Ghana’s problem? Try the Bible
One question comes up every time the media have the opportunity to encounter the Christian community: “How come that in spite of the proliferation of churches, sin, corruption, wickedness – in short, evil – abound? Invariably, there comes a followup question.
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In tones that mimic the taunt of the other thief on the crucified Jesus’ left at Calvary, they ask: If Christianity is the answer to the world’s problems, how come it has not been able to save itself?”
The Bible Society of Ghana is in the process of putting forth an initiative that answers these questions and seeks to emphasise that the above goings-on in the Christian community are an aberration; that they are actually the exceptions, not the norm.
Like the stance of a former head of Scripture Union (the late Kweku Hutchful), the Bible Society is insisting that “The Bible is still the answer for the world today”. Confronted by journalists who had gone condemning Christianity because Christians were “worse sinners”, Hutchful did not speak; he gave each of them a Bible and asked them to read the New Testament.
At the individual level, cynics in Africa turn to the failure of leadership.
They point at the fact that more than 50 years after Africa attained nationhood – proud to declare that the African is capable of solving his own problems – the continent is a failure. Economically, scientifically, industrially, socially and even morally, Africa seems to be either marking time or is trotting on the same spot. Indeed, as a people, Africans seem to be moving backwards. Even the most buoyant African economies are in the throes of crime and social turmoil.
Search for solutions
In the search for solutions, we have changed governments, both by the barrel of the military adventurer’s gun and by the ballot box. Economically, we have tried all the paradigms between socialism, capitalism and all. The result is that we have proved incapable of feeding ourselves, housing ourselves and managing anything.
All these, people say, point to failure of leadership.
Where is the solution? It certainly is not coming from the so-called advanced or industrialised Europe, North America or the Asian Tigers. They are having their own battles, albeit social and moral, including dismembered families, single-parent societies where young people lack parental guidance, gayism, pedophilia, name them.
So where can Africa turn to? Again, for an answer, the Bible Society is holding forth the Bible, asserting that it contains all the answers the world seeks. And they are determined to convince Africa to give the timeless principles of the Bible a try.
This move to convince Africa to turn to the Bible for answers has been going on for some time now. It began in 2009 when a coalition of Bible societies and church organisations decided to form a partnership and establish a project under the United Bible Societies to use the Bible as a tool for leadership transformation in Africa.
ABLI
This initiative is called the African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI) project. Its aim is to engage and empower a broad audience of African leaders, from public, private, church and non-profit actors, through discussing the Bible’s emphasis on integrity, compassion and justice in leadership.
There is the ABLI Forum. It gathers leaders from across the continent of Africa and takes place over two days before the African Union Prayer Breakfast. The intention is that various audiences coming together will discuss the wisdom and guidance that the Bible can offer leaders in terms of their contribution to socio-economic development, justice and integrity. Its Chief Campaigner is Lord Paul Yaw Boateng, the Ghanaian-British member of the UK House of Lords. His father was the late Mr Kweku Boateng, a former Minister in the first Republic of Ghana.
Format
The format of the forum centres around short presentations, followed by focused conversation on the role of the Bible in the African society.
The inaugural ABLI Forum took place in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in 2010. The city re-hosted it in 2011 and Kampala, Uganda, had its turn in 2012. There was no conference in 2013.
Ghana has been chosen to host the 2014 ABLI Forum slated for May 22 through to May 24 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
To be formally opened by President John Dramani Mahama, the keynote speakers will include Lord Paul Boateng, Rev. Dr Robert Cunville, the
President of the United Bible Societies; Rev. Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Chaplain to Parliament, UK; and other renowned personalities.
Daily over its three-day duration, key professionals and prominent clergymen will make presentations on various topics representing the forum’s emphasis on corruption, bribery, press freedom, governance and integrity in leadership. There will be related topics such as counselling and trauma healing. Some of the presenters are Emmanuel Baba Mahama, Pastor Mensa Otabil, Yaw Buadu Ayeboafo, Vicky Wireko, Professor Akosua Perbi and Dr Araba Sefa Dedeh.
What happens after the three days?
Will ABLI become another talk shop? As has been pointed out by the ABLI Ambassador, Mr David Hammond, ABLI is not an event; it is a process. With the aim to let the biblical principles live in the hearts of the people and guide them all year round, there will be seminars on specific issues that will be raised at the workshops. Convinced that adults who cherish family life are less likely to involve themselves in scandals, a number of workshops and seminars will be mounted to treat topics on family life.
In the course of the year, the ABLI organisers will follow through to ensure actions on scandals that break out in the media, including Anas Aremeyaw Anas’ exposes at DVLA, corruption at CEPS, the rot at the Mental Hospital and Osu Children’s Home and the promised actions against institutions implicated in the GYEEDA Report, among others.
This is an African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI) feature
