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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 to do 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
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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