Don’t abandon customary practices – Prophet

Odeefo Kwabena Tawiah, General Overseer of the Church of Rabbi, has called on chiefs not to follow the teachings of some prophets at the expense of their customary traditions.

He said pouring of libation was not ungodly and, therefore, urged the chiefs not to allow themselves to be swayed by some preaching and teachings of "unscrupulous pastors".

Odeefo Tawiah said this when his church celebrated its 29th Anniversary on the theme: “God’s Blessings for the Nation Ghana,” on Sunday at Ofankor in the Ga West District of the Greater Accra Region.

He said Ghanaians had traditions for marriage, installation of chiefs and queens, pacifying the gods to reverse curses and asking for God’s blessings through pouring of libation.

He said: “God is not worshiped by book knowledge. These men of God asked you (chiefs and queens) not to drink or pour libation, nevertheless, some pastors practice the act in secrecy and in darkness.”

Odeefo Tawiah said the country was blessed with rich natural resources but was faced with poverty because chiefs were being deceived to forget their traditions.

“Everything in the country from sports, especially football, to our socio-economic development has been in tatters, yet we have many pastors in this country with big titles.

“We need to go back to our roots to invoke the spirit of the past to save our country,” he said.

He urged national authorities to listen to the prophets who saw things in the spirit realm, adding that: “the country will take back its past glory if our chiefs will continue to practice our traditions.”

He assured Ghanaians that in 2015/2016 things would change for the better and that they should not lose hope.

Speaking on the National Sanitation Day, Odeefo Tawiah said attitudinal change was the only surest way to keep the environment clean and prevent diseases.

He said: “To me sanitation should be an everyday activity and not one day affair since filth is being created daily by the people,” and urged the authorities to take a second look at the issue.

Odeefo Tawiah, in a prophetic mood, asked parents to caution their girl-children in school to desist from causing abortion, saying that: “there are unprintable calamities that would befall those in that act.

Prophet Nana Kusi Afram Tawiah II, General Overseer of the Christ First Word Church International at Akim Akroso, who was the special guest, quoted Numbers 28:7 in the Bible to confirm the pouring of libation by chiefs as an offering.

The Bible says: “The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the Sanctuary.”

The occasion also saw the ordaining of a female and three male pastors into the church.

The church prayed for President John Dramani Mahama and the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.