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Fake prophets! Leave God out of your nonsense!
The late Professor P.A.V. Ansah, the former Dean of the School of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Legon, had a way of announcing his anger in his column anytime people presumptuously deviated from the norm. “Today, I am going to town,” he would warn. That meant he was going to descend heavily on shameless trespassers. Today, I feel like him. I am angry. So, I will go to town.
When I was about 16 years, an old man in Cape Coast and my mom exchanged some views about God that have stuck with me since. Everybody called him Papa. On hindsight, I guess he might have been in his late-70s, or early 80s. Occasionally, he would drop by our house after a stroll, relax for a while, chat with my parents, and move on.
One evening, while with us and watching TV, black and white for sure, a scene popped up in the Akan drama sketch. I think the actors portrayed God in a bad light and Papa remarked in both Fante and English, saying: “Siseyi, Nyankopcn twer ne lazy chair mu reka d3, you rascals.” This loosely translates to: “By now, God is relaxing in his recliner and slamming these people, saying: you rascals.”
In response, my mom said: “Ah, Papa, abc akcd3ena etwer lazy chair mu ntsi, afa no d3, d3m ara na Nyankopcn so tse,” meaning, “Ah, Papa, because you are an old man, and love to relax in a reclining chair, you are imagining that God is like you.”We all laughed over the issue. But time has taught me how poignant that exchange was. It has given me an idea about how vainly some people treat God.
“Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord in vain,” so commands the Word of God. But, of late, many so-called men of God and spiritualists are doing just. They lie and claim, “Thus says the Lord.”
In the run-up to the two-legged epic encounter between the Black Stars of Ghana and the Super Green Eagles of Nigeria, a flurry of lying prophecies filled the airwaves. The conclusion was unanimous: the Black Stars would never qualify.
A man calling himself Seer Gyan, predicted that the first leg in Kumasi would end one-all, while the scores for the return match in Abuja would be zero-zero. That implied that Nigeria would qualify on account of the away goal rule. He claimed that in the spirit realm, he saw two goals in Kumasi which could be shared by the two teams.
Alternatively, if the Black Stars fought hard, they could claim both goals, otherwise Nigeria could grab them. The man was just trying hard to leave a window of escape in case his prediction backfired. But try as he did, God dribbled him. It was goalless in Kumasi and one-all in Abuja. So, the Black Stars rather qualified against all odds.
Another one, Bishop Isaac Appiah, also known as Ogya Nyame, founder and leader of the Shining Grace Chapel International, was careful not to give specific scores in a bid to leave an escape route for himself should he fail.
“I saw in a vision that the game will not be determined in Kumasi, and I said it last week. An angel made me to see after the final whistle in Abuja, that the Ghanaian players were sorrowful while the Nigerians were jubilating and saying they had won the game. We should go before God and pray because in the spirit realm, what I saw has not been reversed.” Rubbish!
Pressed to be more specific, he repeated what he saw in the vision. When told by the interviewer that Ghanaians would think he is a coward by not coming out with a scoreline, he replied that Ghanaians do not want to hear the truth. According to him, they would brand you unpatriotic if you told them the truth. He said as someone who loves the country, sometimes he sees some evil coming against us, and he stands in the gap for Ghana to avert the danger.
But listen to the “patriotic” pastor’s response when asked if he could do something to turn the tide if “consulted.”“Yes, that would be better than doing it with their own strength.” Nonsense! What did he mean? That Partey and co should depend on his prayer and intervention to win in Abuja? Surely, he wanted to make an easy buck. How dare you try to rip off the whole nation like that? Papa rightly said: You rascals!
The prediction that infuriated me the most is the one by that uncouth idol worshipper who calls himself “spiritual father.”He had the nerve to declare that Ghana is an idolatrous country established by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah with the help of “Kankan Nyame,” an idol that Ghanaian folklore claims to have been worshipped by Nkrumah. For that reason, he vehemently urged Ghanaians to go back to that idol.
Foolish man! Who told you that Ghana was established through the help of an idol? The Bible says: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.” God’s Word also declares: “The fool has said in his heart that there is no God.”Are you not ashamed of yourself that in this day and age when wise men are still seeking Jesus,you have the audacity to recommend idols for Ghana?
He said if the country failed to apologise to the former GFA president, Kwasi Nyantakyi, Ghana would miss Qatar. Besides, Partey should not accept the captain’s band unless he apologised to Asamoah Gyan. Otherwise, he would be injured in the return match in Abuja.
Banging his hands repeatedly on the table, he swore in twi.“Whether it is a mallam, fetish priest or whoever it is who can help Ghana win, if that happens, I would give the players 50,000 pounds.” The Akans say,“Kwatrekwa se ob3ma wo ntoma a, tie ne din.” It means:“If a man called Naked promises to clothe you, be advised by his name.”
Asked what he would do if Ghana qualified, he pulled an over-sized weapon like a matchet resembling Goliath’s sword, raised it to his neck, and swore that he should be beheaded should Ghana qualify.
He brought out a fetish and shook it in the air saying it had never failed him. While still being pressed on his crazy effusions, he deceptively assumed an out-of-this-world posture as he bowed his head and pretended to be in a trance communicating with the fetish. Suddenly, he raised his head as if he had just been released from the spirit world to talk to mortal men and asked the host whether he was saying something to him. Impudent liar!
After Ghana qualified, he was defiant. He argued that he only said the Black Stars would not win the match, and that came to pass because it ended in a draw. Questioned how come Ghana qualified, he claimed that some “big men” called him on his phone and pleaded with him todo something about the situation. Besides, he boldly declared that the “big men” went to apologise to Kwasi Nyantakyi and Asamoah Gyan as he directed them to do and that led to the qualification. Eeeii!
When he ran out of excuses about why Partey was not injured but rather scored the goal that earned Ghana a slot at the World Cup, the pathological liar easily invented an escape route without scratching his head by instantly claiming the phone line seemed jammed and that made the interviewer’s voice inaudible.
The truth of the matter is that a jaded, faded Black Stars failed miserably at AFCON with a profusely leaking defence, and broke the nation’s heart. Imagine a team like that pitted against the Super Eagles of Nigeria who had the luxury of a dilemma in choosing from the array of world-class attackers like Victor Osimhen of Napoli, Ademola Lukman of Leicester, Victor Ighalo, Simon and others.
With Ghana lacking such strikers, besides a defence that had given the nation cause for alarm, the foregone conclusion was that the Black Stars would be buried under an avalanche of goals. And so, these liars parading as prophets and spiritualists, took the easy road, judged by the trend, and deceived us that they had heard from the Lord.
Hear the Word of the Living God!
I expose the false prophets as liars and make fools of fortune-tellers.
I cause the wise to give bad advice, thus proving them to be fools.
But I carry out the predictions of my prophets!
Isaiah 44:25-26, New Living Translation
The Bible declares: “He traps the wise in their own cleverness so that their cunning schemes are thwarted,” Job 5:13, New Living Translation.
This is how God exposed these liars and made an open show of them, You do not know God. Leave Him out of your nonsense!
Contact: teepeejubilee@yahoo.co.uk
By Tony Prempeh
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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