INTRODUCTION

The Episcopal House of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion was in Ghana and worshipped at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral Accra where the Anglican Primate the most Rev.Dr Justice Ofei Akrofi Arch Bishop of the arch diocese of Accra and primate of the church of the province of west Africa preached the sermon on Christmas day.

The Episcopal house reporter Rev Canon Foluso Taiwo had a special interview with his grace The Most Rev. Dr Justice Ofei Akrofi immediately after the Christmas service. Here are the excerpts.

MY GUEST: - THE PRIMATE OF GHANA THE MOST REV DR JUSTICE OFEI AKROFI

Episcopal House: - Jesus is the reason for the Yuletide season, your grace could you please expatiate on this aspect of humility.

GHANIAN ANGLICAN PRIMATE (GAP):- If the creator of this world in the person of Jesus Christ could allow himself to be born in the manger then we the followers have no business been so proud when we are elevated.

If a politician is elected from a humble home and is catapulted to the capital and forgets where he comes from, the same with the clergy, from a humble background, the moment they climb the pulpit with about 500 people at his command the whole thing changes and so Christmas is a call to humility as followers of Christ no matter our position just as the position of Jesus, he was humble, he was born in the stable, so that the poor can come to him and the rich can also come to him because if he had been born in the palace the poor would have been debarred from him, in getting closer as it is common in our culture. Look at us, with different dressing and state of the Art Cars, so in short humility should be our watch word. There is a lot of work to do, in the second decade of the 21^st Century.

Episcopal House:- Thank you your Grace could you please react to the proliferation of churches all over the world especially in Africa and increase rate of criminal activities being committed with impunity even among christians. Where have we gone wrong.

GHANIAN ANGLICAN PRIMATE (GAP):- You see that is why I didn’t know you and you started recording my sermon and I questioned you because people are parading themselves as cardinals Bishops and Arch Bishop’s and dressed like me, and for all you know they are doing different things. I think basically we have not lived the word. We go to bible study we go to healing service where the word is being preached but we are leaving the word. We hear it with one ear it passes to the other but we must be doers of the word and so basically living of the word is our problem because if one lives the word and follow the principles of Christ and opens his outer mouth to spread the gospel, Christ wants to use the heart and mouth to preach the gospel. Christ wants to use the heart.

If we realize this, live and preach the word, the problems we are in will not be the same. In terms of charlatans going into the ministry all over there is freedom of speech so people are taking advantage of this to do all kind of things which is not helping the spread of the gospel and therefore the desired change in the lives of people.

Episcopal House: - How is the Anglican Church in Ghana? How are you faring.

Gap: - Like anywhere in the world there is always room for improvement. We are doing well. Thirty Years ago there was only one diocese in Accra and for the whole country and 20 Years ago, five dioceses were carved from  Accra and now middle of this year it will be 10 Dioceses. We may not be growing as fast as Nigeria, we will get there we will get there.

THEANGLICAN PRIMATE OF GHANA.

JOURNALISTS ASKED TO DESIST FROM COMMUNICATION THAT LEADS TO STRIVE AND HATRED…………BE CONCISE FACTUAL AND TRUTHFUL – AKROFI GHANAIAN PRIMATE IN A CHRISTMAS NEW YEAR MESSAGE.

The Ghanaian primate, the most Rev Akrofi says Christmas has been commercialized, to the extent that firms have been advertising Christmas from September.

He said commercial firms have turned the Christian festival and celebration into another thing. He stated this in his Christmas message at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Accra According to the head of the Anglican Church in Ghana, they served their commodities and use the Christian feast as a cover.

He said, going by the law of economics, when the market is flooded with goods and in a competitive manner price will go down but he said it is not so in Ghana, adding that the price of chicken is higher than normal instead of getting it cheaper for there was a lot of chicken in the market, even Christmas advertisements become expensive. Most Rev. Akrofi said the commercialization of Christmas reached a confused state that the church was wondering what it was all about.

He said Christmas message is precise and clear in that Jesus came down communicating to his people, but are the people paying attention to what is being communicated He asked?

He commended the wonderful communication evolution and facilities but he quickly added that it has led to a confusing situation because in today’s reporting two reports of the same event leaves one wondering where the truth lies He said sensational reports are carried to make it attractive for commercial purposes. While not condemning the facilities of communication, the Ghanaian Primate appealed that communication should be concise, factual and truthful. He called on Journalists to desist from communication that leads to strive and hatred.

The most Rev Akrofi who took his text from Luke 2:8ff. Said Jesus came into the world and the lives of his people to offer as redemption from legalism, organized disobedience, to the will of God and self sufficiency.

The Apostle of non-abusive language on Radio and Television said communication should not be used to abuse and cast aspersions on others. He said one is struck with strong abusive language on air. The Ghanaian Anglican Primate said Communication should be dignified not abusive or embarrassing, hate the evil but love the person he concluded.

The Primate, his wife members of the clergy and laity were later treated to a sumptuous lunch and Christmas reception at the cathedral church hall where the members of the church had the opportunity of interacting with their primate.

In his short presentation the Director of Communications church of Nigeria Anglican communion the Rev Canon Foluso Taiwo thank the Ghanaian Primate the Most Rev Akrofi and his amiable wife Dr Mrs. Maria Akrofi for their hospitality even at a very short notice. He said the church of Nigeria is bible based self reliant, discipline, united and approaches evangelism with pragmatism. He said the welfare of the church in caring is assisting the federal government in its agenda of tackling poverty and unemployment. The director of communications said the church of Nigeria is resolute in his defense of his preaching of undiluted word of God and so will not for anything succumb to the antics and pranks of those who are trying to re-write the bible. The Rev Canon Foluso Taiwo presented the Ghanaian Primate with past and latest editions of the Episcopal House, the news letter of the office of the Primate of all Nigeria Anglican communion. The Diocesan voice, a newspaper of the Anglican Diocese of Accra was exchanged in return. On the entourage of the Director of Communications was his wife Henrietta and Mr. and Mrs. Arinze Anadu from Nigeria.

COVERED / FOLUSO TAIWO.