President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is encouraging Christians to be strong in faith and let faith be integral part of their chosen profession in order to be successful in what they do.
He says though he is a Lawyer and Politician, it is strong faith that has kept him moving.
Delivering an inaugural African Lecture at the National Day of Prayer at the Museum of the Bible, in Washington DC, USA, President Akufo-Addo noted that during his struggles in politics, the society mocked him but being strong in the Faith, he made it through.
“I have been in the maelstrom of public life in Ghana for forty-five (45) years, that is most of my adult life. I had been dissatisfied with the condition of life of the majority of our people, and that is why I have struggled to get the opportunity to do something about it”.
“The story of my struggles to become president of my country are well known. My experiences have been a testimony of God’s love, and a vindication of the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, in the Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 19 verse 26, which says “with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” President Akufo-Addo said.
Emphasizing on his presidential election history in Ghana, the President noted; “It took three tries between 2008 and 2016 for me to get elected. By which time, the popular catch phrases of “Akufo-Addo cannot be President”, “God does not want Akufo-Addo to be President”, “Akufo-Addo is short, and does not have the stature to be President” had become so prevalent, you had to be firmly rooted in your faith to have had the courage to persist”.
“I committed that third election campaign to God, and indicated to the Ghanaian people that “The Battle is the Lord’s”.
“By God’s grace, I won a famous victory against an incumbent President by a gap of nearly a million votes, the largest margin of victory for two decades”.
“And, by the same Grace, I won re-election in the December 2020 elections, and I am now in my second and last term as President” Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo also added that Ghana was doing well and he was expecting a resounding victory in 2020 then COVID-19 came, stressing that though he does not know how those without faith did it; he committed Ghana to God and with the help of science Ghana is gradually coming out of the ravages of the pandemic.
He enumerated details on the national cathedral and Bible Museum of Africa adding that there will be a link between Ghana and Washington in this regard.
He explained the cost of the project should not be a burden on the State and therefore urged all to support the project to completion.
President Akufo-Addo as part of his lecture, solicited the support of his audience “to bring this transcendental project to fruition”.
He indicated that the “construction of the project in Accra, led by a committee of the prominent Christian leaders of the nation, has begun in earnest”.
“That is why we are mobilizing the Christian community, home and abroad, and other well-meaning persons, to join us in partnership to raise the needed resources to complete the project”.
“We seek to build this partnership on the rich history of the Church’s involvement in Ghana’s development. Ultimately, the goal is to build an international coalition in support of the project”.
“This will be a historic coalition, and the names of its supporters will be written in gold in the annals of our history and in the annals of Christianity!” he added.
The President in his nine-page lecture, made a strong case yet, for the decision of his administration to build the National Cathedral. According to the President, his Christian faith is the motivation for one of the major projects (the National Cathedral), which he has described in the past “as a priority of priorities, that” is being “undertaking in the country”.
“The National Cathedral addresses a missing link in our nation’s architecture by providing a formal space for the religious activities of the state”.
“Designed by the iconic global Ghanaian architect, David Adjaye, who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture here in Washington DC, the National Cathedral provides an interdenominational space for worship, and will serve to insert God at the centre of our nation building efforts” Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo observed that the State and Church collaboration responsible for the construction of the National Cathedral have decided to integrate “a Bible Museum and Biblical Garden as part of the project”.
“Dubbed the Bible Museum of Africa, and Biblical Gardens of Africa, they extend the National Cathedral project, which will transform Ghana, over seventy percent (70%) of whose population are self-proclaimed Christians, into a major centre of Christianity in Africa” Akufo-Addo noted.
“The work of the Bible Museum and Biblical Gardens is being led by Cary Summers, the indefatigable founding President of the Museum of the Bible, and the world-class project team that worked on the Museum here”.
“The Bible Museum of Africa will represent a key development in African Christianity” he
added.
“Seeking to replicate what is here (the Washington Cathedral), it explores the history, narrative and impact of the Bible. However, its distinguishing character would be its special thematic focus on “Africa, and Africans, in the Bible”, and “The Bible in Africa’.
President Akufo-Addo further stated that, “the National Cathedral of Ghana and the Bible Museum of Africa will also serve as a convening platform for National, African, and Global conversations on the role of the Christian faith in contemporary times”.
National Day of Prayer has been a law in the United States America since 1952 and every year the President proclaims a National Day of Prayer. The event was held at the Museum of the Bible.
Leaders of the Museum of the Bible Steve Green and Harry Hargrave who welcomed President Akufo-Addo lauded him for choosing to build a national cathedral in Ghana using the American example.