Features
Can Science and Religion converge?
• Prayer and fasting cannot be substitute for hard work and application of common sense
I am an unrepentant Presbyterian and nothing will change that. If my parents had not got me baptised when I was barely three months old I would have opted to be either a Catholic or Buddhist even if I see myself as an Esoteric Christian today.
I have gone higher in the study of philosophy of religions and the nuances of religious practice, divinity and spirituality. But I do not claim to be an authority on anything.
Growing up, I knew of the orthodox churches mostly because many or all of them ran schools and the school uniforms were distinct for easy identification of the churches. It was a colourful beauty to see all these schools line up during Independence Day parades.
Then arrived the Pentecostals and after them the ones calling themselves the Charismatic. I recollect one Rev. Dr Kuntu Blankson who enchanted crowds at the Jackson Park at Koforidua back in the day with his powerful voice and gesticulations. The late Rev. Bob Hawkson was one of his lieutenants.
Some of my sisters fell for the new deal but I made it clear I was not a ‘religious prostitute’ hopping from one to the other. I do not know what has become of Dr Blankson’s church in today’s scheme of things.
Many of today’s churches started from little open spaces with a few adherents clapping to songs and dancing their sorrows away, then graduating with megaphones and maracas into musical accoutrements and large auditoria. Soon they became mega churches, commanding a lot of wealth and affluence. And with it fanciful titles and ranks. Apostle General, Prophet, General Overseer etc. What freaks them mist is when they are called Papa.
During the COVID-19 pandemic when the world was under virtual lockdown in 2020, some churches, especially the orthodox ones, took it with grace and followed directives.
But, there was a viral video of the founder of Christ Embassy, Dr. Chris Oyakhilome, screaming his frustrations on scientists, describing the virus a hoax by people to foist 5G antennae on humans by locking us out. Or was he simply rueing the absence of his congregation? He was not alone. Many others complained of loss of revenue from tithes etc.
The latest of his videos that I saw made me laugh. Dr. Oyakhilome says that scientists are injecting us with microchips in the guise of vaccines so that they can communicate with our bodies. Microchips in liquid form? How? If this were the case, I guess science has reached its zenith. But the inconsistencies in his theories are not lost in anyone. One moment it was 5G and now liquid microchips.
And I also know communication not to be a one-way traffic so how does my body play its part of this communication game?
Prayer and fasting cannot be substitute for hard work and application of common sense. Faith, science and common sense must have a point of convergence.
A popular pastor in Cameroon who said he could cure COVID patients and went to pray and touch patients in hospital was himself buried from contracting the virus. Foolhardiness, if you asked me.
Why don’t these mega churches pool their financial might together, fund research into cure for tropical ailments? What stops them? After all, the Christ left two commandments: preach the Word and heal the sick.
African scientists and researchers are dying for funds to conduct their research and these churches could help. If they do not want to help, I suggest they keep quiet and allow the scientists to do what their limited resources could allow them.
The founders of these churches are supposed to be leaders. As such the emotional, physical and spiritual wellbeing of their members rest on their leadership. As leaders, they must be mindful of the messages they deliver because what you feed one person with can turn another away.
That was why Paul did not write one comment pastoral letter to the Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians etc. etc. He wrote the letters different from one another because each had a different level of consciousness from the other. Do our preachers understand this?
The founder of the Light House Chapel, Dr Dag Heward-Mills is seen making jest of people of the Volta Region in a viral video, describing them as practising a little Christianity and a little juju, saying, “Xose vide, bo vide” and topping it with “what a shock!!” And his audience were in hilarious stitches.
Dr Heward-Mills is a leader who, I believe, must understand the sensibilities of his congregants. As a leader, he should have sought out the knowledgeable Ewe in his group to brief him on the genesis of the expression, “Xɔse viaɖe, bo viaɖe.” That would inform how he presents his message. As one who writes a column in one national paper on leadership, I think he has failed this time round with such a divisive comment.
