The spiritual showdown for Ghana's 2024 Presidency

As Ghana prepares for its 2024 elections, the political atmosphere has been heavily influenced by prophecies from prominent religious figures.

Revered prophets like Rev. Owusu Bempah, Nigel Gaisie, and Victor Kusi Boateng have taken centre stage, each offering his predictions about the country’s political future.

Alongside these prominent figures, many lesser-known men of God have also contributed their voices, speculating on who will emerge victorious in the forthcoming elections.

The evolving pattern of these prophecies is fascinating. Among the well-known prophets, Rev. Owusu Bempah and Victor Kusi Boateng have earned a reputation for being accurate in their electoral predictions, while Nigel Gaisie, despite his charisma, has missed the mark on a few occasions.

Recently, Gaisie predicted an overwhelming victory for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) but followed this with a warning: the NDC must work hard to ensure that God’s prophecy comes to fruition.

Since issuing this caution, Gaisie has notably retreated from further commentary on the matter.

Hostility

Rev. Owusu Bempah, long seen by many as a prophet closely aligned with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has faced hostility from supporters of the opposition NDC over the years.

His public association with President Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo earned him both admiration and indignation. But legal challenges, after involving himself in personal issues, have strained his ties with the NPP.

Notably, after an arrest and time spent on remand, Bempah’s relationship with the ruling party seems to have cooled, with his recent prophecies diverging from his earlier predictions.

Most recently, Bempah shifted his narrative when he announced that God had “returned the throne”. Bempah also criticised the NPP for allowing Vice-President Bawumia to be involved in a traditional ritual during his assemblies with traditional authorities, suggesting it had distanced him from God.

Rev. Prophet Victor Kusi Boateng, by contrast, has been less vocal in the media but commands significant influence in religious circles, particularly in Kumasi. His prophecies have consistently been fulfilled over the years, giving him credibility among his followers.

Although his involvement in the National Cathedral project brought him greater visibility, his long-standing reputation as a prophet was already well-established.

Recently, Boateng has been unequivocal in his prediction that Bawumia will accede to the presidency after the December 7th elections. Despite facing sharp criticism and public ridicule, Boateng has remained steadfast, insisting that the more his prophecy is attacked, the more certain he becomes of Bawumia’s victory.

Ironically, traditional priests have also jumped into the fray making the 2024 elections as much a spiritual battleground as a political one.

Divine vs personal

As Ghanaian prophets continue to offer competing prophecies but conflicting visions of the future, one might wonder if these predictions are influenced more by personal biases than divine revelation.

Are these prophets genuinely hearing from God, or is there a deeper, more unpredictable force at play? This uncertainty turns the political process into something resembling a lottery, where success may depend not only on divine favour but also on hard work and strategy.

Ultimately, Ghanaians will have to wait until December 9th to see which, if any, of these prophecies come true. Will Nigel Gaisie’s caution to the NDC prove prescient?

Will Victor Boateng’s unshakable belief in Bawumia’s victory hold? Or will Owusu Bempah’s unexpected pivot to Mahama be vindicated? Only time will tell if these prophecies hold any weight or if they are simply reflections of a more complex political and spiritual reality.

The writer is a social activist, human rights advocate and tutor at Winneba SHS