Sunday, February 2, 2014
Folks, let's be blunt upfront to
say that the extent to which the so-called Men-of-God in Ghana are carrying
their obsession with "spirituality" is more than annoying.
All over the country, they are up
on their feet, delivering "prosperity messages" and hiding behind
them to exploit their gullible followers; giving useless prophecies (such as
the one by Owusu-Bempah that President Mahama would die last year. Or that
Akufo-Addo was to win the 2012 elections hands-down short of which there would
be disaster in Ghana); doing partisan politics under the guise of religion and
fanning the flame of ethnicity and division in the country; and many more.
Their activities are troubling.
Now, they seem to have seen beyond such perspectives to wrap everything around
dangerous speculation.
The free fall of the Cedi has now
become the focus of their "religious fervour"; and they really annoy
me beyond bounds.
I daresay right-away that no
amount of "all night prayers" or invocation of any spirit (be it God
as configured in the diverse imaginations of those subscribing to it as a
supernatural force or the Supreme Deity with a creative, punitive, destructive,
or redemptive power or any other) can solve problems that have nothing to do
with spirituality.
I have said it several times
already that physical problems are solved physically and spiritual problems,
spiritually. Thus, if anybody attempts doing otherwise, he/she comes across as
either spiritually blind or physically incapacitated.
The depreciation of the Ghanaian
currency (Cedi) is the result of many shortsighted measures and rampant misuse
of resources or the failure of those through whose hands the Cedi passes or
those in authority expected to enunciate workable policies to control its ebb
and flow.
We have already expressed concern
that there is too much laxity in the system that has negatively affected the
Cedi. What is expected is for the government to enforce measures to stabilize
the situation. Some measures have already been announced; but they can't solve
the problem unless productivity is boosted and fiscal discipline enforced.
Against this background, I find
it to be extremely provocative for a Ghanaian Church leader to assume airs and
begin blowing issues out of all reasonable proportions to create the impression
that the fate of the Cedi is shaped and determined by the Christian God.
Archbishop Nicholas
Duncan-Williams has spiritually “commanded” the falling Cedi to “rise”.
Leading his followers, in Church today
(Sunday), to pray for the recovery of the fast depreciating local currency, the
Presiding Bishop and General Overseer of the Christian Action Faith Ministries
(CAFM) headquartered in the national capital, Accra, said: “…I hold up the Cedi
with prayer and I command the Cedi to recover and I declare the Cedi will not
fall; it will not fall any further. I command the Cedi to climb. I command the
resurrection of the Cedi. I command and release a miracle for the economy”.
“In the name of Jesus, say Satan
take your hands off the President; take your hands off the Central Bank and the
Finance Minister. Say we release innovation for the President, my God, the
Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Central Bank, in the name of Jesus Christ the
son of God, the Finance Minister. Say we command new ideas, breakthroughs and a
miracle for the economy. Let the Cedi rise in Jesus name”, he led in prayer.
Archbishop Duncan-Williams also
led his church to pray for President John Mahama, Finance Minister Seth Tekper
and Central Bank Governor Dr. Henry Kofi Wampah, for divine help and guidance
to salvage the Cedi.
(Source:
http://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2014/February-2nd/duncan-williams-spiritually-commands-the-cedi-to-rise.php)
MY COMMENTS
This Duncan Williams is no
stranger to controversy. He is on record for having taunted his congregants
that none of them could buy anything for him to wear because he always wore
expensive clothes.
He is the only Man-of-God known
to me to have divorced his wife (against all entreaties) to re-marry (an
African-American woman)!
He is known for his flamboyance
and what he says may resonate with those who think like him but not me. The eye
of the needle is not part of his work!!
He has complained about money not
flowing and urged the government to do all it can to change the situation—to
increase the quantum of tithes and offertory given his church, I suppose, so he
can continue to live in opulence. He has given me much to help me know him all
the more.
But for him to begin doing the
unimaginable as has been reported concerning his "invocation of God to
make the Ghanaian Cedi stop falling", I can't help but say that he is on
the cusp of something indescribable.
Of course, prayers can be said
and answers to pleas forthcoming; but in my many years on this earth, I have never
expected that a Man-of-God will go this way to create the impression that the
falling rate of the Cedi is spiritually determined.
This move by Duncan Williams only
goes to reinforce my poor impressions of characters like him who are so
opportunistic as to think that they can capitalize on just anything happening
in Ghana to advance their cause.
One of them also said the other
day when the death of Komla Dumor was announced that more Ghanaian journalists
would die this year. Until Komla's death, he had no such prophecy to give us.
These characters are really
registering and confirming their notoriety and should be known for the quacks
that they are. I have said it and will continue to say that the descent into
"spirituality" by Ghanaians all over the country is a major drawback
to national development.
Ex-President Atta Mills tried it
at the highest level only to be taken away without achieving anything concrete
for which that approach to solving national problems should be upheld. It's all
a confirmation of misplaced priorities and lazy thinking in high places to
solve physical problems.
God is not in the habit of coming
down from the heavens to help us solve our existential problems. Once he has
endowed us with the faculty (the capacity to think and plan how to live our
lives), it is left to us to use our heads!! No prayers will solve problems that
have nothing to do with prayers. How come that some Ghanaians are so lazy
upstairs? Disgraceful.
I shall return…
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