Now, some of these men of God try to outdo one another with prophesies and predictions that boggle the mind. This or that politician will die this year. That celebrity will perish in a car crash on August 3. They never prophesy on anything that edifies. There will be a bumper harvest so government should build silos. No, not that one; they are not interested. Question is what God do we have who only gives doomsday revelations to His supposed servants or anointed?
I know about voluntary clairvoyants who see the past, present and future. But they only speak when it becomes extremely necessary. They rather pray for the positives. Then there are the involuntary clairvoyants who have the tendency to misunderstand what they see or misrepresent them.
There are also those who train into Astral projection to visit the Akashic Record of world events. Whatever is revealed to all these people is supposed to be used for the good of mankind. These could be scientists, researchers who are desirous of finding solutions to current and future problems.
God reveals things to others in dreams as the Bible says. Some are through the stars as was with the three wise men. However, dreams mostly reflect our physical and mental condition. Go to bed on a hungry, empty stomach and tell what dream you had. Then go to bed with a half kilo of fufu or sleep with a bout of malaria. Only a sound mind in a sound body can yield a meaningful dream worth considering.
If some of our prophets are true, they will be the last people to say anything at all. But not only do they talk too much, they are so intolerant of one another that they engage in turf wars on social media. There was news about one who got a bunch of his followers to threaten another with cudgels recently. Another was seen in a video stomping the belly of a pregnant woman in an orgasmic frenzy of deliverance. Yet one in some African country ordered his followers to go chew grass. And they did.
Now, the target is captains of industry and business as adherents who can help swell the churches’ collection bowls.
One founder of a church spotted the many delivery vans of a company at Kaneshie and sent one of his assistants to go invite the CEO because God revealed to him about this business. After listening to the young acolyte, the CEO said in a soft tone, “I have over three hundred staff in my employ.
I pay tax, social security and can you imagine how many benefit if each of them has four or five dependents? How many has your leader employed? What tax does he pay? Go tell him I give to charity but not to churches.” I do not have this CEO’s permission to mention names, else I would have done so.
What has happened to the Christ as the ideal? Churches have become big money making machines, seeking not the kingdom of God but economic kingdom; most of them. There are a few that practise what the Christ commanded though. Very few.
I wonder why their followers do not know that the very miracles they are seeking from these pastors are right inside of them. Godhood is in each and every one of us; never in the churches. Why is it difficult to look for the God within? Until we realise this as a fact, we shall always assume that science and religion are on a collision course.
*Post Script*: In my last article, I stated inadvertently that Obetsebi Lamptey was sent to bring Kwame Nkrumah down to Ghana. It was rather Ako Adjei who took on that assignment. The error is deeply regretted.
By Dr. Akofa K. Segbefia
Writer’s email: akofa45@yahoo.com*
When Abigail Fremah steps up to the Armwrestling table, the noise fades, the tension settles, and order takes over.
Despite a calm, but firm and meticulous disposition, she has become one of the quiet forces shaping Ghana’s growing reputation in the sport, not as an athlete, but a referee trusted on the continental stage.
Abigail’s journey into Armwrestling did not begin at the table. Like many Ghanaian sports enthusiasts, she grew up playing several disciplines. Football was her first love, but she also featured in volleyball and basketball during her school years. Sports, she says, was simply a way of life not just for her.
“It runs through the family. All my siblings are into sports,” she stated.
“I was involved in almost every sport in school, football, volleyball, netball, hockey; I did everything,” she recalls.
Her academic background in Health, Physical Education and Recreation laid a solid foundation for her sporting career. While on scholarship at the university (University of Cape Coast), she often used her modest budget to support young athletes, sometimes sharing skills and even T-shirts at programmes she attended. Giving back, she explains, has always been part of her motivation.
However, as she matured as an athlete, Abigail made a critical self-assessment.
“Armwrestling involves a lot of strength,” she admits. “Looking at my body type, I realised I couldn’t fit properly as a competitive athlete.”
That moment of honesty pushed her to a different trajectory but equally important path in sports; which is officiating.
During her National Service, she was encouraged by Mr Charles Osei Asibey, the President of the Ghana Armwrestling Federation (GAF), to consider officiating. He introduced her to a technical official, Mr Hussein Akuerteh Addy, who formally took her through the basics of Armwrestling officiating in 2021.
