Very Rev. J. Y. Ledo goes home

The mortal remains of a former Moderator of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG); Very Reverend Japhet Yao Ledo, were laid to rest at his hometown, Klefe, near Ho last Saturday. He was 84.

The pre-burial service, which took place at the Dela Cathedral at Ho-Kpodzi, was attended by people from all walks of life, including the clergy, traditional authority, congregation from various churches and a delegation from the sister church, Eglise Evangelique Presbyterienne du Togo.

In a sermon, the Moderator of the General Assembly of EPCG, Rt  Rev. Lt Col. Bliss Agbeko (rtd) described Very Rev. Ledo as an all-purpose man, who held the church together in his eight-year tenure, even in times of the chaos that engulfed the church some years ago.

He said the late Very Rev. Ledo had fulfilled his life with worship, fellowship with others and ministry to the congregation and communities.

“He served his community, friends, other people and even enemies with love,” Rev Dr Agbeko added.

President John Dramani Mahama, in a tribute read on his behalf, said the late Very Rev Ledo’s demise was a great loss to the entire nation.

“His leadership and unwavering faith in God touched countless lives through his humble service as Moderator of the EPCG,” he added.

President Mahama said the Very Rev. Ledo’s legacy as a shepherd, would continue to inspire many generations yet unborn.

The late Very Rev. Ledo served the EPCG as the Moderator from 1993 to 2001.

During the period, he worked tirelessly to restore relationships with the church’s partners, including the Bremen Mission in Germany, Presbyterian Church USA, Church of Scotland, Eglise Evangelique Presbyterienne du Togo, and the United Reformed Church in the United Kingdom.

The Very Rev. Ledo made significant efforts to strengthen the presence of EPCG within the Christian Council of Ghana, and to enhance the church’s visibility, following the challenges faced in the early 1990s.

He left behind his wife and three children.

There was mass weeping at the Dela Cathedral when clergymen assumed the role of pall bearers and carried out the casket of the late Very Rev. Ledo onto a waiting hearse to embark on his final journey.