So it is in the world of politics, that various parties forge alliances with other parties. Within parties, alliances are forged often on ethnic and tribal grounds. And the NDC has in the past forged some useful alliances across various ethnic and tribal boundaries. In the last elections, my prayerful investigation reveals that the political centre of the NDC moved to the three Northern and Volta regions, as Mills was unable to do well in the Akan regions with which he is affiliated. It is reported that the northern caucus, led by Iddrissu Mahama, are up in arms that Mills made them all lose the last elections, yet treats them with little respect.

The Volta people also are in some disarray, with their most well-known NDC politician, Obed Asamoah, having split off to form his own party. Northerners argue that Alhaji Idrissu, as a former PNDC senior official throughout the 1980s and a Cabinet Minister before Mills, could also have been chosen by Rawlings as running mate in 1996. Yet, he was not bitter about this and served Mills faithfully. He also could have been the beneficiary of the famous Swedru Declaration in 1998, and been given a silver platter to inherit, by obtaining a transfer of the votes of Rawlings. Northerners claim that Alhaji respectfully supported Mills as VP. Sources at NDC headquarters have told one of my church members that as unopposed flagbearer in 2000, Mills also got Alhaji’s untainted support. Then against Kwesi Botchwey, Alhaji was again in Mills’ corner. Northerners are angry that Mills did not bother to consult Alhaji, as the most senior Northern NDC politician, when choosing running mates; Martin Hamidu in 2000 and Mahmood Mumuni in 2004. Northerners ask why Prof will not step down for one of these Northern “shadow Vice Presidents”, Hamidu and Alhaji Mumuni.

6. Loss of Volta Region or World Bank Anointing. The NDC’s support in the Volta region, as with the whole NDC, is coming under ferocious attack by Obed Asamoah, the region’s most senior former NDC politician. It seems Obed is more interested in breaking NDC than winning an election from NPP. Obed’s break-away to form a new party has its origins in the Swedru Declaration, where Mills was apparent crowned heir to the throne. Obed, who like Iddrissu, had been standing by to be offered the kingly crown, felt very insulted by the whole process, apparently master-minded by a shadowy group around Mills called the Fanti Confederacy. Professor Mills’ bitter campaign against Kwesi Botchwey created deep-seated rifts in the party which are yet to be healed. Those rifts have been fertile grounds in nurturing Obed’s anger, so say some of my prayer warriors in testifying what they have been seeing and sensing in the spirit. Mills can also take responsibility for the bad situation in the Volta region for the NDC. Those in the NDC who understand Obed’s reasoning for his break-away blame Prof for NDC’s loss of both the Reform boys and now Obed’s people.

7. Loss of Anointing of Other Political Parties President Kufuor did not win a straight first round in 2000. He won the second round by entering into a pact with the smaller parties - CPP, PNC, GCPP, etc., to obtain their votes. Biblically, tribes of Judah entered various pacts with the Assyrians, Persians, Amelekites, Nubians and other far-off kings, in order to live more peacefully or for purposes of trade or military collaboration. Today, the NDC needs to have strong relations with the smaller parties. Mills has not done much to strengthen these ties, so the NPP has had a field day recruiting Nkrumahists and offering them plum positions and perks they can’t refuse. Fancy, Paa Kwesi Nduom of the CPP (instead of an NPP Minister) signing the Millennium Challenge Account in the White House, with President Kufuor standing behind him. What prevented NDC to do the same for the smaller parties when they were in power? Why does Mills have a problem agreeing a pact with smaller parties? The leaders of those parties, after trying to cooperate with Mills, have all given up on him. In Biblical days, losing your alliance with a good neighbour can cost you your kingdom. Atta Mills has lost the anointing that comes from good alliances with small or big neighbours. It will affect his political future.

8. Loss of Health Anointing. Recently Ghanaian papers and radio stations discussed a number of unsubstantiated reports that Mills was sick. Word of mouth had him near death. The possible diseases ranged from stroke, to cancer, sinus problems, throat, fatigue and depression. The Prof has come out to say that most of these reports are false rumours. Many people, including journalists, who came to the Airport to welcome Prof. some weeks ago, during his return from South Africa, were shocked at his appearance. It is learnt from my branch pastors in Accra, that Mills has not ventured out much since his arrival. It is believed his handlers have advised him to stay at home, eat well, get better, regain rosy cheeks before coming out. NDC elders wonder if Prof. will have the energy to withstand the rigours of a hard campaign. In the short-term, his strength and appearance has been negatively affected, meaning he cannot go on the road in the next few weeks to meet with anybody. He cannot afford to have TV crew capture him in his present condition.

