Safo Kantanka’s will does not make anyone Kristo Asafo leader-Kwame Akuffo

The reading of Apostle Dr Kwadwo Safo Kantanka’s will has opened another debate over succession within the Kantanka family and the Kristo Asafo Mission.

Private legal practitioner Kwame Akufo says the will should not be treated as a document that automatically appoints a leader for the church.

According to him, although the late founder’s will made references to a group of persons and reflected his intentions at the time it was written, it did not confer the leadership of Kristo Asafo Mission on any individual.

Mr Akufo was speaking to the media after the will was read at the Accra High Court.

His comments follow claims that the reading confirmed Israel Kwadwo Safo Akofena as successor to the Kantanka Empire.

He, however, argued that the issue must be examined beyond the will because the church’s constitutional arrangements changed after the document was signed.

“That the will does not confer leadership position on anybody; it speaks to a pool of people, but there’s a point to be made there,” he said.

Mr Akufo explained that the will was dated and signed before amendments were later made to the constitution of the Kristo Asafo Mission.

“This will was dated and signed before the amendment of the Constitution,” he stated.

He said that at the time the will was prepared, Akofena clearly held a special place in the late founder’s plans.

“At the time that the will was written, Akofena was clearly a man who sat in the bowels of the man’s heart,” he said.

Mr Akufo added that Akofena was subsequently designated to exercise authority on behalf of the founder.

He, however, maintained that the position changed when the late Apostle Safo himself initiated reforms to the church’s constitution.

“It was the same gentleman who initiated a repeal of that constitutional provision, and Akofena was removed as designated leader,” he said.

According to the lawyer, this means the constitutional position at the time of Apostle Safo’s death was different from the situation that existed when the will was made.

“So by the time his father was dying, Akofena was not the designated leader of the church,” he argued.

Mr Akufo therefore cautioned against public conclusions that treat the will as the final word on the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission.

He said some of the public commentary on the matter had ignored relevant constitutional developments within the church.

“It is unfortunate that people do not have the accurate information,” he said.