Anglican Church holds birthday service for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
The Anglican Church of Ghana yesterday held a special birthday church service at the Jubilee House for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo who turned 79 years on Thursday, March 29, 2023.
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Officiated by the Most Reverend Dr Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith, Primate and Metropolitan Archbishop of the Internal Province of Ghana of the Anglican Church, the ceremony was short but impressive.
It was attended by a handful of people and there was a communion service for the President and his family who are Anglicans. There was no refreshment.
The Most Rev. Dr Ben-Smith was assisted by other Anglican priests, including the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Accra, the Right Rev. Dr Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, and the former Anglican Bishop of Accra and former Primate of the Church of the Province of West Africa, Archbishop Justice Ofei Akrofi.
Just after the ceremony, the President was presented with a surprise birthday cake and flower bouquet at the foyer.
He was assisted by the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and their children; the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, to cut the cake.
The President was surprised at the cake, the bouquet as well as a singing group rendering some of his favourite tunes, particularly James Varrick Armaah’s popular choral song, “Oye,” because he used the foyer on his way to the conference room only to return after about 20 minutes to such a surprise.
Homily
Delivering the homily, Rev. Dr Ben-Smith, who spoke of the goodness of ‘Adonai’, urged President Akufo-Addo to continue to lean on God in all he did and not on his own understanding.
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He said the Archbishops and Bishops of the Anglican Church were celebrating the favour of life, good health and goodness of the President and his family.
Rev. Dr Ben-Smith said the President’s life was a sure manifestation of the scripture that the steadfast love of the Lord endured forever and that they were new every morning, adding that “The motive for the service is to thank God for the gift of life and favour and for everything good He has done.”
Referring to Psalm 103 of the Holy Bible, Rev. Ben-Smith said just as David urged his soul to bless the Lord by saying good things about the Lord in the spirit of admiration and gratitude, all should do the same.
He noted that in celebrating the day, they agreed with David when he said Adonai, the Lord of Host was with the President, the God of Jacob his refuge.
Recognition
Rev. Ben-Smith said the children of God owed God recognition and urged the President to continue to look up to him because He was the only God without a competitor, “so we should offer ourselves to him unconditionally”.
He explained that God was a God of remembrance, he did not forget people who depended upon him, adding that “Your Excellency, He will continue to remember you.”
Message
In a message after the cutting of the cake, Dr Bawumia said: “Today we are celebrating the birthday of my boss, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, 79. It’s amazing and we pray that all of us can be as strong as you are when we get to 79”.
The Vice-President said God had really blessed the President and Ghanaians were thankful to him and prayed that God continued to give him long life and good health.