“I started as a case official,” she says. “We moved from region to region every week, officiating competitions. That’s where it all began.”
By 2022, Abigail was actively involved in national assignments, though she missed the African Championship that year. Her breakthrough came in 2023, when Ghana hosted the African Armwrestling Championship.
It was her first experience officiating at a major international competition and it changed everything.
“That was my first national and international exposure at the same time,” she says. “It really opened my eyes.”
Today, Abigail is a World Junior Armwrestling Referee, a status earned through performance, consistency and discipline. She explains that progression in officiating was not automatic.
“It’s all about performance, your appearance at African Championships, your conduct, how you handle pressure; that’s what takes you to the world level,” she stressed.
As a referee, Abigail’s priority is safety and fairness. Armwrestling, she notes, comes with risks, particularly injuries to the wrists, elbows, shoulders and arms.
“If athletes don’t follow the rules or refuse to listen to officials, injuries can happen,” she explains, adding that focus was everything.
Before every match, she ensures that all equipment which includes elbow pads, hand pegs and table alignment were properly set. Athletes are not allowed to cover their elbows, must grip correctly, and must follow the referee’s commands precisely.
“We make sure everything is fixed before the grip,” she says. “Once we say ‘Ready… Go’, there should be no confusion.”
She is also firm on discipline. Warnings are issued for infractions, and repeated misconduct attracts penalties.
“The referee must be respected, if you don’t listen, the rules will deal with you,” she says.
Abigail credits her confidence partly to her sporting family background. Her mother was a volleyball player, while other family members also participated in sports. Though they were initially concerned about her safety, her rise to the top reassured them.
“They were afraid at first,” she admits. “But they were also very proud, especially because some of them never got the opportunity to reach this level.”
Looking ahead, Abigail is optimistic about the future of Armwrestling in Ghana. In less than a decade, the country has produced African and world-level medalists, a sign, she believes, of great things to come for Ghana.
“Whenever we go out, we come back with medals such as gold and silver,” she says, and to her that was a sign of growth.
In the next five to ten years, Abigail sees herself rising to become a World Master Referee, the highest officiating level in the sport. Until then, her routine remains intense, training four times a week, working closely with athletes, standing on her feet for hours, and constantly refining her understanding of the rules.
“I love this sport,” she says simply. “That love is what keeps me going.”
Abigail encouraged women to be bold and intentional about their place in sports saying “don’t limit yourself because of fear or stereotypes.”
She also urged women to invest in learning, discipline and consistency, stressing that respect was earned through performance.
For Abigail, as Ghana’s armwrestlers continue to make their mark, she will remain where she is most effective at the table, ensuring the game is played right.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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As he had promised Aperkeh, the elderly man and his wife and three daughters stopped by Aperkeh’s parents’ house. Mr Amando and his family were preparing to settle in for the night.
“Brother Ben and family”, Mr Joshua Amando said warmly, “although I know you are here on a matter that can hardly be described as joyous, it is still good to see you. You are welcome. Please sit down while I bring you water”.
“Yes, we will take water, even though we are hardly thirsty, because this is our home”.
“Okay, Ben”, he started after they had drank, “Let me go straight to the point. My daughter Priscilla has told me about the goings on between her brother Aperkeh and our daughter Stella.
Before informing me, Priscilla had expressed concern to Aperkeh about some habits he is adopting, especially the late nights and the drinking. She tells me that one Saturday morning, she was there when Stella complained about his drinking and some girls who had come to the house to look for him, and he assaulted her.
I called him and complained, but all he could say was that I don’t know what caused him to react that way, so I could not judge him. Now he does not answer my calls.
I have sent Priscilla to his house to call him, but he has refused to come. Unfortunately, Ben, my son is a much different person than the young boy who completed university and started work at the bank. I am really embarrassed about his treatment of Stella”.
“Joshua, let me assure you that even though what is happening is very unfortunate, it will not affect our relationship.
