“Train up a child in the way he should go; when he is old he will not depart from it” – Proverbs 22:6
You may not be literary-minded, but you would appreciate the Doctor’s speech (with the Gentlewoman) in Macbeth (Act 5 Sc 1) and admire this passage: “Foul whisperings are abroad. Unnatural deeds breed unnatural troubles. Infected minds to their deaf pillows will discharge their secrets…”
What constituted “foul whisperings” in Macbeth’s time are now live on social media. So, you will ask: what is happening to two families: Obinim and Apostle Emeritus Safo Kantanka?
When we heard Obinim preaching about the funeral of his death insisting on his biological children and his church – International God’s Way (Abroso) only to organise his funeral — to the exclusion of his biological family and his wife, Florence — we smelled a rat.
Why make this proclamation — a public one? And we could hear a faint feminine cry: “As for Angel, he cannot do that… however, if Papa says I should go my way, I am prepared to…” oh, poor Florence.
And Obinim followed this up by revealing that he had acquired a $400,000 house at Trassaco and he was moving there alone — sans wife, sans concubine(?), sans children. And Obinim kept talking too plenty! Any criticism would be met with the refrain: “Wonim awadee mu nsem…?” “Ei, Obinim” you would scream in wonder.
So, we delve into the history of this 48-year-old self-proclaimed pastor; he claims he has performed more miracles than Jesus Christ and any prophet in the Bible; he is an earthly angel; he can change into various forms of creatures – snake, lion, tiger, …; he is wealthier than any Ghanaian pastor; he sends away members of his congregation who offer GH¢5.00 and GH¢10.00 into the collection bowl.
Who are we to assert that any pastor is fake? We can only ask questions: the passport Obinim instructed an applicant to remove from his shoe, did it have the biological statistics: name, profession, residential address, number, and was it signed by the appropriate authorities (Ghana Immigration Service, Passport Office)? Where and when were these particulars taken? In heaven? Sent by Angel Gabriel?
And why did Obinim beat up a man aged about 25 years with a girl aged nineteen (19) whom he had adopted as his children (2016)? We heard that the parents of the “couple” jumped into the fray to defend Obinim who kept saying “Jesus has won” when arrested. Then, Obinim would have a concubine, Benedicta Gafah among others, and step on the maw of a pregnant woman. Justification; human frailty… “All have sinned…Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines ” David..
An adviser on marital affairs, couldn’t solve his own marital problems: What has Florence done? Refused to take Obinim’s instruction to stay away from a fellow actor? Florence had supported her husband, by her golden voice: “Osoro ne Yen Fie, Mahyia Jesus, Okokroko,” as a gospel musician had never spoken any ill about her husband whom she calls “Papa”. And is Obinim running away from Florence because of the changes in her shape? Transmogriphication?
Social media people, bloggers, TikTokers and the like have spoken their minds ever since he stopped Florence from going to NDC with the Mahama campaign songs… Afia Schwarzenegger would appeal to all women to contribute to buy a car for Florence despite Obinim’s large fleet of cars, with him dashing an alleged girlfriend a car.
A blogger gives an eleven-point piece of advice to Florence: Leave the marriage; Don’t trend on social media; Your musical career should be exclusive to you; Stay pretty; Go to a trusted beautician; If he calls you “Florence”, call him “Daniel” (not Papa); If he comes public on an issue, you should also go public; Seek legal advice; Don’t go to mountain to pray for Obinim; Don’t sing in Obinim’s church to attract more worshippers.
Other bloggers have not been magnanimous. Madam H: “If you say your wife’s ‘V’ is like a man-hole, your ‘P’ is like the head of a ball-pen.” Twene Jonas: “Foolish Obinim” — a priest who flirts and abuses his wife in public! Se asa; Service Machinery Ghana Limited has donated a 2026 Toyota Rav4 to Florence. What happens when other people give Florence the little “comforts” denied her by Obinim?
We take a peep into the family home of Safo Kantanka. This man of peace died on September 11, 2025 he has not been buried, no funeral, and his house is burning! Expectation; the family of Kantanka as well as the man’s children would meet and plan his burial and his funeral.
Israel Kwadwo Safo Kantanka (Akofena) was preparing a ceremony for his investiture as his father’s successor, that is, leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission on Sunday, 23rd day of June, 2026. The Elders of the Church had done the selection of the leader and were satisfied that Kwadwo Safo Kantanka deserved that position.
However, the eldest child, Adwoa Safo, had filed an injunction application in court over the installation.
Then Adwoa Safo went to the house, apparently, to stop the ceremony, because it was customarily not proper, legally not judicious and morally not opportune.
But the ceremony still went ahead the celebrants justifying their actions on the ground that Emeritus Safo Kintankla had declared before 2024 that he had chosen his son, Engineer Safo Kuntanka to inherit him. And in 2024, Emeritus Kantanka proclaimed the de-recognition of his son as his successor, and rather mentioned Sarah Adwoa Safo.
And the youngest brother, revealed: our father hasn’t been buried, how can anyone choose his successor; there were 30 bullets on Adwoa Safo’s car; if Adwoa Safo had rammed her car into the gate of the house, the bumper would have been damaged…
Whilst the man was alive, how did he organise his family? And siblings “fighting” over their father’s fifty (50) houses and large industrial and agricultural empire for only six (6) children? Was Kristo Asafo God’s church or family property? Apostle Kantanka had detected mismanagement of businesses connected to the church, changes to core church doctrines and persistent disobedience to the founder’s clear directives…
The family caution the public against doing business with Israel Safo under the guise of representing the Kwadwo Safo Family or the Kristo Asafo Mission. And in his acceptance speech, Israel Safo was touting “peace and unity”. Ah, so the church, the family, the children, who controls whom and what? Need anyone tell the public to be careful about these “one man” churches?
Remember the case “Saviour Church of Ghana v Abraham Kwaku Adusei and others” or the “blows” in the African Faith Tabernacle when the leader Superior Prophet David Kwaku Nkansah at the headquarters of Anyinam died at Korle Bu on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022. The rift arose from the burial and funeral of the late Superior Prophet.
Are we seeing “reformation” in the one-man churches in Ghana? Do these pastors, preachers — fake or otherwise — read Church history? Read, and you may come across George Fox (1624-1691) the religious reformist who preached pacifism, prison reform and social equality. Fox was beaten, stoned and jailed by English authorities; his reformist fervour led to the formation of the Quakers, who insisted on quiet worship — not the brrrrr — grrrr — drrrrr — arrigidigidi — braggadocio (empty boasting) of braggarts. Anxiety, emotional distress?
Be a critical thinker; reflect on the Stoic thought by Epipectus: “He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at. It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters”.