Medically, it is also not clear whether his illness is completely gone, or whether there will be a relapse. Most Ghanaians wish him well, as our past Vice President. Several prominent journalists and other political pundits agree that his illness has so far not been a campaign issue. However, in the heat of forthcoming campaigns, no hold will be barred. All relevant issues will be cited by one person or another. It will become a campaign issue sooner or later. All over the world, the health of any aspiring Presidential candidate can be a valid electioneering issue. NDC does not need to have to deal with this, and Prof. Mills and his family also deserve their privacy. In the meantime, his loss of health is a lost anointing that will affect the effectiveness of his campaign, as can be read of any Biblical King once his health begun to fail.

9. Loss of Family or Wife Anointing. In the Bible, good Kings and even rich men were reported to throw an occasional feast and to invite their friends around. Even Jesus invited his disciples to the last supper. The Shunamite woman became famous for making a bed for Prophet Elisha in her upper chamber, where he gave the prophet excellent five-star hospitality. Although a man’s household is up to him to manage, concerns have been expressed over the years by many NDC leaders about the difficulty his supporters have in visiting him at home. Unlike most normal people, we are told that Mills seems unable to receive party leaders and supporters at home. It is rumoured that this has to do with his wife. This social isolation does not augur well for a politician who is seeking votes. By contrast, Alhaji Iddrissu, President Rawlings, Kufuor and the majority of his ministers receive guests routinely at home and organise periodic lunches, dinners and drinks for friends. Family members of Prof’s in Cape Coast and elsewhere reportedly are not on speaking terms with his wife. They have been angry for years at reports that the Professor’s wife will not allow his only son by another woman to stay in their house. Prof’s sister in Elmina has had to take care of the son, and this has not impressed Fantis. So, where tensions are turning fires on in a man’s house, it is a strong indication that the anointing has left. (See Biblical accounts of Elkanna and Hannah, Samson and Delilah, David and Batsheba, etc, for what happens when there are tensions in the household).

10. Loss of Key members of Campaign Team. In ancient times, when a King’s warriors abandon him, that is the signal for opponents to attack him and take his head and kingdom. Good and successful Kings went to great length to keep the loyal warriors in their camp. See 2nd Kings and Judges for some of the mighty men of David, and how generals like Abner were showered with affection. Apart from Elder Annan’s abandonment of the Professor, there is a former deputy finance Minister, Papa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, who was Professor’s financial coordinator, but who has also fled into the Annan camp. Some say he is Annan’s campaign manager. Many other followers of the Professor, sensing imminent electoral loss, have started suing for peace with some of the other candidates or likely candidates. One Hlodze faces various difficulties. Recently, there were reports that the Prof had sacked some campaign team members who abandoned him long ago. Many other Mills supporters in Accra, at party headquarters, regional and constituency executives throughout the regions have quietly pledged their support for Iddrisu, Annan or another possible candidate, a former Minister based in London called Ekwow Spio-Garbrah. Many are waiting for this latter man to announce his candidacy. Some say he is most likely to give Professor Mills a very tough time. Some have even reported that Spio-Garbrah is the man the NPP is afraid of.

Iddrisu Mahama, used to be Chairman of Mills campaign, but is now himself a candidate, reducing further Mills anointing amongst his colleagues. Another former Minister of Security, who would have liked to be a candidate, called Totobi Kwakyi, is sick in London and will not be active. Mills campaign manager in 2004, Prof. Kwamina Ahwoi, it is said, is busy as a lecturer at one of the new universities and will not have the time for Mills. A brother of this Kwamina, called Ato, is sick and inactive. Former spokesman for Mills, Elvis Afriyie is now a Deputy Secretary at the NDC Greater Accra office, and it is expected that he will keep his neutrality. Around the regions and constituencies, many key NDC figures have confided in hushed tones to each other that they don’t think Prof can win an election and they will NOT vote for him again.

Of course Professor John Evans Atta Mills has served the nation as a competent Vice President, a seasoned law professor, an excellent Revenue Commisioner and a committed flagbearer of the NDC. He will always be revered as a great statesman. However with these losses of anointing, and others we may not know about, it has come to me prophetically to ask the pastors of Prof Mills to look deeply into his heart, mind and soul and to help him decide whether the next race is truly for him. For me Pastor Yamoah, having seen, prayed for, analysed and subjected to spiritual interpretation events seen in the flesh with naked eyes, my prayers have concluded that Mills will suffer an ignominious defeat at the NDC Congress, and must call it quits. He can withdraw and support one of the other candidates, so his future role in the NDC can be honourable and protected. The writing is on the wall, and all with deep religious insights must be able to read it.

By Apostle Kwasi Mintah Yamoah, Milan, Italy

Views expressed by the author(s) do not necessarily reflect those of GhanaHomePage.