Torgbi Saba V, Chief of Nogokpo in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region, has advised the media, social media users and the public to refrain from passing unsavoury comments relating to Nogokpo and the deity (Shrine).
His advice came in the wake of a recent comment made by Archbishop Charles Agyin-Asare, the founder and leader of Perez Chapel during a sermon in his Church auditorium in Accra.
The archbishop’s comments received a lot of backlash from members of the public purported to be indigenes of Nogokpo, which according to Torgbi Saba, were not coming from the right people.
A statement issued by the palace of Torghi Saba V, copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said “It has come to the notice of Torgbi Saba V, “Dufia of Nogokpo, the current happenings on social media about Archbishop Charles Agyin- Asare and Nogokpo – we wish to let Ghanaians and the world know that we are deliberating on the issue and the general public shall hear from us in due course.”
The statement directs all media outlets and the public seeking further clarification, to do so through the appropriate channel.
Archbishop Charles Agyin-Asare, on the third day of a Summit held recently at the headquarters of Perez Chapel in Accra, preached about divine protection and the existence of evil forces and cited several examples to support his teaching.
During his preaching, the archbishop recounted an incident where his team received spiritual attacks for hosting a crusade in the Volta Region.
“During this crusade in Aflao, we slept at Agbozume, that was where our hotel was, and you must go through Nogokpo and Nogokpo is the demonic headquarters in the Volta Region.
“We only have not said it but the second night I made Bishop Yaw Adu talk about witchcraft, and we disgraced the witches and wizards. When we were driving from Aflao to Agbozume, immediately we got to Nogokpo, Bishop Yaw Adu’s four-wheel drive, the tyre came out from under the car, “he recounted.
Following the publication of the video online which has gone viral, the Church leader has come under heavy criticism online including from social media handles.
In a related development, Ketu South citizens are demanding an apology from Perez Chapel International founder and leader over his sermon tagging Nogokpo, a community in Ketu South, demonic headquarters in the Volta Region.
In reaction, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said such a tag was unfortunate and that she and her people deserved an apology from the minister of God.
“Very unfortunate incident. It is an unguarded and inciting comment from a revered leader of a big church. On behalf of my people, I demand an unqualified apology from the man of God, who I have enormous respect for.”
Mr Jonas Fotor Agbagba, Assembly member for Nogokpo/Atsivuta said people had always preconceived minds about the community, famous for its traditional and spiritual shrine, Zakadza.
“People say many things about Nogokpo because of the deity, but the fact is, it is one of the crime-free and most peaceful places to live in the country. Torgbui Zakadza is a deity that punishes only wrongdoers and gives justice to people served with unfair treatment.”
Zakadza (Fon language) is Yewer’s god of thunder like the Shango cult of the Yoruba or Thor of the ancient Scandinavians.