Paramount Chief and President of Some Traditional Council, Agbozume, has distanced himself from a recent press conference by some chiefs who issued a 14-day ultimatum to Archbishop Charles Agyinasare Founder of the Perez Chapel International to appear before the traditional authority.
The Paramount Chief who wants the public to disregard the directive, rather called for a cease-fire and peace since the Archbishop has already apologized.
Speaking to TV3’s Nana Kweku Aduah on Monday June 5 Torgbiga Adamah III said “What happened at Nogokpo, I am not associated with it.
“My chief consulted me on Monday and he asked, what should we do and the first thing I ask is, has somebody brought the case?
“Nogokpo is the name of the town but the shrine is not Nogokpo. The shrine is Gbakadza so if you are a chief of Nogokpo and I am a Paramount chief I can only receive a complaint from my subjects who are over there superintending on issues of the shrine. So the first question I asked him was, has our people come and complained to you officially that what has happened has affected the shrine or the god? He said nobody.
“I said then wait and let us do the Council meeting then we will discuss it there and take a decision from there. So that was my instruction, then from nowhere I only heard of threat at a press conference which I don’t know anything about.
It is recalled that the Chiefs of Nogokpo, a town in the Volta Region summoned Archbishop Charles Agyinasare to appear before them within fourteen days.
They say they are not satisfied with the explanation that the Man of God gave to his earlier comment that described Nogokpo as the headquarters of demons in the region.
They have therefore called on the National Peace Council to “help Archbishop Charles Agyinasare appear before the council of elders of the Nogokpo community within 14 days for amicable resolution”.
The convenor of the community Nufialaga Mawufemor Korbla Nonyigbey said at a press conference on Friday, June 2 that “The Archbishop in his second sermon and clarification showed no remorse or regretfulness, an indication that he deliberately decided to tarnish the good reputation of the people of Nogokpo and a calculated damage mechanism of the usual religious intolerance to weaken African Traditional Religion”.
Archbishop Agyinasare earlier explained that he meant no malice in his comment about Nogokpo, a town in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region.
He had described Nogokpo as the headquarters of demons in the region.
He said “Nogokpo is the demonic headquarters of the Volta Region. We only have not said it but the second night, I made Bishop Yaw Adu talk about witchcraft and we disgraced the witches and the wizards. When we were driving from Aflao to Agbozome, immediately we got to Nogopko, Bishop Yaw Adu’s four-wheel drive, the tyres came out from under the car.”
Clarifying his comment following criticisms, the Man of God said “I have received calls from people very close to me and my attention has been drawn to social media commentary on some portions of comments I made this past Thursday during the Supernatural Empowerment Summit here in the Perez Dome.
“I was speaking on the divine protection we as Christians enjoy from God and was teaching congregants on the need to activate divine protection from demonic attacks. This is a cardinal principle of our faith as Charismatic Christians.
“To drive home my point, I made reference to several instances where I have encountered manifestations of demonic powers in my crusades which have taken me to over 92 countries of the world. I gave an example of people who were seeking to levitate during a crusade in India. I gave an example of an attack I suffered as a very young Pastor who had gone to preach at a bus stop around Korle Bu.
“In reference to Nogokpo, I wish to clarify that I never intended to refer to the town but an incident that happened after a crusade at Aflao. I had absolutely no intention to cast a slur upon the people of the Nogokpo Town and the Volta Region as a whole.
“I have had a very cordial relationship with the people of the Volta Region. My wife of 38 years is an Ewe from Keta. And two of my sons bear Ewe names. All of the examples I gave were not intended to denigrate any of the towns and their people but to elucidate the principle of divine protection to congregants.
“Any misrepresentation or misinformation that has characterised the subsequent commentary and reportage is regretted.
“My Ministry over the past 40 years has been one that has spoken up at critical times in our Nation as a spiritual gatekeeper and I remain committed to serving God’s people and our Nation as the spirit directs.”