The legal dispute over the leadership of the Kristo Asafo Mission has taken a new turn after a lawyer representing former Dome-Kwabenya MP Sarah Adwoa Safo challenged claims that Nana Kwadwo Safo Akofena was the rightful successor to the late Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka.
Speaking during an interview on UTV, lawyer Kwame Akuffo argued that Akofena had already lost his status as the crown prince before the passing of the renowned inventor and founder of the Kristo Asafo Mission, making him ineligible to automatically assume leadership of the church.
According to the lawyer, Akofena had been stripped of his position under the mission’s constitution prior to his father’s death.
“Constitutionally, the constitution had disowned Akofena as at the time of his father’s death. He had been removed from the crown prince position,” Kwame Akuffo stated.
The lawyer further questioned whether a person who had been removed from a recognised succession position could legitimately reclaim that role following the death of the leader.
Drawing a comparison with Akan customary succession, he asked, “In Akan customs, if a man is made the next successor and is removed by the people, will that man be eligible, tidy, clean and proper to ascend the stool upon the death of the chief?”
Kwame Akuffo also maintained that there was no officially installed leader of the Kristo Asafo Mission at the time Apostle Kwadwo Safo Kantanka passed away.
He added that the late founder’s will did not expressly designate any individual as his successor or the next head of the mission, challenging assertions that Akofena automatically inherited the leadership position.
The comments add another dimension to the ongoing succession dispute surrounding the leadership of Kristo Asafo Mission, a matter that has attracted considerable public attention following the death of Apostle Dr. Kwadwo Safo Kantanka.