PHOTOS + VIDEO: Ghanaians bid farewell to 2017; ushers in 2018 in grand style

Prayers, fireworks and all forms of jubilation climaxed the celebration of the New Year in various cities, towns and villages across the West African country, Ghana.
Each person or group of people welcomed the New Year in accordance with his or her faith.
For most Christians across the country, the last 5 to 10 minutes before the first second and minute of the New Year was a period of prayer.
Prayers appealing to the Most High to pay heed to their heart desires and make the coming year a fulfilling one.
While some laid prostrate, others knelt with the rest either standing and gesturing or jumping and clapping their hands to draw the attention of the unseen God to their needs.
At the Mandela Central Assembly of the New Weija District of the Church of Pentecost, the Presiding Elder, Samuel Kofi Boadi ordered that light in the auditorium be put off while he led congregants to pray to God.
At exactly 12:00am, the lights were put on and the believers shouted a loud Amen to thank God for allowing them to see the beginning of a year which contents are yet to be unveiled.
As if by design, instrumentalists who had moved out of their seats to offer prayers quickly took positions and the jubilation began.
The jubilation were spontaneous as congregants in nearby churches such as The Lighthouse Chapel International and the ICGC could be heard praising God as well.
One song after the other, the mostly youthful church displayed various dance moves to communicate their joy.
Fireworks filled the skies as some of the congregants were outside the auditorium to fire ‘knock outs’ to celebrate the New Year.
Online Worshipers
Ghanaian Christians who could not make time to enter various buildings to worship God or pray to Him for protection followed various church services either online or watched Television.
Rev Mensah Otabil’s ICGC, Rev Eastwood Anaba’s Fountain Gate Chapel, Archbishop Duncan-Williams’ Action Chapel, Bishop Dag Heward-Millls’ Lighthouse Chapel and a host of other churches took advantage of technology and streamed live their 31st Watch Night Service.
The streaming were watched by thousands of believers and unbelievers alike.

Close to 40,000 people watched the 31st Night Cross Over Service held at the Accra Sports Stadium.
The Preachers who were aware of the presence of these unseen worshipers, often made reference to them in their preachings with some calling on them to make their donations online.
Rev Mensah Otabil before the close of the service blessed the congregants and wished them well in the New Year.
They can’t be bothered
There were equally a host of Ghanaians who could not be bothered with ‘these church things’.
This group decided to troop to various drinkings spots to drink with friends to usher in 2018.

What was interesting is how some of these people who had gathered for ‘sip’ a glass of wine and wish each other well trooped in their numbers to churches only to spend the few minutes of 2018 in the House of God.
As if by design, these ‘occasional worshipers’ rushed to take their seats at the bars awaiting their counterparts who had spent the whole night in church.
True worshipers, occasional church goers, Online Worshipers, Drinking Spot celebrants and all Ghanaians have one wish for the New Year, a happy and prosperous New Year.
Watch video below:

 
Source: Ghana / Adomonline.com / KWAKU NTI