The General Overseer of Living Streams International, Rev. Dr Ebenezer Samuel Maama Markwei, has cautioned against the growing use of prophecy as an instrument for advancing political interests, saying that some politicians and prophets have contributed to practices that undermine the credibility of prophetic ministry and public trust.
He said while God could speak concerning nations and leaders, the increasing tendency of some political actors to seek prophecies that aligned with their ambitions, coupled with the willingness of some prophets to oblige them, had turned prophecy into a tool for political power rather than a means of proclaiming God’s truth.
“Some politicians, it is believed, have sought to hear from God with such avariciousness that some prophets have met their clients’ needs, albeit negatively,” he said.
Rev. Markwei said this while delivering a keynote address at a conference organised by the Department for the Study of Religions of the University of Ghana (UG) in Accra yesterday. It was on the theme: “Political Prophecies and The Politics of Prophecy in Post-Secular Ghana.”
Historical parallels
Using examples from biblical accounts, medieval Europe, the Protestant Reformation, the Second World War and the country’s own political history, Rev. Markwei distinguished between documented prophecies that were fulfilled and those that proved false.
He said history demonstrated that while some prophetic warnings had been vindicated, many others had failed, making it imperative for believers to apply scriptural standards in assessing prophetic claims.
The cleric stressed that even genuine prophets were capable of error, citing the biblical example of Samuel, who initially misidentified Jesse’s sons before eventually anointing David.
“Even the prophet got it wrong. More than once, before the right king was identified, that is a sobering lesson for anyone who claims to know God's mind about who should be.”
“If Samuel could misjudge, so can we,” he said, urging prophets to exercise humility and admit mistakes instead of inventing excuses when predictions failed.
He criticised vague predictions that could be interpreted to fit any outcome, insisting that genuine prophecy must be specific enough to be tested.
Commercialising prophecy
Rev. Markwei further warned against commercialising prophecy, saying financial inducements, personal ambition and the pursuit of influence had become major threats to the integrity of prophetic ministry.
He urged ministers to prioritise character above charisma, stressing that the credibility of a prophet depended not only on predictive accuracy but also on moral integrity.
He called on Christians to judge prophetic declarations through biblical principles rather than emotion, explaining that Scripture itself required prophecy to be examined by the faith community.
The cleric encouraged Ghanaians to allow time, evidence and character to determine the authenticity of prophetic claims, adding that “everything that is supposedly coming from God must be investigated.”
While acknowledging that genuine political prophecies existed, he urged both prophets and the public to approach such revelations with humility, accountability and discernment.
Significance
The Head of the Department of the Study of Religions, Prof. Ben-Willie K. Golo, said the conference was organised to critically examine the growing influence of political prophecies in the country’s democratic space and society’s increasing fascination with prophetic declarations about elections and political leaders.
He explained that the event brought together academics and religious practitioners to interrogate why politicians sought divine guidance through prophets, whether such interventions had a place in a secular democracy, and how the phenomenon should be understood from the scholarly and practical perspectives.
