The NPP’s maverick member, Kwame Baffoe, aka Abroye DC, recently descended on Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams and put out all the sins, this servant of God had committed from when he was in his mother’s womb through to this day. His firebrand words were not accepted by his New Patriotic Party, which came out to distance itself from all Abronye DC said.
This necessitated a more maverick conduct from Kwame Baffoe and in the end, I understood why he keeps drawing swords at Pastor Nic. Even here, I felt he was more unjustified.
During the Acheampong era, years before Abroye DC was born, some of the ‘hardened’ Dada-bas living in the Airport Residential Area, preferred to dump the indoor games of Monopoly, Ludo, Snakes and Ladders and not even watch cartoons in the afternoons but chose to play tough-power soccer at the Association International School. The players on the field were more expensive than those playing European leagues today and they included the B.A. Mensah brothers, Alfred and “Miniature” Mensah. Rich and powerful families represented in the All-Action Association International league included, the Appentengs, Attafaahs, Asantes, Baba-Alhajis, Priddys, Quarshies, AsafoBoakyes and Sackeys.
These players inspired others the world over, to the extent that a low-key English goalkeeper adopted the first two names of the top ball stopper of all times in our league, Gordon Banks Swatson, before he could gain international fame.
The list is long but cannot be completed without adding the most talented stars of all times from the Dugan family. And of course, mention must be made of Philippides, who could run from defense to the opponent’s goal area faster than the speed of light. He was from the Duncan-Williams’ family.
During the games, one could usually spot a very handsome young man, well dressed and with arms folded, watching proceedings with captivating smiles. He was Nicholas Duncan-Williams.
The league had to be scrapped in 1979 after the June 4 coup and agents of these top players could not get them into any team, home or abroad, because they were too expensive, with most of them, individually, costing more than an entire top European league club. And none of them had a call-up to join the Black Stars, because the FA at that time was Amateur, and we dealt only with professionals. Ghana would have won the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups if the nation had afforded to pay fully for our services.
Coming back home from ‘exile’ in 1982, I heard that Nicholas Duncan-Williams had been called by God to lead a church which was to be as active as the players of the All-Action Association International league and not surprisingly, he named his church, Action Chapel International.
One day on television, Pastor Nic, narrated his dark days and what led him to Christ. I felt proud of him, because there is a Catholic saying that, Saints have a past, and Sinners have a future.
Going through Church history, there are lots of saints who dined, wined and even slept with the devil, but when God called them, they left behind their past and saved souls by leading people to God, some at the peril of their lives.
Narrations on the lives of some of these saints would compel believers to ask why God wanted them in Heaven. It was like God saying to Satan, “I have forgiven you.”
I will reserve this topic for another day; however, it will help to look at the lives of two men, who as saints had a past and as sinners had a future.
Saul took up the responsibility to go after the early followers of Christ and even overseeing the murder of some (Acts 7: 58-60). His life turned around when he saw the light and became one of the greatest apostles of Christ, going by the name, Paul.
Before that, there was Dismas, a seasoned and professional armed robber, who stole, raped and killed. He was rightfully sentenced to death and hanged on the cross alongside Jesus. He acknowledged his sinfulness, blaming no one but himself. He acknowledged the innocence of Jesus. Then he found a way of begging for forgiveness and cried to be remembered in Heaven and this was granted him. (Luke 23:43). He went ahead of Peter and the others, into Heaven. Someone who never served as Christ’s follower but rather served Satan until a few minutes of his life on earth. Truly, sinners have a future!
In Ghana, there are servants of God, who even with taints of sins, conduct themselves as Christians are supposed to. And there are also those who shed off all virtues and wear vices like pride and arrogance, making people to believe that they are even more powerful than God, for they take the decisions and God only implements them.
The servants of God in the Catholic priesthood and pastors of some Christian denominationsmake all efforts to serve Christ with humility and with other virtues. It is not to say that they are as clean as Melchizedek, but one thing, they allow God to work through them.
So, here is where I will humbly ask Duncan-Williams not to take Abronye DC on. Who knows, he may be another Paul in the making, for if Stephen had condemned those killing him, we would never have encountered a character called Paul.
Now having said all this, the only reason I find Abronye DC so angry with Duncan-Williams is that the servant of God led some pastors to throw their weight behind H.E. John Dramani Mahama during the 2024 General Elections. And to Abronye DC, anybody who does not support Dr. Bawumia is as good as trash. Look at how he descended on his own party member, Kennedy Agyepong.
By this conduct, he is rather a huge liability to Dr. Bawumia. One thing the Prof Mike Ocquaye Committee which conducted enquiries into why NPP performed that abysmal in the elections failed to get out of party members, was the religious denomination factor.
The NPP Campaign Team decided to ignore this when it mattered most. In 2021, news came out that a Muslim student in Welsey Girls was stopped from fasting as an obligation during the Ramadan period. This took national stage with Christians and Muslims at opposition sides of the divide.
From the Muslim side, were statements that implied that they were denied their rights by Christians and one day, it will be their turn. A response from the Christian side talked about Christian majority and that the Church will never allow Muslims to dictate to it. There I knew that religion was going to play a major role in the elections.
With the NPP choosing a Muslim as flag bearer, it behooves that the party should have worked assiduously to bring Bawumia to Christians as a brother to be accepted. It is very obvious the cosmetic approaches did not work. While the church leaders warmly welcomed Bawumia, the main body of groups and societies passed on a different message.
Abronye DC could be so angry, seeing powerful Christian leaders flocking to H.E. John Mahama, paying tribute and assuring him of their spiritual support. But what is wrong with that? Would he attack Archbishop Duncan-Williams and company, if today, they walk to Bawumia, bless him and assure him of their support by pledging to pray for him daily?
On the NDC side, majority of Muslims have vowed not to vote NPP and have demonstrated this through all the elections. So, NPP bringing a Muslim flag bearer could not change anything. And Christians in Ghana returned that gesture in 2024, so no amount of anger and condemnation of Duncan-Williams and others could place blame on them.
Humility and love are the virtues needed to warm Bawumia into the hearts of Christians. Pride and arrogance, hate speech and curses can never be the solution and Abronye DC must know this. His conduct would rather drive people away from Bawumia, even if he is not in his team.
If Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, commits any sin, by all means it must be pointed out to him, after all he is a sinner as everyone else. But not with hate words.
Duncan-Williams, could have been an armed robber, he could have been a swindler feeding on the poor, he could have been the worse person ever, but he is winning souls for Christ. Like all such servants of God in that category, Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams had a past, just as all sinners have a future.
Hon. Daniel Dugan