We have been friends since childhood, and I thought that with their parents’ blessing, the relationship between Aperkeh and Stella would grow to become a blessing to all of us. But there appears to be a real challenge now.
Stella thinks that Aperkeh wants her out of his house, and indeed Aperkeh himself told me that, about an hour ago.
So I’m taking my daughter home. I suggest that you do what you can to straighten him out, but if it does not work out, let’s accept the situation and continue to be one family.
I am sure that being the well behaved girl that she is, Stella will meet a young man who will cherish her. Fortunately, this problem is happening early in the day, so they can sort things out if possible, or move on with their lives if they are unable to stay together”.
“I’m really grateful for that, Ben. I will do my best in the next few days to reason with him, because apart from the relationship with Stella, Aperkeh is risking his job and career with this lifestyle.
A good job and salary offers an opportunity to gather momentum in life, not to destroy yourself”.
“Okay Brother Joshua. We will say goodnight. I hope to hear positive news from you”.
As he descended in the lift from the fourth to the ground floor, Aperkeh wondered who would be waiting at the reception to see him at nine on Monday morning. He had spent good time with both of his new girls during the weekend, so it had to be someone else. He got out of the lift and pulled a face when he saw Priscilla.
“Priscilla”, he said as he sat down by her, “what do you want here? You know Monday morning is a busy time at the bank. I am a very busy person, so say what you want, I have work to do”.
“You are very funny, Aperkeh. You are telling me, your sister, that you have work to do, so I should hurry up? Okay, Dad says I should advise you to come home tonight, because he wants to discuss the issue of Stella with you. He sent me to you twice, and you did not come.
He has tried to call you quite a number of times, but you have refused to answer his calls. He says that if you do not come tonight, you will be very surprised at what he will do. He says you will not like it at all, so better come.
“What is all this? Why won’t you people leave me alone? Stella is very disrespectful. I told her that if she wanted to continue to live in my house, she must obey me. It is that simple.
She chose to continue ordering me about, controlling me in my own house, so I told her that if she could not live under my conditions she should leave. And she left. In fact, her own father came and took her away. So what again?’’
“How did she disobey or control you? Was she complaining about your continuous drinking and late nights? And did you slap her on several occasions because of that? Did you tell her that if she could not live under your conditions she should leave? You actually said that to her father? You have forgotten that before she came to live with you, our two parents met and agreed, and gave it their blessing?’
“Why don’t you leave, Priscilla? I don’t have to listen to all that”. “Okay, I will go. Your father who gave birth to you and educated you to university level sends me to you, and you ask me to leave? I wish you would defy him, and refuse to come home as he’s telling you, because he is planning to give you the discipline you badly need. Let me tell you. Stella is such a beautiful and decent girl, and I assure you that someone will grab her before you say Jack. You are only 30 years old, and you have already become a drunkard”.
As he walked towards the lift, Aperkeh decided on what to do. He would go home, and calmly listen to what his father had to say. The old man was very unpredictable, and he wouldn’t dare ignore him. So he would take all the insults and threats, but as for Stella she was history. According to Priscilla, Stella was beautiful and all that, but she had not seen the two curvaceous princesses who were all over him, ready to do anything he asked. And these were not barely literate waakye girls, but university graduates from wealthy homes, really classy girls. With stuff like that, who needs a waakye girl? He smiled as he took his seat.
A few minutes to five, Aperkeh was packing up to leave for home to meet his dad when his phone rang. It was Priscilla.
“Aperkeh, Dad says you don’t need to bother to come. Stella’s dad says she came to him early this morning to plead that she would rather stay at home than return to your house. She thinks you are already decided to be rid of her, and she does not want to risk being assaulted again. So it’s done. You can go ahead and enjoy the nice life you have started”.
Before he could tell her to go to hell, Priscilla hanged up the line. He was partially stung that his dad had virtually cut him off. The last thing anyone would want was to fall out of relationship with his own family, which had always supported him.
But the truth was he was no longer interested in Stella. What was wrong with going by one’s feelings? He could only hope that one day, his parents and sister would try to reason with him.
By Ekow de Heer
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