National Cathedral Ghana holds night vigil in memory of late Former Methodist Presiding Bishop, Rev Dr Asante Antwi

The National Cathedral Board of Ghana has organized a night vigil to honor the memory of the late Former Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ghana, Most Rev. Dr Samuel Asante Antwi.

The colorful event dubbed: “A Night of Tributes In Memory of Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Asante Antwi” was staged at the National Cathedral Grounds located at Ridge in Accra on Thursday October 22, 2020.

The solemn occasion to honor and celebrate the late preacher cum politician witnessed an outburst of avalanche of tributes read in memory of the late Most Rev. Dr Samuel Asante Antwi from  various sympathizers including clergymen, traditional authorities, government officials, friends and families of the deceased, the New Patriotic Party apparatchiks as well as  members general public.

Delivering a tribute on behalf of the governing New Patriotic Party, (NPP) its General Secretary, John Boadu said “At this time of great pain, the New Patriotic Party expressed profound and deepened condolences to Rev. Asante Antwi’s wife, children, family and the Methodist Church”.

He described the late Rev. Dr Samuel Asante Antwi as true patriot and a nationalist who loved his country so much that he tried to fight the trenches against bad governance.

“He chaired his authority to dabble in the affairs of political state from the Bible and sometimes with a smack on his face”

He continued: “Rev. Dr Asante was known for his exceptional leadership brawl in church and in politics.  He was not known for diplomacy.

Asante was not afraid to curse some political leaders whom he perceived to be corrupt for their wicked practices. But he was not an arrogant and envious person at all”.

According to Mr. Boadu, the late clergy chose to focus less on what he has to loose or what he had to offer and more on the gifts and strengths he could liberate and highlight in others.

“He preached and always talked against arrogance and envy because he believes that this could paralyze our organizations and even nations” he posited.

For his part, Emeritus Archbishop Peter Sarpong in his tribute described the Minister as someone who is “a gentleman to the core whose marital life as a Christian was impeccable.

He also eulogized him as ‘a brave apostle who led his flock to a greener pastures’.

Also celebrating the memory of the late Rev. Dr Asante Antwi, Ken Ofori-Attah, Finance Minister described his death as something which has robbed the nation one of its foremost devoted Christian, nationalist and illustrious son of the land who served the nation by providing principled leadership at a very critical period of history in the 1980s and 90 respectively.

Rev Dr Asante-Antwi, who doubles as the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral died at age 83, leaving behind a wife, Mrs Comfort Asante-Antwi and children.

His demise on early morning of Sunday September 13, 2020 at the Korle Bu teaching hospital in Accra was declared by the Secretariat of the National Cathedral of Ghana.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Paul Opoku-Mensah said: “With profound sadness and a heavy heart, the Secretariat of the National Cathedral of Ghana announces the passing of Most Rev Dr. Samuel Asante Antwi, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral Project.

Rev Asante-Antwi was also a founding member of the New Patriotic Party and a former Council of State member under President J.A. Kufuor’s era.

Most Rev Dr Asante Antwi was appointed by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Cathedral, to oversee the development of the project. From the inauguration of the Board of Trustees in March 2017 until his passing on the morning of September 13, 2020.

He successfully steered the work of the Trustees through the vicissitudes of the project. The period of his leadership saw the development of a solid foundation for successful implementation of the project.

The event was patronized by crème-de-la-crème of the society, government appointees, clergymen and traditional rulers including the Most Reverend Dr. Paul Kwabena Boafo (Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana), Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee, Archbishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle (Vice Chair NCG Board of Trustees), Archbishop Duncan Williams, Emeritus Archbishop Peter Sarpong, Apostle Opoku Onyinah, Frema Opare (Chief of Staff), Yaw Osafo-Maafo (Senior Minister), His Majesty Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI (Osu Mantse and President of the Greater Accra Regional house of Chiefs).

Source:Joseph Wemakor|Newsghana24.com