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Religion of Tuesday, 12 March 2013

Source: Adofo, Rockson

How a Spiritual Leader is Holding his Church members in Bondage

It is very amazing how in this day and age, some people can by acts of nonchalance or ignorance, allow their spiritual leaders to hold them in utter servitude. I am going to discuss one vivid true case scenario at which I am particularly peeved.

I had prior to election 2012 published an article querying the rationale behind an order issued to the members of the Saviour Church of Ghana (Gyidi K3k33). Their Spiritual leader, Mr. Adusei, for many years a tutor at Kumawu Tweneboah Kodua Secondary School in the late 1960s, issued them the strictest instruction that they all vote en masse for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and John Mahama. Any member he finds not to have voted NDC will be ex-communicated from the church. At any of the polling stations designated for the members of the church, if he found even three votes cast for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) he would order a full investigation into finding those who cast such votes. If the culprits are discovered, they will be sacked from the church.

As members of the church always live together but in seclusion from the rest of the townsfolk, all the votes cast at any such polling station will be 100% from them but no one else. He therefore has the relative ease with which to detect those going against what I call his stringent but completely absurd order, to section or excommunicate the offenders.

I had the chance to talk to some members of this church of which, I was a member myself for about two to three years in the early 1970s. They all told me they were going to vote NDC but could not offer any tangible reasons for why they were eager to vote NDC but not NPP or any of the other opposition parties. I then told each of them I encountered that their unrelenting resolve to vote NDC is subsequent upon an ultimatum issued by their Spiritual Leader, (Master Adusei) to them. Some of them would giggle, but would neither answer me in the affirmative nor in the negative. I wondered how all the "Gyidi K3k33fo3" that I came across held the same bizarre opinion.

Tried as I did to let them see reason, cast their votes depending on their current economic and financial circumstances, they would not budge, but held steadfast onto their "Opanin se" or, "Opanin aka" religious-politico-intellectual servitude.

I am sure their leader has since the era of Rawlings been benefiting immensely from the NDC governments and party. Could it be the backing he received from Rawlings to succeed his uncle, "Opanin Isaac", the founder of the church internationally, that has compelled him to repay the NDC in kind by compelling his followers to do as said above? I understand there was a fierce contest between him and the son of "Opanin" Isaac to succeed the founder when he passed, succumbing to old age. This is just by the way.

Now that President Mahama and his band of Ghanaian version of the "Arabian Ali Baba and his forty thieves" have depleted the coffers of Ghana, are the said "Gyidifo3" not suffering equally as the sensible ones who had opted for a change in government? Is it not only people like their Spiritual Leader who might have received gifts and other financial inducements from the NDC secretly, that are laughing? Are the generality of the "Gyidifo3" better off as their leader who with his six wives and numerous children is living in opulence at Osiam in the Eastern region? I understand whilst almost all the members of his church linger in abject poverty, his children are well educated. Some of his children are Medical Doctors, bankers, and you name it, and are living in the United States and in Europe.

For how long will these "Gyidifo3" wake up from their slumber, wise up, and cease their nonsensical attitudes of "Opanin se" that goes in contrast to common sense? Even if their leader asks them to commit suicide, they all would, in the name of "Opanin se" or "Opanin aka se".

Until they begin to think independently, I declare to them today that they are living the lives of complete slaves. The following lyrics of a song sum up my message to my once fellow "Gidifo3? Poor Slave, Take the shackles from your mind. The destination, of a slave, is still a slave in irony. Of a slave, is still a slave, until he thinks independently? Poor slave, take the shackle from your mind…."

I do not totally blame the "Gyidifo3" for after all their thoughtless en masse obligated voting for the NDC and John Dramani Mahama, the beneficiaries, did not work. The beneficiaries had still to rig the elections to become the governing leaders of Ghana.

God is watching and if indeed the NDC, Kwadwo Afari-Gyan and John Mahama did by even a negligible illegal means influence the results of the election in their favour, then they are in to encounter God's wrath.

Now almost all Ghanaians worldwide are suffering the untold hardships brought to bear upon the nation owing to the unprecedented corruption presided over by the Mills/Mahama cum Mahama/Amissah-Arthur-led NDC governments.

God willing, a solution will be found to the suffering of Ghanaians. Insha' Allah!

Rockson Adofo