The Diocese of Kumasi celebrated its 50th anniversary with a Great Thanksgiving service at Saint Cyprian Cathedral in Kumasi, Ghana, on Sunday 29 October. The theme of the celebration was “Celebrating 50 years of golden memories and transforming lives for development”.
The cathedral was filled with parishioners, clergy, various dignitaries and well-wishers from across the diocese, country and region, including the President of Ghana, Nana Addoo Danquah Akufo-Addo and His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu lll’s representative Prince Nana Atta Poku Agyemang, the Director of Urban Roads in Kumasi. He was accompanied by King Otumfuo’s senior chiefs.
In his sermon, the Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa, Archbishop Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, paid tribute to the founding fathers “who achieved the release from the Diocese of Accra and formed the Diocese of Kumasi,” he said. The archbishop continued: “this celebration must start with us getting it right with the call back to God. It is a call back to consecrate ourselves totally and fully to God’s cause. The Jubilee is a time of release and restoration and the promise for us is one of release and restoration. The promise of Christ for us is that every yoke in any shape or form, any burden of sin, every burden of debt of slavery of sin is broken in the mighty name of Jesus.”
In an interview after the service, the Bishop of Kumasi, Oscar Christian Amoah, said: “we thank God for allowing us to have our diocese. I was a part of the service, 50 years ago, even though I was not a priest. I have seen the improvements over the years with the growth and development of the church. If we look back at the very humble beginnings of the diocese and the growth and blessings, we have a lot to give God thanks for. I am encouraging one and all that it takes a collective effort to achieve something remarkable. So far so good. But we have to do more in the coming years.”
The Archbishop Emeritus of West Africa, Daniel Yinka Sarfo, said: “when I came my spirit was high and my wish is that we continue the good work of our predecessors. We need to strengthen our evangelism, especially to the young. We need to intensify evangelism and grow the diocese. I wish that that this diocese can also give birth to another diocese and on and on.”
Veronica Obemah runs Mothers’ Union’s Community Development programmes in the Diocese of Kumasi, and said she was proud to have been a part of the celebrations. “The atmosphere was Euphoric!”, she said. “It makes me feel so proud to belong to a Church where the President of the nation and the Ashanti King are both members. Also, to have contributed to the growth of the diocese by executing my roles in Community Development for Mothers’ Union diligently also makes me feel satisfied that we have all played our part.
“Since its inception, Kumasi Diocese has been one of the vibrant dioceses in Ghana. Even though it is a young diocese, it has seen many major infrastructural developments with regards to schools, hospitals, retreat centres and business centres among many others.”
Proceeds raised during the 50th anniversary will go towards building a Christian retreat centre.