Ghanaian Opposition Leader Worships in Adventist Church in London

By Nana Sifa Twum, BUC

Ghanaian opposition leader Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who was born Anglican but has expressed a love for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, took time out from a visit to Britain to worship in an Adventist church in East London last Sabbath.

Akufo-Addo, a prominent lawyer and former Ghanaian foreign minister and attorney-general, arrived at the London Ghana Seventh-day Adventist Church on July 25 accompanied by a large entourage of his political party’s executives from the United Kingdom and Ireland, along with other well-wishers.

He took part in singing and prayers, and listened to a sermon by associate church pastor Joojo Bonnie about Gideon, the reluctant Israelite warrior who became a judge as recorded in Judges 6 to 8.

The head pastor, Fergus Owusu Boateng, offered a special prayer for the statesman, and church presented him with a book by Adventist Church cofounder Ellen G. White.

Seventh-day Adventists traditionally take a neutral position in politics but are certainly willing and happy to pray for wisdom for those in leadership.

In a brief response to the prayer, Akufo-Addo asked for prayers for the incumbent president, especially for God’s wisdom and direction as he steers national affairs. Akufo-Addo, who plans to run in the African country’s presidential election next year, also requested prayers for peace in Ghana.

Akufo-Addo, 71, has been the recipient of prayers from at least one other religious group during his visit to Britain this month. Ghanaian Muslim leaders prayed for him on July 17 when he joined a large gathering of the Ghanaian community at the Broadwater Farms Community Centre Park in North London for Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers, Ghanaian media reported.

Last Sabbath, Akufo-Addo said he appreciated the worship service and praised the Adventist Church for contributing to the humanitarian and educational development of Ghana.

Akufo-Addo is known as a long-time admirer of the Adventist Church, recently attending a meeting of its Agona East Conference in Ghana.

“I am a born Anglican but love SDA,” he said on Sabbath, noting that many top leaders in his party are members of the Adventist Church.